Fear, coping and support- from the perspective of children aged 10-17-year old having acute lymphoblastic leukemia

PURPOSE

To describe experiences of fear, coping, and support in 10-17-year-old children under treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL).

METHODS

A longitudinal descriptive qualitative design was adopted. Ten children participated in one to three interviews each (24 interviews in all). Interviews were analysed using a matrix-based qualitative method.

RESULTS

The variety of fears described related to uncertainty, pain and medical procedures, bodily changes and loss of control, complications, professionals' attitudes, affected school results, and social isolation. Children used various strategies to deal with fear: some more general, to cope with the whole situation, and others more related to specific events such as treatment and tests. The most reported strategies we labelled Accepting the situation, Positive thinking, and Being an active agent. Less favourable strategies were also reported. Health care professionals, families, and friends offered valuable, but different kinds of, support.

CONCLUSIONS

Children aged 10 to 17 undergoing treatment for ALL experience various fears. Each experience is individual and changes over time, but there are common patterns. Most children used problem-solving or emotional-regulation strategies, but withdrawal was also reported. Even children who can deal with fear need support from their health care professionals, families, and friends.

Evaluating the mental health status, help-seeking behaviors, and coping strategies of Canadian essential workers versus non-essential workers during COVID-19: a longitudinal study

OBJECTIVE

This study examined mental health symptoms, help-seeking, and coping differences between Canadian essential workers (EWs) versus non-EWs, as well as common COVID-related concerns and longitudinal predictors of mental health symptoms among EWs only.

DESIGN

An online, longitudinal survey (N = 1260; response rate (RR) =  78.5%) assessing mental health and psychosocial domains amongst Canadian adults was administered during the first wave of COVID-19 with a six-month follow-up (N = 821; RR = 53.7%).

METHODS

Cross tabulations and chi-square analyses examined sociodemographic, mental health, and coping differences between EWs and non-EWs. Frequencies evaluated common COVID-related concerns. Linear regression analyses examined associations between baseline measures with mental health symptoms six months later amongst EWs.

RESULTS

EWs reported fewer mental health symptoms and avoidance coping than non-EWs, and were most concerned with transmitting COVID-19. Both groups reported similar patterns of help-seeking. Longitudinal correlates of anxiety and perceived stress symptoms among EWs included age, marital status, household income, accessing a psychologist, avoidant coping, and higher COVID-19-related distress.

CONCLUSIONS

COVID-19 has had a substantial impact on the mental health of Canadian EWs. This research identifies which EWs are at greater risk of developing mental disorders, and may further guide the development of pandemic-related interventions for these workers.

A stress-is-enhancing mindset is associated with lower traumatic stress symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic

BACKGROUND

A stress-is-enhancing mindset is associated with lower perceived stress and better coping. However, work examining the prospective associations of stress mindset on perceived traumatic stress symptoms during a stressful real-world life event is limited. The present prospective study explored whether stress-is-enhancing mindset measured before the onset of the COVID-19 global pandemic was associated with later traumatic stress symptoms in response to the COVID-19 global pandemic.

METHODS

University students (N = 179; 68% female; Mage = 19.31, SD = 0.79 years) completed the Stress Mindset Measure (SMM) prior to COVID-19 pandemic onset as part of a larger study. The Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) with respect to the COVID-19 pandemic was completed 1 year into the pandemic.

RESULTS

SMM negatively predicted the IES-R subscales intrusion, avoidance, and hyperarousal such that a more stress-is-enhancing mindset was associated with lower intrusion, avoidance, and hyperarousal following the onset of COVID-19.

CONCLUSIONS

Results suggest a more positive stress mindset is associated with fewer traumatic stress symptoms following a traumatic life event. Altering stress mindset may be an avenue for future interventions to cope with stress.

Exploring the Role of Coping Strategies on the Impact of Client Suicide: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach

Client suicide refers to cases where a mental health practitioner is exposed, affected, or bereaved by a client's suicide and is known to have a profound impact on MHPs. The current study investigated the role of coping styles in understanding short- and long-term impact of client suicide. An international sample of 213 mental health practitioners who experienced a client suicide completed a survey on coping strategies (i.e., Brief-COPE) and the impact of traumatic events (i.e., impact of event scale-revised, long-term emotional impact scale and professional practice impact scale). Results indicate coping strategies explain 51% of the short-term, 64% of the long-term emotional and 55% of the long-term professional differences in impact of client suicide. Moreover, while an Avoidant coping style predicted more impact of client suicide, Positive coping and Humor predicted less impact of client suicide. Social Support coping did not predict impact of client suicide. Implications for both research and clinical practice are discussed.

Justice perceptions and well-being: Belief in a just world is a personal resource and a coping resource

Although the perception of justice is a core need of all individuals, the adaptive value of belief in a just world (BJW)-in everyday life and when facing severe distress-has been typically investigated in separate studies. In this article, we tested, in only one study, the possibility that BJW can be a personal resource and a coping resource. We analysed data from the European Social Survey comprised of random representative samples of 27 European countries (N = 24,776 participants). We considered distressing circumstances both at an individual level (health impairment and financial difficulty) and at a macroeconomic contextual level. The results showed that for people both facing and not facing financial or health-related distress, BJW was positively associated with well-being, supporting BJW as a personal resource. Furthermore, we found that the decrease of well-being of people facing distress, both at an individual level and at a contextual level, compared to people not facing distress, was lower for individuals with higher BJW than for individuals with lower BJW, supporting BJW as a coping resource.

Experiences of relatives caring for psychiatric patients in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana

PURPOSE

The study aimed at examining the lived experiences of relatives caring for family members with mental illness in Ghana.

METHODS

Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was adopted to explore caregivers' in-depth experiences. Fifteen caregivers were purposefully selected from four hospitals within the Greater Accra Region of Ghana, and they were engaged in face-to-face interview sessions through the semi-structured guided interviews. Interviews were transcribed into text formats and analysed using the IPA approach.

RESULTS

Three superordinate themes and their respective sub-themes were identified. Theme 1: Being with the mentally ill (time consuming; financial burden; healer shopping); Theme 2: Psychosocial effect (stigmatization; stress and depression; changes in social/work life); Theme3: Coping resources (prayers/spirituality; psychological capital - ignoring, self-encouragement, acceptance, routinization; social/family support; reading).

CONCLUSION

It was recommended that healthcare professionals ought to prepare family members for the emotional challenges by providing them with constant therapeutic service to help reduce their emotional strain associated with the burden of care. Public education should be intensified for people to understand the need for accepting people with mental illness in order to reduce the issue of stigmatization. Again, government should institute policies through its agencies (Ministry of Health, Ghana Health Service) to assist the caregivers in the discharge of responsibilities. This could take the form of reducing cost of drugs, and establishing community mental health care to provide immediate support.

Negative religious coping versus spiritual struggles: Moderator or main effect?

OBJECTIVE

While previous research indicates that negative religious coping relates with distress, it is unclear if this represents generalized spiritual struggles or a specific vulnerability activated by negative events. Moreover, past research treats coping as a stable phenomenon, although it likely fluctuates. This research simultaneously tested both models longitudinally and examined the relationship between coping and distress.

METHODS

The current study is a secondary analysis of longitudinal data collected online over 3 years from 397 participants. Life events, negative religious coping, and depressive symptoms were assessed on six occasions, and linear mixed-effect models were used to analyze data.

RESULTS

Negative religious coping was largely stable with increases at times of stress. Participants with higher mean negative coping reported more depressive symptoms regardless of life circumstances (i.e., main effect), likely reflecting generalized spiritual struggles. In addition, those with higher mean coping or with particularly high levels at a given time reported even higher levels of symptoms when they experienced more negative life events (i.e., moderation effect).

CONCLUSION

Results suggest that previous research merges two distinct phenomena-spiritual struggles and negative coping. This has important theoretical and research implications and suggests that integrating spirituality and religion into treatment can be warranted.

Exploring the relationship between coping styles and well-being among Chinese university students: A longitudinal study based on the transactional stress model

In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, university students were exposed to increased stress, which significantly affected their well-being. This study examines the coping mechanisms employed by Chinese university students during this crisis, with a particular focus on the potential protective role of coping flexibility in maintaining their well-being. Using the transactional stress model and the dual-process theory of coping flexibility, this longitudinal study analyzed the responses of 206 Chinese university students at three measurement points in late 2022. The findings suggest that disruptions in daily life during the pandemic likely led students to engage in problematic internet use as a coping strategy, which subsequently led to reduced well-being. However, the study also shows that coping flexibility plays a crucial protective role in maintaining students' well-being. These findings highlight the urgent need for targeted interventions aimed at enhancing coping flexibility among university students, especially in the evolving post-pandemic landscape.

Effectiveness of a Web-Based Individual Coping and Alcohol Intervention Program for Children of Parents With Alcohol Use Problems: Randomized Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND

Children whose parents have alcohol use problems are at an increased risk of several negative consequences, such as poor school performance, an earlier onset of substance use, and poor mental health. Many would benefit from support programs, but the figures reveal that only a small proportion is reached by existing support. Digital interventions can provide readily accessible support and potentially reach a large number of children. Research on digital interventions aimed at this target group is scarce. We have developed a novel digital therapist-assisted self-management intervention targeting adolescents whose parents had alcohol use problems. This program aims to strengthen coping behaviors, improve mental health, and decrease alcohol consumption in adolescents.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to examine the effectiveness of a novel web-based therapist-assisted self-management intervention for adolescents whose parents have alcohol use problems.

METHODS

Participants were recruited on the internet from social media and websites containing health-related information about adolescents. Possible participants were screened using the short version of the Children of Alcoholics Screening Test-6. Eligible participants were randomly allocated to either the intervention group (n=101) or the waitlist control group (n=103), and they were unblinded to the condition. The assessments, all self-assessed, consisted of a baseline and 2 follow-ups after 2 and 6 months. The primary outcome was the Coping With Parents Abuse Questionnaire (CPAQ), and secondary outcomes were the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale, Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT-C), and Ladder of Life (LoL).

RESULTS

For the primary outcome, CPAQ, a small but inconclusive treatment effect was observed (Cohen d=-0.05 at both follow-up time points). The intervention group scored 38% and 46% lower than the control group on the continuous part of the AUDIT-C at the 2- and 6-month follow-up, respectively. All other between-group comparisons were inconclusive at either follow-up time point. Adherence was low, as only 24% (24/101) of the participants in the intervention group completed the intervention.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings were inconclusive for the primary outcome but demonstrate that a digital therapist-assisted self-management intervention may contribute to a reduction in alcohol consumption. These results highlight the potential for digital interventions to reach a vulnerable, hard-to-reach group of adolescents but underscore the need to develop more engaging support interventions to increase adherence.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ISRCTN Registry ISRCTN41545712; https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN41545712?q=ISRCTN41545712.

INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID)

RR2-10.1186/1471-2458-12-35.

Moderating Effect of Coping Strategies on the Association Between the Infodemic-Driven Overuse of Health Care Services and Cyberchondria and Anxiety: Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling Study

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a substantial increase in health information, which has, in turn, caused a significant rise in cyberchondria and anxiety among individuals who search for web-based medical information. To cope with this information overload and safeguard their mental well-being, individuals may adopt various strategies. However, the effectiveness of these strategies in mitigating the negative effects of information overload and promoting overall well-being remains uncertain.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to investigate the moderating effect of coping strategies on the relationship between the infodemic-driven misuse of health care and depression and cyberchondria. The findings could add a new dimension to our understanding of the psychological impacts of the infodemic, especially in the context of a global health crisis, and the moderating effect of different coping strategies on the relationship between the overuse of health care and cyberchondria and anxiety.

METHODS

The data used in this study were obtained from a cross-sectional web-based survey. A professional survey company was contracted to collect the data using its web-based panel. The survey was completed by Chinese individuals aged 18 years or older without cognitive problems. Model parameters of the relationships between infodemic-driven overuse of health care, cyberchondria, and anxiety were analyzed using bootstrapped partial least squares structural equation modeling. Additionally, the moderating effects of coping strategies on the aforementioned relationships were also examined.

RESULTS

A total of 986 respondents completed the web-based survey. The mean scores of the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 and Cyberchondria Severity Scale-12 were 8.4 (SD 3.8) and 39.7 (SD 7.5), respectively. The mean score of problem-focused coping was higher than those of emotion- and avoidant-focused coping. There was a significantly positive relationship between a high level of infodemic and increased overuse of health care (bootstrapped mean 0.21, SD 0.03; 95% CI 0.1581-0.271). The overuse of health care resulted in more severe cyberchondria (bootstrapped mean 0.107, SD 0.032) and higher anxiety levels (bootstrapped mean 0.282, SD 0.032) in all the models. Emotion (bootstrapped mean 0.02, SD 0.008 and 0.037, SD 0.015)- and avoidant (bootstrapped mean 0.026, SD 0.009 and 0.049, SD 0.016)-focused coping strategies significantly moderated the relationship between the overuse of health care and cyberchondria and that between the overuse of health care and anxiety, respectively. Regarding the problem-based model, the moderating effect was significant for the relationship between the overuse of health care and anxiety (bootstrapped mean 0.007, SD 0.011; 95% CI 0.005-0.027).

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides empirical evidence about the impact of coping strategies on the relationship between infodemic-related overuse of health care services and cyberchondria and anxiety. Future research can build on the findings of this study to further explore these relationships and develop and test interventions aimed at mitigating the negative impact of the infodemic on mental health.

The positive and negative consequences of stress and its relationship with coping in medical students: A qualitative study

Rates of mental health problems among medical students have prompted efforts to reduce stress during medical training. However, stress can be motivating and is a feature of clinical work. This qualitative study explores what makes an experience stressful, and how medical students respond to such experiences. In-depth interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of 15 medical students. Experiences were distressing when they threatened students' self-perception, goals or coping mechanisms, or when they reminded the student of distressing past events. Moderate stress was motivating and could build resilience. Students selected coping mechanisms based on their availability, acceptability, likely outcome and their previous experience of using these mechanisms. Social support, extra-curricular activities and exercise were helpful. High levels of distress, poor self-esteem and course factors, including remote placements, impaired engagement with coping strategies. Perception of stressors as being insurmountable or beyond one's control, led to increasing distress and the adoption of avoidant coping strategies. University strategies need to consider the beneficial effects of stress and seek to bolster coping resources as well as minimising unnecessary sources of stress.

How dyadic appraisal moderate the association between dyadic coping and diabetes management efficacy

To explore the moderating role of dyadic appraisal in the association between dyadic coping and diabetes management efficacy. Two hundred seventy six middle-aged and older couple pairs with one spouse who had diabetes were recruited from 14 community healthcare centers across Guangzhou. The moderating role of dyadic appraisal was investigated using the actor-partner interdependence moderation model. When both couples considered diabetes to be a shared condition, statistically-significant associations were found between patients' negative (β = -22.7, p = 0.008) and neutral behaviors (β = 13.6, p = 0.017), plus spouses' positive behaviors (β = 22.8, p = 0.009) on their own diabetes management efficacy, respectively (i.e. actor effects); as well as between spouses' positive (β = 16.8, p = 0.028), negative (β = -28.5, p  <  0.001), and neutral behaviors (β = 16.9, p = 0.006) on patient's diabetes management efficacy (i.e. partner effects). Dyadic appraisal moderates the association between dyadic coping and diabetes management efficacy.

Turning pain into strength: prosocial behaviours in coping with trauma

Background: Various coping strategies have been shown to alleviate the negative effects of trauma, yet the significance of prosocial behaviour in this realm has been notably underexplored. The present study explored the hypothesis that engaging in prosocial behaviour mitigates the impacts of trauma by promoting a sense of competence and relatedness, post-traumatic growth (PTG), and reconstruction of meaning.Methods: Three consecutive studies were conducted with college students to compare differences in consequence of prosocial behaviours between a trauma group and a control group. Study 1 (N = 96) used self-reported experiences of traumatic vs non-traumatic events; Study 2 (N = 43) used exposure vs. no exposure to video of an earthquake; Study 3 (N = 20) used a randomized controlled trial (RCT) of a prosocial-themed intervention vs. no intervention. Outcomes in all studies were assessed by self-report questionnaires.Results: Trauma damaged participants' sense of competence and meaningfulness. Prosocial behaviour relieved the impact of trauma on meaning, specifically manifested in the individuals' sense of meaningfulness and their search for meaning. Group interventions with a prosocial theme (based on effect size results) reduced post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and enhanced PTG in victims. The promoting effect on PTG persisted a month later, and its enhancing effect on meaning manifested with a delay.Conclusion: Prosocial behaviour can potentially serve as a beneficial strategy for individuals coping with trauma because it helps enhance meaning and promotes PTG in victims. This conclusion is supported by laboratory experiments and a tentative small-scale intervention study, which provide an innovative perspective for future trauma interventions.

Efficacy of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in treating women with endometriosis and chronic pelvic pain: A randomized trial

This study seeks to assess the efficacy of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) in enhancing coping strategies, alleviating depression, stress, pain perception, and improving the quality of life for women with endometriosis. About 52 patients randomized, categorized into an intervention group (n = 25) and a control group (n = 27) filled out the instruments. A significant positive change was observed in all variables studied within the intervention group compared to the control group. This study introduced a psychological treatment protocol focused on refining coping strategies using CBT techniques. Following the promotion of adaptive coping, there was an improvement in scores related to depression, stress, quality of life, perception of pain, and emotional distress. This suggests that CBT is effective in enhancing the overall emotional wellbeing of women with endometriosis.

The Cumulative Influence of Perceived Discrimination, Stress, and Coping Responses on Symptoms of Depression Among Young African American Mothers

BACKGROUND

African American women have an elevated risk for experiencing depressive symptoms, and discrimination, stress, and coping contribute to symptoms of depression.

AIMS

We aimed to examine the associations between discrimination, stress, and coping on symptoms of depression among young African American mothers.

METHODS

In this retrospective study, we utilized a hierarchical linear regression to explore the effects of perceived racial discrimination, stress, and general and discrimination-related coping responses on depressive symptoms in a sample of African American mothers (N = 250). The data were drawn from the Intergenerational Impact of Genetic and Psychological Factors on Blood Pressure study (InterGEN), a study conducted between 2014 and 2019 and based in Connecticut.

RESULTS

After accounting for maternal age, level of education, and income, greater perceived racial discrimination (p = .03), higher levels of stress (p < .001), greater engagement in avoidance coping (p < .001), and use of passive coping responses to discrimination (p = .04) were uniquely associated with increased depressive symptoms. Other forms of coping, specifically, problem-solving and support seeking, did not appear to influence depressive symptoms in this sample.

CONCLUSION

The findings highlight the negative impact of discrimination, heightened stress, and maladaptive coping on the emotional health of young African American mothers.

Social resilience indicators for pandemic crises

Coping and recovery capabilities in disasters depend to a large part on the social resilience of the societies or regions that are hit by the respective disruptions. Prior disaster studies suggest a variety of indicators to assess social resilience in the natural hazard context. This paper discusses whether the most common disaster-related social resilience indicators, including social cohesion and support, can meaningfully capture social resilience in pandemic crises, since pandemics typically entail physical distancing and other social restrictions. Based on a review of frequently used social resilience measures, this study proposes pandemic-tailored indicators of social resilience to map a society's or region's coping and recovery capabilities in a meaningful way. Applying the suggested set of indicators to a sample of 1,500 residents surveyed in Switzerland during the summer 2020 phase of the COVID-19 crisis revealed low levels of social support and community engagement, but a high level of willingness to help others.

Context matters: Exploring the adaptive nature of self-regulation skills in predicting abstinence among veterans with alcohol use disorder

BACKGROUND

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is highly prevalent among veterans in the United States. Self-regulation skills (e.g., coping and emotion regulation) are important biopsychosocial factors for preventing relapse. However, how variation in self-regulation skills supports abstinence based on contextual demands is understudied in veterans with AUD.

METHODS

In a prospective longitudinal design, treatment-seeking veterans (n = 120; 29 females) aged 23-91 with AUD completed the Alcohol Abstinence Self-Efficacy Scale to assess temptation to drink across several high-risk situations (i.e., negative affect, social/positive emotions, physical concerns, and craving/urges) as well as the Brief-COPE and Emotion Regulation Questionnaire to assess self-regulation skills. Abstinence status was assessed at 6 months. T-tests were used to identify self-regulation skills that differed between abstinent and non-abstinent individuals. Multivariate regression with model selection was performed using all possible interactions between each high-risk situation and the self-regulation skills that significantly differed between groups.

RESULTS

Overall, 33.3% of participants (n = 40; nine females) were abstinent at 6 months. Abstinent individuals reported significantly higher use of suppression (p = 0.015), acceptance (p = 0.005), and planning (p = 0.045). Multivariate regression identified significant interactions between (1) planning and physical concerns (p = 0.010) and (2) acceptance, suppression, and craving/urges (p = 0.007). Greater planning predicted abstinence in participants with higher temptation to drink due to physical concerns (e.g., pain). For individuals with lower temptation to drink due to cravings/urges, simultaneous higher suppression and acceptance increased the likelihood of abstinence. Conversely, for participants with higher cravings, greater acceptance with lower suppression was linked to a higher probability of abstinence.

CONCLUSIONS

Results suggest that the adaptiveness of self-regulation skills in predicting AUD recovery is dependent on contextual demands and highlight the need for culturally sensitive treatments. Collectively, these findings indicate that further research on coping and regulatory flexibility may be an important avenue for tailoring AUD treatment for veterans.

Coping with sensory changes after stroke: a qualitative study

BACKGROUND

Coping strategies were found to predict success in rehabilitation. Research is lacking in identifying the specific coping strategies used to adjust to sensory changes after stroke.

OBJECTIVE

This study utilized a qualitative descriptive method to understand how individuals handle sensory changes after stroke.

METHOD

Researchers developed open-ended questions with probes to facilitate semi-structured interviews. Thirteen stroke survivors younger than 75 years old who were 1-5 years past their stroke were recruited. Researchers used an inductive content analysis approach to analyze the data gathered from the interviews.

RESULTS

Two themes were identified; Coping strategies and the Amount of therapy received targeting sensory changes.

CONCLUSION

Results from this study can inform occupational therapists about what strategies stroke survivors use to cope with sensory changes so that similar strategies can be implemented in therapy. Rehabilitation in the early stages of recovery can help stroke survivors identify adaptive strategies to cope with sensory changes.

The coping experience amongst middle-aged and older cancer survivors: A qualitative study

BACKGROUND

Cancer threat is relevant to age, and the threat of a foreshortened life coupled with a lengthy treatment process negatively affects middle-aged and older adults. Understanding the coping throughout the cancer experience in middle-aged and older cancer survivors will help develop supportive care to promote their physiological and psychological coping effects.

OBJECTIVES

To explore the cancer coping experiences of middle-aged adults aged 40-59 and older adults over 60.

DESIGN

A descriptive phenomenological study was employed.

METHODS

Face-to-face, in-depth, semistructured interviews were conducted with 22 oncology patients in a tertiary university hospital aged 40 or above from August to October 2023. The interview data were analyzed using thematic analysis procedures.

RESULTS

Five themes and 13 subthemes were formed through analysis: acceptance of cancer (considering cancer as chronic, believing in fate and attributing cancer to karma); having different information needs (desired to be truthfully informed, information-seeking behaviour, information avoidance behaviour); getting families involved (developing dependent behaviours, feeling emotional support, family members suffering worse); striving to maintain positive psychological state (positive thinking, seeking peer support) and negative experience (undesirable, low self-esteem).

CONCLUSION

Our study reveals that cancer survivors' attitudes towards having cancer have changed from a death sentence to a more positive perception of a chronic disease. Supportive programmes for developing coping strategies should consider the cultural traditions and religious beliefs, different information needs, involvement of family and promoting a positive psychological state while avoiding negative factors.

PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION

Participants with experience of coping with cancer were involved in the semistructured interview.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of the association between anxiety symptoms and coping in family carers of dependent people aged 18 and over

Anxiety symptoms are prevalent in family carers of dependent people. Despite accumulating evidence in the area, there are still inconsistent findings on the association between carer anxiety symptoms and coping strategies. The aim of our study was to systematically analyse the relationship between anxiety symptoms and coping strategies in carers of dependent adults aged 18 years and older, and examine possible sources of heterogeneity in the results. The study design was a systematic review and meta-analysis. We searched several international databases (Pubmed, CINAHL, PsycINFO and LILACS) from June 2022 up to February 2023. We followed the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses statement and performed several subgroup analyses to examine whether study design, cause of dependency and whether or not controlling for various biases influenced results. Forty-one studies were included in the review. We found significant associations between greater use of dysfunctional coping and higher anxiety symptoms. Greater use of problem-focused coping was associated with lower anxiety symptoms in carers of frail older people, but higher anxiety in carers of people surviving cancer. Emotion-focused coping and some of its individual strategies, such as acceptance and positive reappraisal, in probabilistic samples, were associated with lower anxiety symptoms across all groups. Most of the studies included in this review were cross-sectional. Evidence overall indicates that only specific dimensions and strategies of coping are significantly associated with anxiety symptoms in family carers. These findings should be considered when developing future interventions supporting carers.

COVID-19 pandemic effects on trajectories of college students' stress, coping, and sleep quality: A four-year longitudinal analysis

College students' stress levels, coping strategies, and sleep quality are important indicators of functioning and further predict their health and well-being. The current study utilises data repeatedly collected over more than 4 years from students enroled at a large public research university in the Midwestern US. Our data collection period coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic's onset, facilitating systematic examination of whether and how college students' trajectories (i.e., level and slopes) of stress, coping, and sleep quality changed as the pandemic progressed. Across five waves, surveys assessed multiple outcome and predictor domains every 6 months. Analyses revealed differential courses of change for the outcomes. Stress levels were overall lower immediately after the onset but trended upwards as the pandemic continued. Reported coping reduced significantly after the onset and showed a steeper decline as the pandemic wore on. Sleep quality showed no significant pandemic changes over time, though sleep duration and timing showed initial onset effects. College students' stress, coping, and sleep changed in complex and nuanced ways after the pandemic's onset and findings from our longitudinal analyses expand upon those from previous limited repeated measure and cross-sectional studies. Altogether, findings demonstrate multifaceted changes that may have ongoing effects to affect well-being during key developmental stages.

Conditions that influence coping mechanisms in Latina mothers affected by incarceration: A secondary analysis using the vulnerability framework

The objective of this study is to assess women's vulnerability to becoming involved with the legal system as it relates to their exposure, sensitivity, and resiliency to specific experiences associated with incarceration before, during, and after their confinement using the vulnerability framework. We sampled 12 women who self-identified as Latina mothers from local jail annexes, probation department offices, and substance use treatment centers in South Central Texas. We conducted a qualitative, secondary analysis. Three overarching themes emerged: (1) "[The abuse] just kept happening;" (2) "[Incarceration] was an excessive interference;" and (3) "I wasn't there back then [for my children], but now I can be [there for them] in some way." We also identified subthemes. More research and culturally tailored programming are needed to bridge services across legal system sites (jails, prisons, probation) that interact with this population of women to provide supportive services. PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: We would like to recognize community stakeholders who work in the local jail, probation, and medication treatment centers who helped with the distribution of fliers and participant recruitment along with the women who shared their experiences following incarceration for the original study's data used in this secondary analysis.

Alignment of Canada's COVID-19 policy response with barriers and facilitators for coping reported by caregivers of youth with developmental delays, disorders, and disabilities

Introduction

The UNICEF-WHO Global Report on Developmental Delays, Disorders, and Disabilities is an ongoing initiative aimed at increasing awareness, compiling data, providing guidance on strengthening health systems, and engaging country-level partners. Data from its caregiver survey assessing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic showed that half of youths with developmental delays and disabilities (DDDs) and their caregivers struggled to cope, with a significant portion reporting a lack of supports and difficulty managing the worsening of the child's symptoms in isolation. Governments created service strategies supporting vulnerable groups. Little is known about the alignment between COVID-19 policies for persons with disabilities and their lived experiences. Contextualizing caregivers' experiences can promote the development of tailored public supports for these families following a public health crisis.

Methods

Online survey data were collected from June-July 2020, leading to a convenience sample of caregivers of youth with DDDs across Canada. Respondents answered two open-ended questions regarding challenges and coping strategies during the pandemic. We conducted a thematic analysis of responses using inductive coding on NVivo software. Overarching codes derived from the dataset were contextualized using an analysis of provincial policies published during the pandemic. Parallels with these policies supported the exploration of families' and youths' experiences during the same period.

Results

Five hundred and seventy-six (N = 576) participants answered open-ended questions. Barriers to coping included family mental health issues, concerns about the youths' regression, challenges in online schooling, limited play spaces, and managing physical health during quarantine. Environmental barriers encompassed deteriorating family finances, loss of public services, and a lack of accessible information and supports. In contrast, caregivers reported coping facilitators, such as family time, outdoor activities, and their child's resilience. Environmental facilitators included community resources, public financial supports, and access to telehealth services. Few COVID-19 policies effectively addressed caregiver-identified barriers, while some restrictions hindered access to facilitators.

Conclusion

Prioritizing needs of families of youths with DDDs during public health emergencies can significantly impact their experiences and mental health. Enhancing financial benefits, providing telehealth services, and creating inclusive public play spaces are priority areas as we navigate the post-pandemic landscape.

HPA flexibility and FKBP5: promising physiological targets for conservation

Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA) flexibility is an emerging concept recognizing that individuals that will cope best with stressors will probably be those using their hormones in the most adaptive way. The HPA flexibility concept considers glucocorticoids as molecules that convey information about the environment from the brain to the body so that the organismal phenotype comes to complement prevailing conditions. In this context, FKBP5 protein appears to set the extent to which circulating glucocorticoid concentrations can vary within and across stressors. Thus, FKBP5 expression, and the HPA flexibility it causes, seem to represent an individual's ability to regulate its hormones to orchestrate organismal responses to stressors. As FKBP5 expression can also be easily measured in blood, it could be a worthy target of conservation-oriented research attention. We first review the known and likely roles of HPA flexibility and FKBP5 in wildlife. We then describe putative genetic, environmental and epigenetic causes of variation in HPA flexibility and FKBP5 expression among and within individuals. Finally, we hypothesize how HPA flexibility and FKBP5 expression should affect organismal fitness and hence population viability in response to human-induced rapid environmental changes, particularly urbanization. This article is part of the theme issue 'Endocrine responses to environmental variation: conceptual approaches and recent developments'.

Increases in stress and adverse childhood experiences are associated with the co-occurrence of anxiety and depression in oncology patients

PURPOSE

Identify subgroups of patients with distinct joint anxiety AND depression profiles and evaluate for differences in demographic and clinical characteristics, as well as stress, resilience, and coping.

DESIGN

Longitudinal study.

PARTICIPANTS

Patients (n = 1328) receiving chemotherapy.

METHODS

Measures of state anxiety and depression were done six times over two cycles of chemotherapy. All of the other measures were completed prior to second or third cycle of chemotherapy. Latent profile analysis was used to identify the distinct joint anxiety and depression profiles.

FINDINGS

Three classes were identified (i.e. Low Anxiety and Low Depression (57.5%); Moderate Anxiety and Moderate Depression (33.7%), High Anxiety and High Depression (8.8%)). For all of the stress measures, a dose response effect was seen among the profiles. Two worst profiles reported higher occurrence rates for a number of adverse childhood experiences.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PROVIDERS

Patients need referrals for stress reduction techniques and mental health and social services.

NADA Acupuncture in Specialized Palliative Care: Patients' and Family Caregivers' Experiences

CONTEXT

Over the last 30 years, non-pharmacological treatment with ear acupuncture, including National Acupuncture Detoxification Association (NADA) acupuncture, has become popular in Western society to relieve cancer-related symptoms.

OBJECTIVES

This study aim is to explore whether NADA acupuncture plays a role in relieving suffering experienced by patients hospitalized in a specialized palliative care ward and their family caregivers and whether it contributes to their coping skills.

METHODS

A qualitative study with a hermeneutic approach utilizing inductive thematic content analysis. Purposeful sampling took place in a specialized palliative care ward in Denmark and all data were collected through semi-structured interviews with patients and family caregivers as either individual or family interviews.

RESULTS

A total of 10 patients and 15 family caregivers participated in interviews. Four themes emerged: (1) communication about treatment with NADA acupuncture, (2) relief of suffering generates extra energy and inner strength, (3) sharing the experience with the family is beneficial, and (4) physical and psychological effects after receiving NADA acupuncture.

CONCLUSION

Patients in palliative care and their family caregivers experienced relief of suffering after receiving NADA acupuncture, as well as improved well-being, and extra energy and inner strength to cope with their life situation. The ability to share NADA acupuncture gave family caregivers the feeling of being cared for and contributed to feelings of fellowship and togetherness within the family, strengthening their ability to communicate and cope.

Dealing with the doctor shortage: a qualitative study exploring French general practitioners' lived experiences, difficulties, and adaptive behaviours

CONTEXT

The shortage of general practitioners (GPs) is a growing concern in Europe, especially in France. This problem is likely to continue until the end of the 2020s.

OBJECTIVES

To study the GPs' perceptions of access to care in medically underserved areas (i.e. with low physician density), its consequences on their working conditions, and how they cope with the resulting difficulties.

METHODS

Semi-structured individual interviews were conducted between May and August 2021 of 29 GPs practising in areas of southeastern France with a low physician density or at risk of a doctor shortage. Purposive sampling was used to include profiles of diverse physicians and diverse rural and urban areas. The interviews, conducted with an interview guide, were transcribed and analysed thematically.

RESULTS

The participants described a serious degradation of access to care in their areas. These issues also concerned urban areas, where they were, according to the participants, underrecognized. The participants' workloads were rising, at a rate often perceived as unsustainable: many participants, including the youngest group, reported they were exhausted. Their principal source of dissatisfaction was their impression that they could not do their work correctly. Participants reported that these difficulties required them to improvise and adapt without any official or formal method to keep their practice manageable.

CONCLUSION

These GPs were worried about the future of their profession and their patients. They expected strong measures by public policymakers and officials, but paradoxically seemed to have little interest in the solutions these officials are promoting.

A case-control study to differentiate parents' personality traits on anorexia nervosa and affective disorders

Eating disorders (ED) and affective disorders (AD) in adolescent population and several investigations have pointed out that specific family dynamics play a major role in the onset, course, and maintenance of both disorders. The aim of this study was to extend the literature of this topic by exploring differences between parents' personality traits, coping strategies, and expressed emotion comparing groups of adolescents with different mental conditions (anorexia nervosa vs. affective disorder vs. control group) with a case-control study design. A total of 50 mothers and 50 fathers of 50 girls with anorexia nervosa (AN), 40 mothers and 40 fathers of 40 girls with affective disorder (AD), and 50 mothers and 50 fathers of 50 girls with no pathology that conformed the control group (CG) were measured with the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI), the COPE Inventory, the Family Questionnaire (FQ), and psychopathology variables, anxiety, and depression. Both parents of girls with AN showed a significant difference in personality, coping strategies, and expressed emotion compared to both parents in the CG, while they presented more similarities to parents of girls in the AD group. Identifying personality traits, expressed emotion, coping strategies, and psychopathology of parents and their daughters will allow improvements in the interventions with the adolescents, parents, and families.

Does coping style mediate the relationship between knowledge and psychosocial outcomes in women with atrial fibrillation?

Introduction

In patients affected by atrial fibrillation (AF) disease-specific knowledge and coping style may be associated with psychosocial well-being. This study aimed to determine if coping style (problem-focused, emotion-focused, avoidance-focused) mediated the relationship between patient knowledge and three psychosocial outcomes (anxiety, depression and life satisfaction).

Methods

In 2021 a total of 188 women with reported AF, and ages ranging from 18 to 83 years (mean 48.7, sd 15.5 years), completed an online questionnaire consisting of sociodemographic, clinical and AF knowledge questions and psychosocial instruments (Anxiety and depression, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression (HADS) scale; life satisfaction, Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS); and coping style (Brief COPE). Using Jamovi statistical software three individual mediational models (for anxiety, depression and life satisfaction) were constructed assessing the direct and indirect relationships between knowledge, coping style and each psychosocial outcome. Age was a covariate in each model.

Results

The mediation analyses demonstrated significant direct negative associations between AF knowledge and HADS anxiety and depression and positive associations with SWLS. There were also direct associations between each of the three coping styles and the three psychosocial outcomes. There were significant indirect effects of coping style between AF knowledge and each of the three outcomes confirming partial mediation effects.

Discussion

These findings highlight the crucial role of coping style in mediating the association between AF knowledge and psychosocial outcomes. As such, interventions aimed at increasing patient knowledge of AF may be more effective if adaptive problem-solving coping strategies are also demonstrated to these patients. Additionally, modification of maladaptive coping strategies as part of the psychological management of patients with AF is highly recommended.

A multisystem model for understanding stress and adaptation in ethnically and racially diverse youth

Contemporary biological and contextually based theoretical frameworks have conceptualized how stress exposure may influence adaptation in youth. However, nearly all of this scholarship neglects the role of specific contextual features and/or biological processes that are involved in ethnic-racial minority youth's responses and adaptation to sociocultural stressors. Drawing on the theoretical principles of the developmental psychopathology framework and contemporary models of stress and adaptation, this article proposes a new multisystem model that explains how multiple levels and systems within and outside of individual youth influence their sociocultural adaptation. We provide empirical evidence to support components of this multisystem model. We propose that research based on our new theoretical framework will capture the sociocultural experiences of ethnic-racial minority youth by centering processes that are relevant to their lived experiences, coping, and adjustment. In doing so, this model will inform psychosocial interventions focused on promoting healthy adaptation among ethnic and racial diverse youth. Finally, we offer recommendations to guide future research on stress and adaptation among ethnic and racial diverse youth, in particular, and developmental psychopathology more broadly.

A Lack of Workplace Resources for Social Workers in Schools

Social workers support youth in schools, but there is a lack of research that explores the supports that are offered to these helpers. Research suggests workplace coping resources for social workers in other environments that may help buffer the effects of stress; however, there is a significant lack of research on the availability of these resources. The purpose of this study was to determine common available resources to social workers in schools. A total of 100 public school social workers were surveyed using the Workplace Resource Questionnaire for School Social Workers (designed for this study). The study's findings indicate a significant lack of workplace resources for school social workers; only 27 percent of participants reported regularly available resources outside their schools, and 18 percent and fewer reported resources regularly available in their schools. There was a range in how significant participants felt each resource would support their coping, but many participants felt the resources would support their coping at least minimally. Participants suggested training topics and other resources they felt would help their coping with stress while in the workplace.

The interpersonal benefits of goal adjustment capacities: the sample case of coping with poor sleep in couples

Introduction

This study examined the role of goal adjustment capacities and coping in the association between spousal sleep efficiency and relationship satisfaction in romantic couples.

Method

A community lifespan sample of 113 heterosexual couples (age range = 21-82 years) was recruited using newspaper advertisements in the Greater Montreal Area from June 2011 to December 2012. Participants completed study measures (i.e., Goal Adjustment Scale, Brief Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Relationship Assessment Scale, and the Brief Cope) at two time points, ~1 year apart.

Results

The results of actor-partner interdependence models with moderation (MIXED procedure in SPSS) reveal that goal disengagement buffered people from worsening relationship satisfaction associated with poor spousal sleep [95% CI B (-1.17, -0.12)], in part via increases in actor active coping [95% CI B (-0.32, -0.02)] and decreases in partner self-blame [95% CI B (-0.28, -0.01)]. Goal reengagement was related to diminished relationship satisfaction in response to poor own sleep [95% CI B (0.59, 1.79)], in part through increases in actor behavioral disengagement [95% CI B (0.05, 0.41)].

Discussion

These findings point to a need for future studies to examine goal adjustment capacities and relationship-specific coping strategies as potential targets of intervention to maintain peoples' relationship satisfaction in the face of sleep problems.

Mentally healthy living after pandemic social distancing: a study of older Canadians reveals helpful anxiety reduction strategies

BACKGROUND

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, older Canadians were the most at risk of severe physical harm, including death, and their return to post-COVID life was expected to be especially anxiety-provoking. A study was conducted to obtain nationally representative evidence of older Canadians' self-perceived anxiety levels and their strategies to manage or mitigate it as public health restrictions were lifting.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This study had a cross-sectional descriptive design. An e-survey was used to collect data from 1327 Canadians aged 60+ stratified by age, sex, and education to resemble the larger general population. Participants completed the Geriatric Anxiety Scale (GAS-10) and indicated which of the 16 Centre for Addictions and Mental Health's (2022) Coping with Stress and Anxiety strategies they were using to manage or mitigate their anxiety when social distancing was lifting. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression analysis were used to explore the data.

RESULTS

While, on average, older Canadians were mildly anxious, nearly one-quarter of responders rated their anxiety as severe. Age, sex, perceived health, were statistically significant correlates of anxiety. Six coping strategies were associated with significantly lower anxiety scores. Moreover, accepting some fear and anxiety as normal, challenging worries and anxious thoughts, and practising relaxation/meditation appeared to increase anxiety.

CONCLUSION

Older Canadians used multiple strategies to manage or mitigate their anxiety, and seemingly, with more successful than detrimental tries. Practitioners have much to learn and understand about older people's mental health promotion efforts after social distancing, now and for future pandemics.

Subjective caregiver burden and coping in family carers of dependent adults and older people: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Subjective caregiver burden is highly prevalent in family caregivers. Despite several studies investigating the relationship between subjective caregiver burden and coping strategies, results remain inconsistent. The aim of our study was to systematically review current literature on the relationship between subjective caregiver burden and coping in family carers of dependent adults and older people. A secondary objective was to analyse possible sources of heterogeneity in the estimated effect. The study design was a systematic review with meta-analysis following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement (PRISMA) guidelines. We searched several international databases (CINAHL, LILACS, PsycINFO and PubMed) up to February 2024. We performed several subgroup analyses to examine whether study design, methodological quality or care recipient dependency influenced results. Of the 1064 records identified in our search, a total of 80 studies met inclusion criteria. We found a significant association between greater use of dysfunctional coping and higher levels of subjective caregiver burden (r ‾ $\overline{r}$  = 0.400; 95% CI = 0.315, 0.478); higher use of second-order active coping was significantly associated with lower caregiver burden (r ‾ $\overline{r}$  = -0.213; 95% CI = -0.316, -0.105). Problem-focused coping showed no statistically significant association with levels of subjective burden; emotion-focused coping was associated with caregiver burden only after controlling for confounding variables (r ‾ $\overline{r}$  = -0.258; 95% CI = -0.441, -0.055); several individual strategies of this dimension such as acceptance (r ‾ $\overline{r}$  = -0.135; 95% CI = -0.238, -0.028), positive reappraisal (r ‾ $\overline{r}$  = -0.178; 95% CI = -0.255, -0.099) and religious coping (r ‾ $\overline{r}$  = -0.083; 95% CI = -0.162, -0.002), were associated with lower burden. We found that several dimensions of coping strategies are significantly associated with levels of subjective caregiver burden experienced by carers. These results can inform future research evaluating the effectiveness of interventions aimed at improving carers' mental health.

Spiritual coping within medical professions: A psychometric analysis of the Numinous Motivations Inventory short form

AIM

To examine the psychometric properties of a short form version of the Numinous Motivation Inventory (NMI) for use with healthcare providers in measuring their existential engagement with life and to assess its relationship with spiritual coping and emotional dysphoria.

DESIGN

Correlational and psychometric study.

METHOD

Data were collected from June to December 2022. Participants included 102 physicians, recruited from across the United States. Qualtrics was utilized to collect data, and they were evaluated with the NMI short form, Spiritual Coping Questionnaire and Depression, Anxiety, and Stress scale (DASS-21).

RESULTS

Obtained fit statistics from structural equation modelling analysis indicated close fit of the NMI short form with the original model. Multiple regression analyses demonstrated the value of the NMI as a predictor of negative affect independent of spiritual coping. The NMI did not interact with Spiritual Coping, which was independent of negative affect.

CONCLUSIONS

The Numinous represents an important aspect of physicians' coping. The constructs can be utilized in training and clinical settings as a valuable and easy-to-use metric for promoting and assessing wellness. The implications of these findings and the value of the NMI were discussed.

IMPACT

An understanding of existential drivers can equip one to cope with the stressors of healthcare. The NMI short form has the capability to explore an individual's existential drivers through the understanding of three domains.

REPORTING METHOD

Adhered to proper EQUATOR guidelines (GRRAS).

PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION

No patient or public contribution.

Economic Abuse of Women in Intimate Relationships in Ghana: Consequences and Coping Strategies

Economic abuse is a significant gender-based problem in Ghana and sub-Saharan Africa, but few studies explore the consequences of this type of abuse on women's lives and their coping strategies. This study examined the narratives of 16 Ghanaian women in intimate relationships who experienced economic abuse in the Greater Accra, Ashanti, and Upper East regions of Ghana. Results indicate economic abuse negatively affected female survivors' jobs, businesses, and food security and led to physical violence and adverse health implications. Some women coped by relying on external family networks, religion, and theft from husbands, while others trivialized their experiences.

Predictors of complementary and alternative medicine usage in undergraduate students during the COVID-19 pandemic

Stress is a health-compromising issue for undergraduate students that has only seemed to worsen during the COVID-19 pandemic. While most universities offer traditional medicinal treatments, prior research has suggested that some students prefer to utilize complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) to cope with stress and illness. Given the growing popularity of CAM in the undergraduate population, the current study aimed to better understand the patterns underlying CAM usage during the COVID-19 pandemic. In our study, we examined whether individual difference variables such as the Big Five personality traits and perceived health locus of control as well as constructs like perceived stress predict CAM usage in undergraduates. Implications as well as suggestions for future studies are discussed.

Drinking behavior patterns may be associated with persistent depressive symptoms after alcohol abstinence in alcohol use disorder

AIM

This study examined the association between drinking behavior patterns and depressive symptoms after alcohol abstinence in patients with alcohol use disorder (AUD).

METHOD

We recruited 102 AUD inpatients with baseline depressive symptoms, indicated by scores ≥6 on the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology Self-Report Japanese Version (QIDS-SR-J) pre-detoxification. Post-4-week abstinence, remission was defined as QIDS-SR-J scores <6. Patients were classified into remitted (n = 51) and persistent (n = 51) groups. Comparative analyses were conducted using patient profiles and the Drinking Behavior Pattern 20-item Questionnaire (DBP-20). Logistic regression identified factors related to post-abstinence persistent depression. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis determined DBP-20 cutoff scores differentiating between persistent and remitted depression.

RESULTS

The persistent group exhibited higher scores in the DBP-20 "coping with negative affect" subscale. Logistic regression showed low education, unemployment, and using alcohol for coping as significant factors for persistent depression. Conversely, an automatic drinking pattern indicated natural remission post-abstinence. A subscale score of ≥8 in alcohol use for coping, especially among unemployed patients, predicted persistent depression (sensitivity 86.8%, positive predictive value 73.3%).

CONCLUSION

Unemployed patients with AUD using alcohol to cope with negative affect may experience residual depression even after detoxification. In contrast, patients with AUD with predominantly automatic drinking behavior may exhibit natural remission post-abstinence.

Fatalistic and Optimistic Coping Strategies Predict Depression in Arab Muslim Patients With End-Stage Renal Disease

BACKGROUND

Depression is one of the common psychological problems in patients on hemodialysis. We aimed to identify the predictors associated with depressive symptoms among patients on hemodialysis from a population under-represented in research and minoritized in countries like the United States.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study used a convenience sample of patients in Oman. Data were analyzed using linear multiple regression.

RESULTS

A total of 157 patients on hemodialysis participated in the study, with 40.5% reporting different levels of depressive symptoms. Higher stress levels (β = .643; p < .01) and higher perceived effectiveness of the fatalistic coping style (β = .144; p < .05) were significant predictors of depressive symptoms. Patients with a higher optimistic coping style (β = -.182; p < .01) had lower levels of depressive symptoms.

CONCLUSION

Arab Muslim hemodialysis patients have significant levels of depressive symptoms. Identifying predictors of depressive symptoms may help identify those at risk and provide culturally appropriate interventions.

What helps patients to prepare for and cope during awake craniotomy? A prospective qualitative study

There is growing interest in awake craniotomies, but some clinicians are concerned that such procedures are poorly tolerated by patients. Therefore, we conducted a study to assess this phenomenon. In this prospective qualitative study, 68 patients who qualified for awake craniotomy were asked to complete the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS)-two days before the surgery and visual analogue scales (VAS) for pain and stress, two days before the surgery and again about two days after. In addition, after their surgery, they took part in a structured interview about what helped them prepare for and cope with the surgery. Most patients tolerated the awake surgery well, scoring low on stress and pain scales. They reported a lower level of stress during the surgery (when questioned afterwards) than before it. Intensity of stress before the surgery correlated negatively with age, positively with HADS anxiety score and positively with stress subsequently experienced during surgery. The level of stress during surgery was associated with stress experienced before the surgery, pain and HADS anxiety and depression scores. Severity of pain during the surgery was positively correlated with stress during surgery and HADS depression and anxiety scores before the surgery. There was no correlation between stress, pain, anxiety and depression and the location of the lesion. Patients have a high tolerance for awake craniotomy. Various factors have an impact on how well patients cope with the operation. Extensive preoperative preparation should be considered a key part of the procedure.

Changes in Psychosocial Variables Among Caregivers of Patients With Schizophrenia: A Short-Term Follow-Up Study

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Caring for a person with schizophrenia entails considerable effort. The caregiving experience while caring for a person with schizophrenia has been described as both stressful and enriching. The literature on changes in caregiving experience with time has been fairly limited. The present analysis looks at the change in the caregiving experience of caregivers of patients with schizophrenia.

METHOD

This study had a sample of 50 caregivers of patients with schizophrenia who were followed up after a period of 6 to 10 months. Caregiving experience, knowledge of the mental illness, family functioning, coping, social support, psychological distress, quality of life, and spiritual, religious, and personal beliefs were assessed at the two time points.

RESULTS

Among the negative caregiving experiences, caregivers' need for back-up and patient dependency reduced significantly at follow-up as compared to baseline, though total negative or positive experiences of caregiving did not show a significant difference. Knowledge about mental illness did not significantly increase at follow-up, though issues related to poor communication and affective involvement in family functioning reduced over the period of time. Coping and social support remained largely the same, while psychological distress was reduced. All domains of quality of life improved over the follow-up period, while the hope, optimism, and inner peace aspects of spiritual, religious, and personal beliefs improved with time.

CONCLUSION

Some aspects of caregiving experiences may change with time. As caregivers become more adjusted to caregiving roles, their distress may reduce, and their quality of life may improve.

The interplay between mentalization, personality traits and burnout in psychiatry training: Results from a large multicenter controlled study

BACKGROUND

A better characterization of educational processes during psychiatry training is needed, both to foster personal resilience and occupational proficiency.

METHODS

An adequate coverage of medical residents at the national level was reached (41.86% of the total reference population, 29 out of 36 training centers-80.55%). Controls were recruited among residents in other medical specialties. All participants were assessed by questionnaires to evaluate early life experiences, attachment style, personality traits, coping strategies, emotional competencies. A Structural Equation Model (SEM) framework was employed to investigate the interplay between individual factors.

RESULTS

A total sample of 936 people was recruited (87.9% response-rate; 645 residents in psychiatry, 291 other medical residents). Psychiatry trainees reported a higher prevalence of adverse childhood experiences (emotional abuse, emotional neglect, physical neglect), greater attachment insecurity (anxious or avoidant) in comparison to other medical trainees. Psychiatry residents also reported higher social support-seeking as a coping strategy, lower problem-orientation, and lower transcendence. Lower neuroticism, higher openness to experience, and higher emotional awareness were also observed in psychiatry trainees. Psychiatry training was associated with a redefinition of conflict management skills as a function of seniority. The SEM model provided support for an interplay between early traumatic experiences, mentalization skills (coping strategies, emotion regulation), interpersonal competencies and occupational distress.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings of the present study supported a theoretical model based on mentalization theory for the interactions between personal and relational competencies in psychiatry training, thus providing potential target of remodulation and redefinition of this specific process of education.

college students

BACKGROUND

According to the strategy-situation fit hypothesis, it is adaptive to match coping strategies to the controllability of stressors. Although early research generally supported this hypothesis, recent findings have been inconsistent. The goals of this study were to test the strategy-situation fit hypothesis, addressing limitations of past research, and compare it to an alternative hypothesis from the temporal model of control (i.e., to focus on what one can control rather than matching coping strategies to control appraisals).

DESIGN AND METHODS

College students (n = 159) completed measures assessing their stressors, coping strategies, stressor controllability, perceived control over present aspects of stressors, and perceived stress. Data were collected via online surveys in Fall 2020.

RESULTS

Consistent with the strategy-situation fit hypothesis, using a higher ratio of problem-solving coping for more controllable stressors was associated with less stress. However, using more emotion-focused coping for less controllable stressors was not associated with less stress. In addition, focusing on what one could control in the present was associated with less stress, above and beyond strategy-situation fit.

CONCLUSIONS

It may be more adaptive to focus on what one can control in the present than to match coping styles to stressor controllability.

Stress and sport performance: a PNEI multidisciplinary approach

Stress control is essential for avoiding a state of anxiety in sport competitions, as this state may have negative effects on other psychological variables of athletes, decreasing their self-confidence and harming their attentional control. In the present contribution a distress intervention model developed from a PNEI perspective will be sketched out. Our theoretical-methodological proposal consists of the definition of an integrated protocol of psycho-biological assessment and intervention on the allostatic load and on the levels of distress/eustress detectable in the sport environment, in relation to the person's health/well-being condition and the impact of this condition on the quality of sport performance. This paradigm has the potential to explore both the psychological dimension of stress management and the psycho-educational and psycho-physical dimension, according to a truly integrated approach to the athlete's health and psychophysical well-being. Its multidisciplinary nature requires close cooperation between different professional figures, such as the mental coach, psychologist, nutritionist, osteopath, and physiotherapist, as well as biologists, physicians and kinesiologists, both in planning and in implementation and monitoring at all stages. The potential impact of the model on sport performance will be deeply discussed.

'Just be strong and keep going': the influence of Superwoman Schema on Black women's perceived expectations of coping with sexual pain

Superwoman Schema, a conceptual framework that reflects Black women's ability to overcome gendered racism and stress, affects the way Black women choose to cope with health-related issues. The purpose of this study was to investigate how Black women perceive they should cope with sexual pain using the Superwoman Schema as an analytic and interpretative guide. Data were derived from participants who completed an individual interview on sexual pain and pleasure. Deductive thematic analysis was conducted. Results indicated whereas some Black women endorsed all five components of Superwoman Schema as coping strategies for sexual pain, other Black women resisted SWS completely. Additionally, one participant was an outlier and did not endorse or resist SWS. Implications for generational sexual health interventions for Black women are discussed.

Development and initial validation of the Mount Sinai Resilience Scale

OBJECTIVE

The construct of psychological resilience has received increasing attention in the mental health field. This article describes the development and initial validation of a novel self-report resilience scale, which addresses gaps in the resilience measurement literature by assessing thoughts and behaviors that help promote resilience rather than traits, and simultaneously evaluating multiple factors previously associated with resilience.

METHOD

Following consensus meetings focused on scale development, we conducted an online study (n = 1,864) of U.S. adults to develop and validate an initial version of the Mount Sinai Resilience Scale (MSRS).

RESULTS

An exploratory factor analysis in a random 50% of the sample suggested a seven-factor solution; this solution was then generally supported by a follow-up confirmatory factor analysis in the remaining 50% of the sample. After removing poor-fitting items, a revised 24-item scale correlated in the expected directions with established measures of perceived resilience and resilience-related constructs (e.g., social support and optimism).

CONCLUSIONS

Collectively, the results of this study provide initial support for the convergent and discriminant validity of the MSRS and describe its factor structure. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Proactive coping with discrimination: A mediator between ethnic-racial socialization and Latinx youth's internalizing symptoms

There is a dearth of knowledge in the coping literature on how minoritized youth cope with racism-related stressors and the predictors of effective coping responses. This two-wave study examined the direct and indirect effects of ethnic-racial socialization on depressive and anxiety symptoms via proactive coping with discrimination in a community sample of 135 Latinx adolescents (Mage  = 16, SD = 1.27; 59% female). Results indicate that cultural socialization was related to higher use of proactive coping with discrimination 6 months later, which in turn, was related to fewer depressive and anxiety symptoms. There were no direct or indirect effects between preparation for bias and mental health outcomes.

Denial, Attention-Seeking, and Posting Online While Intoxicated: Three Key Predictors of Collegiate Sadfishing

Sadfishing, or the exaggeration of one's emotional state online to generate sympathy, is a maladaptive behavior that can negatively affect mental health. A better understanding of the characteristics of individuals who sadfish could inform tailored interventions to decrease sadfishing and improve quality of life. However, to date, the phenomenon of sadfishing remains understudied. Thus, the current project was designed to identify some of the key psychological and behavioral characteristics that may be associated with sadfishing. Undergraduate college students (N = 374) recruited from introductory psychology courses at a large, Hispanic-serving institution completed an anonymous online survey assessing sadfishing and other online behaviors, psychological characteristics (coping, stress, resilience, and social support), and alcohol use. Both univariate and multivariate statistical analyses were conducted. Results of the binary logistic regression analysis found that students who reported using denial as a coping strategy (p = 0.005), who endorsed the attention-seeking behaviors associated with histrionic personality disorder (p = 0.021), and who used social media while intoxicated (p = 0.017) were most likely to report sadfishing. This study furthers our knowledge of the maladaptive online behavior of sadfishing and identifies several key predictors that could become targets for tailored interventions. In particular, our results highlight the importance of coping skills training for individuals who sadfish.

A coping self-insight scale for adults: development and preliminary psychometric properties

BACKGROUND

Self-insights focused on the coping process are implicated in the refinement of capacities for resilience. To advance this research, we must identify key coping self-insights and develop a concise measurement tool.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this paper is to develop evidence for the construct dimensionality and validity of a measure of coping self-insight.

METHODS

Items measuring 13 coping self-insight dimensions were generated via consultation with theoretical work, subject matter experts, and pre-testing items for clarity. Thereafter, the dimensionality of items was assessed with undergraduate students (N = 232) and an online sample (N = 800) via exploratory and confirmatory analyses. Finally, a multi-trait, multi-method approach was used to test discriminant validity in a further sample of students (N = 228).

RESULTS

The initial item list was reduced to five key dimensions that balanced data-driven and conceptual considerations. Confirmatory Factor Analysis revealed moderate-to-strong correlations (r = .47-.80) among dimensions. We also demonstrated evidence of internal reliability, convergent, criterion, and discriminant validity. Invariance tests for sub-groups of interest (e.g., sex, sample type) frequently demonstrated metric or scalar invariance, except for age sub-groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings offer a starting point regarding the types of coping self-insights important for the emergence of resilience and a validated tool for future research.