The impact of the covid-19 pandemic on the subjective well-being of the Belgian population

This study aims to explore the association between the positive and negative affect and subjective well-being (SWB): happiness, satisfaction with life, and mental health. A sample of 179 undergraduates was recruited. The results indicated that men obtained statistically significant higher mean scores than women in happiness and mental health, whereas women had a high mean score than their male counterparts in negative affect. All the Pearson correlations were significant except between the positive and negative affect. All the significant correlations were positive except between the negative affect and SWB scales, i.e., negative. The principal components analysis retained two factors in the men group and labeled «Positive affect and SWB» and «Negative affect vs. happiness». One factor was extracted in the women group and labeled «SWB and positive affect vs. negative affect». Stepwise regression revealed that the predictors of happiness were mental health and satisfaction (in men), and satisfaction, mental health, and positive affect (in women). Predictors of satisfaction with life were happiness in men, and happiness and negative affect (-ve) in women. It was concluded that affect is a salient factor in SWB, particularly happiness and satisfaction with life.

BackgroundThe mental health of university students is significantly affected when faced with public health emergencies and requires specific interventions to help support and prevent any long-lasting effects that the pandemic may have on their mental health status. This study aims to evaluate the impact of an online individual counseling intervention provided by the University of Foggia and carried out during the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health status of a sample of university students.Methods32 Italian undergraduate students took part in a one-group pretest-posttest research design. The data was gathered in two times: before the start of the counseling intervention (T1), positive and negative affect, satisfaction with life, global mental distress, anxiety, stress, and future time perspective were collected, at the end of the counseling intervention (T2), the same dimensions were measured. A one-way repeated measures multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was performed, and single Bonferroni-corrected dependent t-tests were conducted on variables showing a significant change over time.ResultsThe results showed that positive affect, subjective well-being, and future time perspective increased significantly after the intervention. In contrast, the participants reported significantly lower levels of negative affect, global mental distress, state and trait anxiety, as well as perceived stress over time.ConclusionsThe study demonstrates the promising impact of online counseling intervention and its efficient contribution in promoting the well-being of university students. The results contribute to the ongoing debate concerning the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on young adults, helping professionals develop more efficient clinical and psychological interventions.

This study examines whether character strengths predict resilience (operationalized as stable or higher mental health and subjective well-being despite an adverse event) over a period of approximately 1 month during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown in Spain. Using a longitudinal design, participants (N = 348 adults) completed online measures of sociodemographic data, information regarding their situation in relation to the COVID-19, character strengths, general mental health, life satisfaction, positive affect and negative affect. All variables were measured at Time 1 and Time 2, except for sociodemographic and most COVID-related information (Time 1 only). Time 1 data collection was conducted between March 21, 2020 and April 2, 2020, i.e., approximately the second week of lockdown in Spain. Time 2 data collection was conducted between April 24, 2020 and May 18, 2020, after the Spanish government announced its intention to progressively release the lockdown. A principal component analysis of character strengths was conducted. Five character strength factors were extracted: fortitude, goodness, intellectual, interpersonal, and restraint. Factor structures at Times 1 and 2 were highly consistent. All character strength factors at Time 1 correlated positively with life satisfaction and positive affect, and negatively with negative affect and mental health at T2 (higher scores in the mental health measure indicate poorer mental health). Fortitude strengths showed the highest correlations. We conducted a series of regression analyses with strength factors at Time 1 as predictors, and mental health, life satisfaction, and positive and negative affect as dependent variables, controlling for their baseline levels. To test the directionality of the relationship between strengths and the dependent variables, all analyses were reversed. All character strength factors predicted an increase in mental health. They also predicted positive affect, with the exception of strengths of restraint. Fortitude, intellectual, and interpersonal strengths predicted an increase in life satisfaction. Finally, fortitude strengths, interpersonal strengths, and strengths of restraint, predicted a decrease in negative affect. None of the reversed analyses yielded significant effects. Limitations, implications, and possible character strengths-based interventions aimed at promoting mental health in the COVID-19 pandemic are discussed.

Against the backdrop of global aging and the enduring impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, mental health issues among older adults have become increasingly prominent. This study aimed to investigate the effects of standardized 24-form simplified Tai Chi training on emotional regulation efficacy and subjective wellbeing in older adults and to verify the mediating role of emotional regulation efficacy between Tai Chi practice and subjective wellbeing. The study was conducted in Zhengzhou, China, in autumn 2023. Sixty healthy older adults were randomly assigned to either an experimental group receiving Tai Chi training or a control group maintaining their regular lifestyle. At baseline, both groups were assessed using the Emotional Regulation Efficacy Scale and the Subjective Wellbeing Scale. The experimental group underwent an 8-week Tai Chi program, consisting of five 30-minute sessions per week under professional guidance, while the control group remained unchanged. Post-intervention, all variables were reassessed. The results indicated significant improvements in emotional regulation efficacy (23.60 ± 2.33 to 26.60 ± 3.10, p < 0.001, Cohen's d = 1.29), positive affect (27.53 ± 2.46 to 29.43 ± 3.12, p < 0.001, Cohen's d = 0.77), negative affect (30.70 ± 2.90 to 32.13 ± 3.05, p = 0.002, Cohen's d = 0.49), and subjective wellbeing (58.23 ± 5.29 to 61.57 ± 5.04, p = 0.000, Cohen's d = 0.63) in the experimental group compared to baseline, with no significant changes observed in the control group. Between-group comparisons further confirmed the experimental group's superior improvements across all measured variables. Mediation analysis demonstrated that Tai Chi's benefits on wellbeing operated through dual pathways: while 83.8% of its total effect on subjective wellbeing was direct, 16.20% [β = 0.637, 95% CI (0.002, 1.731)] was mediated via enhanced emotional regulation efficacy. Notably, 22.27% of Tai Chi's reduction in negative affect [β = 0.334, 95% CI (0.005, 0.761)] was attributable to this mediating mechanism, whereas no mediation was observed for positive affect-highlighting that Tai Chi's promotion of positive emotions depends entirely on direct effects. These findings underscore Tai Chi's unique capacity to both directly enhance wellbeing and empower older adults to manage negative emotions through improved emotional regulation. To translate these findings into practice, community health programs should integrate Tai Chi as a low-cost, accessible intervention for older adults, particularly those experiencing psychological stress or chronic conditions.

BackgroundThe year 2020 has been challenging for many, particularly for young adults who have been adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Emerging adulthood is a developmental phase with significant changes in the patterns of daily living; it is a risky phase for the onset of major mental illness. College students during the pandemic face significant risk, potentially losing several protective factors (eg, housing, routine, social support, job, and financial security) that are stabilizing for mental health and physical well-being. Individualized multiple assessments of mental health, referred to as multimodal personal chronicles, present an opportunity to examine indicators of health in an ongoing and personalized way using mobile sensing devices and wearable internet of things.ObjectiveTo assess the feasibility and provide an in-depth examination of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on college students through multimodal personal chronicles, we present a case study of an individual monitored using a longitudinal subjective and objective assessment approach over a 9-month period throughout 2020, spanning the prepandemic period of January through September.MethodsThe individual, referred to as Lee, completed psychological assessments measuring depression, anxiety, and loneliness across 4 time points in January, April, June, and September. We used the data emerging from the multimodal personal chronicles (ie, heart rate, sleep, physical activity, affect, behaviors) in relation to psychological assessments to understand patterns that help to explicate changes in the individual’s psychological well-being across the pandemic.ResultsOver the course of the pandemic, Lee’s depression severity was highest in April, shortly after shelter-in-place orders were mandated. His depression severity remained mildly severe throughout the rest of the months. Associations in positive and negative affect, physiology, sleep, and physical activity patterns varied across time periods. Lee’s positive affect and negative affect were positively correlated in April (r=0.53, P=.04) whereas they were negatively correlated in September (r=–0.57, P=.03). Only in the month of January was sleep negatively associated with negative affect (r=–0.58, P=.03) and diurnal beats per minute (r=–0.54, P=.04), and then positively associated with heart rate variability (resting root mean square of successive differences between normal heartbeats) (r=0.54, P=.04). When looking at his available contextual data, Lee noted certain situations as supportive coping factors and other situations as potential stressors.ConclusionsWe observed more pandemic concerns in April and noticed other contextual events relating to this individual’s well-being, reflecting how college students continue to experience life events during the pandemic. The rich monitoring data alongside contextual data may be beneficial for clinicians to understand client experiences and offer personalized treatment plans. We discuss benefits as well as future directions of this system, and the conclusions we can draw regarding the links between the COVID-19 pandemic and college student mental health.

The consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic period on a nation’s well-being remain inadequately understood, especially over time. Therefore, this research aims to map the changes in the subjective well-being (SWB) of the general Belgian adult population during the COVID-19 pandemic. Analyses of variances (ANOVA) were performed to evaluate the changes in SWB during the pandemic at five different time points during the period from February 2020 until December 2022 using repeated cross-sectional representative samples of the Belgian population. The differences over time in subjective well-being were investigated in terms of life evaluation, positive affect, and negative affect. The changes in autonomy, competence, relatedness, loneliness and peace of mind were also explored as explanatory variables. Moderation analyses were performed to investigate the differential changes in well-being for different age groups. Our results show the subjective well-being of the Belgian population decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic, notably during the second lockdown and the fifth wave. Furthermore, younger individuals are significantly more susceptible to negative changes in well-being during the pandemic period. Finally, our results show that peace of mind is an important predictor of all SWB components during the pandemic. Based on these results several policy recommendations are formulated.

The COVID-19 Pandemic and Eating Disorders: A Wake-Up Call for the Future of Eating Disorders Among Adolescents and Young Adults

College students experienced increased stress and anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study evaluated the effect of brief online Isha Upa Yoga modules on undergraduates' mental health and well-being. Randomized control trial (RCT) with waitlist control crossover (N = 679). The intervention group was instructed to learn and practice the modules daily for 12 weeks. At the end of the 4-week RCT, the control group was instructed to learn and practice the modules for the remaining 8 weeks. Primary outcomes included stress and well-being. Secondary outcomes included anxiety, depression, resilience, positive affect and negative affect. Linear mixed-effects models were used for analyses. Isha Upa Yoga significantly reduced stress (Group [intervention, control] × Time [baseline, Week 4] interaction, p = .009, d = .27) and increased well-being (Group × Time interaction p = .002, d = .32). By the study's end, the intervention and control groups experienced significant improvements in well-being (p < .001, p < .001), stress (p < .001, p < .001), anxiety (p < .001, p < .001), depression (p < .001, p = .004), positive affect (p = .04, p < .001), and negative affect (p < .001, p < .001). Online Isha Upa Yoga shows promise for mitigating the pandemic's negative impact on undergraduates' mental health and improving their well-being.

BackgroundThis study was to investigate the Heart Rate Variability(HRV) and emotional response to positive and negative audiovisual stimulation in patients with chronic schizophrenia and healthy control groupMethodsAmong 253 chronic schizophrenic patients admitted in 00 Hospital in 00 city by psychiatrist, 104 patients were informed about this research and consented. Those who met this study criteria were randomly selected. 35 healthy control consisted of peoples that did not have past and present history of mental and physical illness. Positive and negative affect and HRV were compared between chronic schizophrenia and healthy control groups, and positive and negative affect and HRV to positive and negative audiovisual stimulation were measured according to planed research process. Positive and negative audiovisual stimulation was defined by an art therapy professionalist and a psychiatrist as 10 positive and negative pictures. 3 positive and negative musics were shown to two groups for 4 minutes simultaneously. Positive and negative audiovisual stimulation were shown to two groups during 1-week intermission. HRV was measured with Ubpulse H3, an equipment for autonomic nervous system test made by Laxtha company and also analyzed by frequency domain analysis. Emotional Empathy Scale(EES) and Positive Affect and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) of two groups were measured at baseline and after positive and negative audiovisual stimulation. Global Assessment of Functioning Scale(GAF) and Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale(PANSS) of chronic schizophrenia group were measured by a psychiatrist.Results1) Positive affect of patients group were significantly lower than control group, negative affect of patients group were significantly higher than control group. Low Frequency(LF), High Frequency(HF), and Total Power(TP) of HRV in patients group were significantly lowered than control group at baseline.2) 7 subscales of emotional empathy scale were lowered in patients group compared to control group.3) Positive affect of patients group was significantly less increased compared to the control group after positive audiovisual stimulation, negative affect of patients group was significantly less decreased to the control group after positive audiovisual stimulation.4) Positive affect of patients group was increased after negative audiovisual stimulation, but positive affect of control group was significantly decreased compared to the patients group after negative audiovisual stimulation. There was no significant difference in negative affect between two groups after audiovisual stimulation.5) LF of patients group was significantly higher than control group after positive audiovisual stimulation, HF and TP of patients group were significantly lowered than control group after positive audiovisual stimulation.6) LF of patients group was significantly higher than control group after negative audiovisual stimulation, HF and PT of patients were significantly lowered than control group after negative audiovisaul stimulation.DiscussionPatients with schizophrenia showed lower positive affect, higher negative affect, and lowered HRV parameters compared to the control group. They also showed lower empathy ability and inappropriate and non-contexual response. Schizophrenic patients represented hypersensitive sympathetic nervous system activity and lowered parasympathetic nervous system activity to the audiovisual stimulation. These results suggested that schizophrenic patients would show higher negative affect, less adaptive autonomic nervous system and hypersensitive or sharp to audiovisual stimulation, and decreased relaxation ability after stimulation. Audiovisual stimulation in integrative arts therapy program for schizophrenia might have avoid overactive sympathetic stimulation and recommend activate parasympathetic stimulation. Integrative art therapy for schizophrenia must be sufficiently relaxed, empathetic, and promote positive affect during therapeutic process.

Middle Eastern (ME) migrants are vulnerable to developing mental health problems due to pre-migration and post-migration traumas and stresses. The evidence on the subjective well-being of ME migrants and its contributing factors is limited and inconclusive. The aim of this study is to examine the moderating role of perceived social support in the association between perceived discrimination and subjective well-being, after controlling for socio-demographic factors. This cross-sectional survey study was conducted in Queensland, Australia. A total of 382 first-generation young adult ME migrants, aged between 20 to 39 years, completed a self-administered questionnaire. To analyse data, a series of three hierarchical multiple regression (HMR) analyses were conducted, one for each of the subjective well-being components (i.e., positive affect, negative affect, and satisfaction with life). The interaction between perceived social support and perceived discrimination for the prediction of subjective well-being components was further explored using simple slope analysis. Gender was found to be a significant predictor of positive and negative affect. Education was found to predict satisfaction with life, but not positive and negative affect. Married migrants were found to have significantly higher life satisfaction, positive affect and lower negative affect. Perceived social support had a moderating role in the association between perceived discrimination and subjective well-being. Considering the buffering role of perceived social support against the adverse effects of perceived discrimination on subjective well-being, organizations and individuals working with ME migrants should acknowledge the significance of social support and improve their capacity to deliver effective and appropriate social support services to migrants experiencing discrimination.

Age stereotypes can become internalized across the lifespan to influence one’s self-perceptions of aging (SPA). Stereotype embodiment theory suggests behavioral and stress response pathways through which SPA influence downstream health outcomes. Previous research has shown negative SPA predict lower social engagement, but little is known about whether this mechanism is evident at the daily level. Thus, the current study uses ecological momentary assessment over 14 days to investigate whether more negative SPA are associated with fewer interpersonal stressors and positive social interactions, and whether SPA attenuate differences in positive and negative affect on moments with versus without these events. Participants were 224 adults from British Columbia, Canada (ages 25-89, M = 46, 71% women). Multiple regression and three-level multilevel models controlled for demographic factors, depressive symptoms, and health conditions. Results showed that SPA did not predict exposure to interpersonal stressors and positive social interactions. People with more negative SPA had larger differences in negative affect on moments with versus without interpersonal stressors (simple slope for -1 SD SPA: b =.99, SE =.13, p &amp;lt;.001), compared to those with less negative SPA (simple slope for +1 SD SPA: b =.60, SE =.14, p &amp;lt;.001). SPA did not moderate associations between interpersonal stressors and positive affect, or between positive social interactions and positive and negative affect. Findings indicate that people with more negative SPA do not show a lack of daily social engagement but display greater negative affective stress responses, which have implications for downstream health.

Evidence has accrued to show that autonomic and adrenocortical systems act in coordination to facilitate responses to environmental opportunities and threats. In the current study, we used cluster analysis to examine whether individual differences in patterns of joint baseline activity among the parasympathetic and sympathetic branches of the autonomic nervous system with the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis are associated with parent-reported temperamental positive and negative affectivity in 36-month old children. The resulting clusters corresponded to the sensitive, buffered, and vigilant patterns as predicted by the adaptive calibration model of stress responsivity (Del Giudice et al., 2011) and included a novel pattern. Cluster memberships predicted differences in overall negative affectivity and its subscales, but no associations were found with positive affectivity. These results provide evidence that the joint activity of physiological systems at rest may underlie temperamental differences in negative affect.

The aim of the study was to understand the effect of virtual expressive arts-based intervention on stress, anxiety, wellbeing, positive and negative affect during covid-19 pandemic among children. The primary objective was to address the impact of covid-19 pandemic on children and further, understand the usefulness of virtual expressive arts-based interventions. A quantitative approach with an intervention protocol of 6 weeks was used and the data was analyzed using SPSS. The sample comprised of 9th grade students, in the age range of 13- 16 and hailed from a low socioeconomic status. The results suggested that there was a significant increase in wellbeing, stress, positive affect and decrease in anxiety and negative affect following the intervention in the group as compared to the control group. Moreover, the post test scores of the experimental group suggest that there was a significant increase in positive affect and decrease in anxiety and negative affect following the intervention when compared with the pre-test scores of the experimental group. However, when the post and pre-test scores of the experimental group were compared, no significant difference was found for well-being and stress.

Savoring and balanced time perspective are two time-based constructs linked to subjective well-being (including life satisfaction, and positive and negative affect). However, their interaction and joint impact on subjective well-being remain underexplored. This study investigates the relationships among three variables across two studies. In Study 1 (N = 395), a cross-sectional design was employed to investigate both direct and indirect links between savoring, balanced time perspective, and subjective well-being, emphasizing the mediating role of balanced time perspective. The results revealed direct relationships between variables, with a balanced time perspective mediating the influence of savoring on life satisfaction and positive affect, but not on negative affect. Study 2 (N = 127) employed a 14-day savoring intervention to evaluate its effects on three variables. The intervention group showed significant improvements in savoring, balanced time perspective, life satisfaction, and positive affect, along with reductions in negative affect. Mediation analysis revealed that the savoring intervention indirectly enhanced life satisfaction through a balanced time perspective, while directly influencing positive and negative affect. These findings highlight the interconnected roles of savoring and balanced time perspective in enhancing subjective well-being, offering a temporal framework to better understand and improve subjective well-being.

Previous research has demonstrated that individual differences in affect and motivation predict divergent and convergent thinking performance, two thinking processes involved in creative idea generation. Individual differences in affect and motivation also predict spontaneous eye blink rate (sEBR) during divergent and convergent thinking; and sEBR predicts divergent and convergent thinking performance. This study investigates experimentally whether the relationship between sEBR and divergent and convergent thinking depends on individual differences in affect and motivation. Eighty‐two participants completed the Emotion/motivation‐related Divergent and Convergent thinking styles Scale (EDICOS; G. Soroa et al., 2015), performed the alternative uses task (AUT; divergent thinking) or the remote associates task (RAT; convergent thinking), while their sEBR was captured with an eye‐tracker. The results showed that individual differences in positive affect positively correlated with sEBR for the AUT, whereas individual differences in negative affect positively correlated with sEBR for the RAT. Furthermore, the interaction between individual differences in positive and negative affect and sEBR predicted divergent and convergent thinking performance. The contribution of our study is therefore that individual differences in positive and negative affect can both positively correlate with sEBR during divergent and convergent thinking; and that this predicts divergent and convergent thinking performance.