Coping Research Articles

Gratitude Buffers Against the Effects of Stressful Life Events on Adolescents’ Externalizing Behavior but Not Internalizing Behavior

AbstractThe identification of psychological strengths that foster healthy development in youth has become a major topic of exploration in the field of positive psychology. Gratitude is a trait-like characteristic with qualities indicative of a potential psychological strength that may serve as a protective factor for early adolescents in the face of stressful life events (SLEs). This two-wave longitudinal study utilized data from a sample of 830 middle school students from the Southeastern United States. Path analysis was employed to investigate gratitude’s role as a moderator in the relations between prior SLEs and early adolescents’ frequencies of externalizing and internalizing coping behaviors. The interaction between SLEs and gratitude significantly predicted early adolescents’ subsequent frequencies of externalizing behaviors, but not internalizing behaviors. The results provided support for gratitude as a key psychological strength in early adolescents. The results also implied the benefits of promoting youths’ gratitude in efforts to prevent externalizing behavior.

Astrocyte focal adhesion kinase reduces passive stress coping by inhibiting ciliary neurotrophic factor only in female mice

Astrocytes have been implicated in stress responses and produce ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF), which we have shown in the mouse medial amygdala (MeA) to promote passive stress coping response only in females. Pharmacological inhibition of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) upregulates CNTF expression. Here, we found that inducible knockout of FAK in astrocytes or systemic treatment with an FAK inhibitor increased passive coping behavior, i.e., immobility, in an acute forced swim stress test in female, but not male, mice. Strikingly, four weeks of chronic unpredictable stress (CUS) did not further increase passive coping in female astrocytic FAK knockout mice, whereas it exacerbated it in female wildtype mice and male mice of both genotypes. These data suggest that astrocyte FAK inhibition is required for chronic stress-induced passive coping in females. Indeed, CUS reduced phospho-FAK and increased CNTF in the female MeA. Progesterone treatment after ovariectomy activated amygdala FAK and alleviated ovariectomy-induced passive coping in wildtype, but not astrocytic FAK knockout females. This suggests that progesterone-mediated activation of FAK in astrocytes reduces female stress responses. Finally, astrocytic FAK knockout or FAK inhibitor treatment increased CNTF expression in the MeA of both sexes, although not in the hippocampus. As mentioned, MeA CNTF promotes stress responses only in females, which may explain the female-specific role of astrocytic FAK inhibition. Together, this study reveals a novel female-specific progesterone-astrocytic FAK pathway that counteracts CNTF-mediated stress responses and points to opportunities for developing treatments for stress-related disorders in women.

Features of Assertiveness of Boys and Girls with Different Coping Strategies

Introduction. The relevance of identifying the features of assertive behavior of modern young people with various coping strategies in modern society lies in effective interpersonal interaction with society. A review of research on this issue has shown that assertive behavior is a “mature” behavior aimed at countering manipulative behavior. Coping strategies in the framework of theoretical analysis seem to be an important element of assertive behavior. Purpose. To identify the features of assertive behavior of boys and girls with different coping strategies.Materials and Methods. In this study, methods such as analysis of scientific literature, observation, conversation, the use of standardized techniques (methods for diagnosing the level of assertiveness by V. Kaponi and T. Novak, methods for diagnosing personal aggressiveness and conflict by E. P. Ilyin and P. A. Kovalev) and methods of statistical data processing (descriptive statistics and the Kruskal-Wallace mathematical criterion) were used.Results. A theoretical research model has been developed, according to which assertive behavior includes cognitivesemantic, affective and behavioral components that explain in detail the features of personality interaction with society through assertive and coping behavior. The sample was divided into three groups according to the criterion of the predominant type of coping. As a result of statistical data processing, it was revealed that the level of assertiveness of respondents focused on finding social support is situational. Respondents using problem-solving strategies are characterized by a high level of assertiveness, while respondents focused on avoiding the problem have an average level of assertiveness.Discussion. The assertive behavior of young people as self-affirming behavior is interrelated with the strategies of coping behavior used. The results of the study showed that coping strategies of various orientations are typical for people with different levels of assertiveness. This indicates the high practical significance of the results obtained in any practical activity aimed at adapting a person to society

The Relationship of Functional Roles and their Psychological Predictors in Solving Motor Tasks in Joint Mental Activity

Introduction. Modern society demands from young professionals non-standard ways of solving various tasks in a team. Despite the high interest in the problem of joint thinking, there is an insufficient number of comprehensive studies of psychological predictors involved in the formation of functional roles of participants in joint mental activity. Purpose. Analysis of the relationship between functional roles and their psychological predictors in solving motor tasks in joint mental activity.Materials and methods. The study involved 208 people: they are students of humanities and technical specialties of the Southern Federal University aged 17 to 21 years. The task groups consisted of four subjects. For the solution, a motor task was used under the conditional name “Blocks”. To collect the data, the following methods were used: Kettell’s 16-factor personality questionnaire; a method for determining coping behavior in stressful situations; the “Personality orientation” method; Ehlers’ motivation for avoiding failures; Ehlers’ motivation for success; SELF-assessment; diagnosis of verbal creativity; heuristic competence test; a questionnaire for determining action control; the questionnaire “Methodology of assessment by participants of subgroups of partners from the point of view of their performance of functions of selforganization of joint mental activity”. The Pearson correlation coefficient is applied.Results. The generation function is the least pronounced, which indicates a weak activity of carriers of this functional role in solving a motor-type problem. The function of semantic transmission is most pronounced, which indicates a focus on coordinating the goals of participants in mental activity to achieve a common result in solving a motor task, rather than on putting forward new hypotheses.Discussion. Analyzing the distribution of roles, their functional content, it becomes possible to directly see the implementation of the features of mental activity carried out jointly, to assess the structure of intellectual activity of cognitive interaction of group members, to better understand the procedural features of joint mental activity. The interrelation of the personal characteristics of the participants in solving problems with the functional role distribution in joint thinking is emphasized, as well as the need for a comprehensive study of the acceptance and embodiment of roles by group members.

Coping Following Bereavement: Comparing European American and Japanese Emerging Adults.

Although bereavement is an experience emerging adults of every culture go through, there is limited cross-cultural research on coping following bereavement. Therefore, this study aimed to explore similarities and differences between European American and Japanese emerging adults regarding their experiences with coping strategies following a death, with consideration of cultural rituals related to bereavement. Open-ended 30- to 50-min virtual interviews were conducted among 7 European American and 7 Japanese adults between the ages of 20-30 years old. Through qualitative analysis researchers found that for both cultures, reported characteristics of coping strategies typically aligned with conceptions of emotion engagement and emotion disengagement coping, as defined in Tobin's Coping Strategies Inventory (2001). Both cultures reported similar coping strategies, although European Americans reported a greater variety of activities within the coping categories. Some coping behaviors could not be categorized under either coping strategy, implying a need for more research and conceptual refinement.

The study of the relationship of proactive coping strategies with psychological well-being and life satisfaction

The article presents the results of a theoretical analysis and empirical study of the relationship between proactive coping strategies with psychological well-being and life satisfaction. The object of the study is proactive coping among students. The subject of the study is psychological well–being, life satisfaction as predictors of proactive coping. Currently, it is noted that proactive coping makes a significant contribution to the formation of psychological health. Among the distinctive characteristics of proactive coping strategies is the assessment of future stressors, that is, the process of preadaptation. It is proactive coping that leads a person to development more than strategies to avoid failure. Accordingly, the study of the links between psychological well-being, life satisfaction and the coping process allows us to expand our understanding of the most effective coping strategies, which include proactive coping. The research method is a theoretical analysis of domestic and foreign sources, as well as empirical psychodiagnostics of 144 respondents in the age period of early and middle adulthood. According to the results of the correlation analysis, statistically significant correlations between the formation of proactive coping strategies, psychological well-being and life satisfaction are demonstrated and described. The scientific novelty lies in the identification of predictors of proactive coping behavior, in this regard, it seems relevant to search for significant relationships. It is revealed that psychological well-being, life satisfaction as personal characteristics can be considered in the perspective of further research as factors of the severity of the formation of proactive and preventive coping, abilities to meet needs and achieve goals, self-realization, having goals in life, positive self-acceptance and adequate self-esteem demonstrate a great formation of proactive coping strategies. The new data obtained may be relevant in the development of psychological support aimed at the development of proactive coping strategies among adults.

Comparisons of financial hardship in cancer care by family structure and among those with and without minor children using nationally representative data.

While demographic risk factors of cancer-related financial hardships have been studied, having minor children or being single have rarely been assessed in the context of healthcare-related financial hardships. Using data from the 2015 to 2018 National Health Interview Survey, we assessed financial hardship (material and psychological hardship; behavioral coping due to costs: delaying/foregoing care, reducing prescription costs, or skipping specialists or follow-up care) among adults aged 18-59 years with cancer (N = 2844) by minor child parenting status and family structure. In a secondary analysis, we compared this group with individuals without cancer. Using logistic regression models, we compared those with and without children aged <18 years, further distinguishing between those who were single versus one of two or more adults in the family. Compared to individuals from families with two or more adults/without children, single adults with children more often reported cancer-related financial hardships, for example material hardship (45.9% vs. 38.8%), and reducing prescription costs, (50.7% vs. 34.4%, adjusted OR 1.57, 95% CI 1.07-2.28). Single adults without minor children and those from families with two or more adults/with minor children also reported greater financial hardships on some dimensions. Associations were similar among those without cancer, but the overall magnitude of financial hardships was lower compared to those with cancer. Our findings suggest that having minor children, and being a single adult are risk factors for cancer-related financial hardship. Financial vulnerability associated with family structure should be taken into consideration in healthcare, and especially cancer care.

Psychometric Validation of the Stress Appraisal Measure in a Sample of Individuals With Multiple Sclerosis

People with multiple sclerosis (MS) must often cope with a high level of stress. Lazarus and Folkman’s (1984) stress-appraisal-coping theory described the importance of stress appraisals to determine which behavioral responses and coping strategies an individual draws upon following stressful events. One of the most highly validated stress appraisal measures is the Stress Appraisal Measure (SAM; Peacock and Wong, 1990), which was primarily developed as a dispositional measure,SAM-Revised(SAM-R: Roesch and Rowley, 2005). However, it has not been validated in adults with MS. The purpose of this study was to confirm the measurement structure and psychometric properties of theSAM-Rwith a sample of adults with MS. A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to examine the factor structure ofSAM-Rin 477 adults with MS. CFA confirmed the three-factor structure:χ2/df= 3.94 (less than 5), comparative fit index = .95 (higher than .90), root mean square error of approximation = 0.079 (90% confidence interval [0.070, 0.087]; less than .08), and the standardized root mean square residual = .046 (less than .08). The three factors include (a) challenge appraisal, (b) threat appraisal, and (c) centrality appraisal. Correlations among these three factors and external measures of related concepts provided evidence of the validity of these factors. TheSAM-Ris a psychometrically validated measure that can be incorporated in rehabilitation counseling, mental health, and healthcare settings to assess the stress appraisal style. Rehabilitation and health professionals can use it to evaluate the effectiveness of psychosocial interventions in helping people with MS to manage stressful life events and improve their mental health.

A qualitative study of mental health problems among children living in New Delhi slums.

Children living in urban slums in India are exposed to chronic stressors that increase their risk of developing mental disorders, but they remain a neglected group. Effective mental health interventions are needed; however, it is necessary to understand how mental health symptoms and needs are perceived and prioritized locally to tailor interventions for this population. We used an existing rapid ethnographic assessment approach to identify mental health problems from the perspective of children living in Indian slums, including local descriptions, perceived causes, impact, and coping behavior. Local Hindi-speaking interviewers conducted 77 free-list interviews and 33 key informant interviews with children and adults (N = 107) from two slums in New Delhi. Results identified a range of internalizing and externalizing symptoms consistent with depression, anxiety, and conduct problems in children. Findings included both common cross-cultural experiences and symptoms as well as uniquely described symptoms (e.g., "madness or anger," "pain in the heart and mind") not typically included on western standardized measures of psychopathology. Mental health problems appeared to be highly interconnected, with experiences such as harassment and fighting often described as both causes and impacts of mental health symptoms in children. Community perspectives indicated that even in the face of several unmet basic needs, mental health problems were important to the community and counseling interventions were likely to be acceptable. We discuss implications for adapting mental health interventions and assessing their effectiveness to reduce the burden of mental illness among children living in urban slums in India.

From Good Expectancy to Good Feelings: How Optimism Is Related to Subjective Well-Being in Chinese Adults through the Pathway of Coping.

Positive psychology has attracted increasing attention from many scholars worldwide. There is a considerable body of knowledge on the relationship between optimism and subjective well-being (SWB). However, their mediation mechanism has not been fully studied, and most of the current conclusions were formulated within the context of Western culture, with a limited number of empirical studies specifically targeting Chinese people. Based on the theories of self-regulation and stress coping, our research aimed to validate the association between optimism and SWB among Chinese adults and further investigate the mediating effect of positive and negative coping in this relationship. In Study 1, using a national dataset from the Chinese General Social Survey (N = 12,582), we captured the direct positive relationship between optimism and SWB. In Study 2, taking a cross-sectional study (N = 272), we found the mediating effect of positive and negative coping in the relationship between optimism and SWB according to correlation and regression analysis. In Study 3, taking a cross-lagged study (N = 343), we reverified the results of Study 2 and found negative coping no longer played a role as a mediator after accounting for the factors of social desirability and state anxiety in the analysis. These findings are worthwhile for paying attention to Chinese people's optimistic traits and the pathways to improving their subjective well-being using different coping behaviors.

Cognitive, behavioral, and affective mechanisms underlying the efficacy of Applied Relaxation in reducing psychopathological symptoms: A randomized controlled trial

BackgroundThis study examined the cognitive, behavioral, and affective mechanisms underlying the efficacy of Applied Relaxation (AR) in reducing psychopathological symptoms. AR is a cognitive-behavioral technique that allows for rapid relaxation at the first sign of stress or tension in daily life. MethodsA randomized controlled trial was conducted in 277 adults (18–55 years) with elevated symptoms of depression, anxiety, or stress but without a 12-month DSM-5 mental disorder at study entry. Participants were randomized to an intervention group receiving AR training (10 weeks, N = 139) and an assessment-only control group (N = 138). Mental health outcomes (depressive, anxiety, and stress symptoms) and potential cognitive (self-efficacy, perceived control), behavioral (coping behaviors) and affective (positive and negative affect) mediators of the intervention efficacy were assessed at baseline and post-assessment in both groups. ResultsStructural equation models indicated that baseline to post reductions in psychopathological symptoms due to AR partially passed through less avoidance-oriented and less other dysfunctional coping (proportion of total effect mediated; ratio of indirect to total effect: resignation: 55.0%, rumination: 27.9%, escape: 27.4%, aggression: 21.3%), less negative affect (46.3%), more positive affect (41.8%), lower external control beliefs (14.5%), and higher self-efficacy (13.3%). ConclusionsOur results suggest that improvements in cognitive, behavioral, and affective mediator variables partially explain the intervention efficacy of AR in improving mental health. Trial registration and data statementThe study protocol has been pre-registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03311529). The study protocol, minimum dataset, and analysis codes are available at OpARA - Open Access Repository and Archive. Supplementary materials (e.g., the course manual and additional training materials) are available on request from the last author (katja.beesdo-baum@tu-dresden.de).

Financial burden among metastatic breast cancer patients: a qualitative inquiry of costs, financial assistance, health insurance, and financial coping behaviors.

Metastatic breast cancer (MBC) patients often face substantial financial burden due to prolonged and expensive therapy. However, in-depth experiences of financial burden among MBC patients are not well understood. Qualitative interviews were conducted to describe the experiences of financial burden for MBC patients, focusing on the drivers of financial burden, their experience using their health insurance, accessing financial assistance, and any resulting cost-coping behaviors. Interviews were transcribed and qualitatively analyzed using a descriptive phenomenological approach to thematic analysis. A total of n = 11 MBC patients or caregiver representatives participated in the study. MBC patients were on average 50.2years of age (range: 28-65) and 72.7% non-Hispanic White. MBC patients were diagnosed as metastatic an average of 3.1years (range: 1-9) before participating in the study. Qualitative analysis resulted in four themes including (1) causes of financial burden, (2) financial assistance mechanisms, (3) health insurance and financial burden, and (4) cost-coping behaviors. Both medical and non-medical costs drove financial burden among participants. All participants reported challenges navigating their health insurance and applying for financial assistance. Regardless of gaining access to assistance, financial burden persisted for nearly all patients and resulted in cost-coping behaviors. Our findings suggest that current systems for health insurance and financial assistance are complex and difficult to meet patient needs. Even when MBC patients accessed assistance, excess financial burden persisted necessitating use of financial coping-behaviors such as altering medication use, maintaining employment, and taking on debt.

The Formation Causes and Governance Strategies of Digital Formalism in Township Government from the Perspective of Policy Implementation Process

In the era of big data, higher-level governments usually use digital technology to monitor and quantify the policy implementation of grass-roots governments in real time through digital indicators. In the case of fulfilling the tasks and objectives of the higher government on time, in quantity and unconditionally, the grass-roots government is usually burdened with a huge digital burden, exposing the formalistic behaviors such as digital coping behaviors and digital tournaments. Taking the “Rectification of land map spots” policy as an example, this paper describes the digital formalism of township government from two aspects of digital coping behavior and digital tournament and explores the reasons behind the digital formalism of township government from the aspects of pressure from multiple sources, constraints from internal and external environment, and lack of digital literacy of policy subjects. Then, it puts forward some strategies and methods to solve the digital formalism of township government from the aspects of optimizing the structure and mechanism construction of township government policy implementation, improving the environmental support of township government policy implementation, and improving the digital literacy of policy subjects.

Financial burden following adult liver transplantation is common and associated with adverse recipient outcomes.

The financial impact of liver transplantation has been underexplored. We aimed to identify associations between high financial burden (≥10% annual income spent on out-of-pocket medical costs) and work productivity, financial distress (coping behaviors in response to the financial burden), and financial toxicity (health-related quality of life, HRQOL) among adult recipients of liver transplant. Between June 2021 and May 2022, we surveyed 207 adult recipients of liver transplant across 5 US transplant centers. Financial burden and distress were measured by 25 items adapted from national surveys of cancer survivors. Participants also completed the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment and EQ-5D-5L HRQOL questionnaires. In total, 23% of recipients reported high financial burden which was significantly associated with higher daily activity impairment (32.9% vs. 23.3%, p =0.048). In adjusted analyses, the high financial burden was significantly and independently associated with delayed or foregone medical care (adjusted odds ratio, 3.95; 95% CI, 1.85-8.42) and being unable to afford basic necessities (adjusted odds ratio, 5.12; 95% CI: 1.61-16.37). Recipients experiencing high financial burden had significantly lower self-reported HRQOL as measured by the EQ-5D-5L compared to recipients with low financial burden (67.8 vs. 76.1, p =0.008) and an age-matched and sex-matched US general population (67.8 vs. 79.1, p <0.001). In this multicenter cohort study, nearly 1 in 4 adult recipients of liver transplant experienced a high financial burden, which was significantly associated with delayed or foregone medical care and lower self-reported HRQOL. These findings underscore the need to evaluate and address the financial burden in this population before and after transplantation.

The effect of a stress management program on first-year nursing students’ clinical stress: A randomized controlled experimental study

BackgroundClinical clerkships lie at the core of nursing education and are crucial for developing professional skills. However, nursing students, especially freshmen, often encounter significant stress during their clinical experiences. ObjectivesThis study investigated the effect of a stress management program on first-year nursing students' clinical stress levels. DesignThis randomized controlled experimental study adopted a pretest-posttest-follow-up test research design. Settings and participantsParticipants were recruited using simple randomization. The sample consisted of 64 first-year nursing students (intervention = 32; control = 32) from the nursing department of the faculty of health sciences of a university in Türkiye. MethodsParticipants were randomized into intervention and control groups. The intervention group attended a stress management program, one weekly session for five weeks (intervention). The research was conducted between 21.02.2022 and 20.05.2022. Data were collected using a personal information form, the Perceived Stress Scale, the Physio-Psycho-Social Response Scale, and the Coping Behavior Inventory. The data were collected pretest and posttest the intervention and two months follow-up test. The data were analyzed using the two-way repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA). ResultsThe changes in the Perceived Stress Scale mean scores, group*time interaction, were statistically significant (p < 0.05). The results showed that the changes in the Coping Behavior Inventory “problem-solving” subscale mean scores, group*time interaction, were statistically significant (p < 0.05). The multiple comparisons showed a statistically significant difference in posttest Physio-Psycho-Social Response Scale “social behavioral symptoms” and “emotional symptoms” subscale scores between the intervention and control groups (p < 0.05). The multiple comparisons showed a statistically significant difference in posttest Coping Behavior Inventory “problem-solving” and “avoidance” subscale scores between the intervention and control groups (p < 0.05). ConclusionThe stress management program helps first-year nursing students experience less stress and develop problem-solving skills before they perform clinical clerkships. It also allows them to suffer from fewer emotional and social behavioral symptoms and exhibit fewer avoidance behaviors.

Exercising healthy behaviors: A latent class analysis of positive coping during the COVID-19 pandemic and associations with alcohol-related and mental health outcomes.

To identify latent classes of positive coping behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic and examine associations with alcohol-related and mental health outcomes across participants with and without a history of alcohol use disorder (AUD). Baseline data from 463 participants who were enrolled in the NIAAA COVID-19 Pandemic Impact on Alcohol (C19-PIA) Study were analyzed. Latent class analysis (LCA) was applied to five positive coping behaviors during COVID-19: taking media breaks, taking care of their body, engaging in healthy behaviors, making time to relax, and connecting with others. Latent class differences and the moderating role of history of AUD on six alcohol-related and mental health outcomes were examined using multiple regression models. LCA revealed two latent classes: 83.4% High Positive Coping and 16.6% Low Positive Coping. Low Positive Coping was associated with higher levels of perceived stress, anxiety symptoms, and loneliness. A history of AUD was consistently associated with higher levels of alcohol-related and mental health outcomes. Significant interactions between Coping Latent Classes and history of AUD indicated that the associations of Low Positive Coping with problematic alcohol use, depressive symptoms, and drinking to cope motives were either stronger or only significant among individuals with a history of AUD. Individuals with a history of AUD may be particularly vulnerable to depressive symptoms and alcohol-related outcomes, especially when they do not utilize positive coping strategies. The promotion of positive coping strategies is a promising avenue to address alcohol-related and mental health problems during a public health crisis and warrants future research.

Exploring Patients' and Chaplains' Perspectives About a Spiritual Care Program in the Primary Care Setting.

Spirituality is an important component of social and cultural identity that influences health-related beliefs, decision-making, and coping behaviors. Despite the importance of addressing spirituality in healthcare, research about its impact is limited, especially in the primary care setting. This study aimed to explore patients' and chaplains' experiences of receiving or providing spiritual care in the primary care setting. We conducted an in-depth interview qualitative research study. Participants included patient informants, a chaplain, and chaplains-in-training who participated in a spiritual care program at a primary care clinic. Interviews were transcribed and coded. Conventional qualitative research content analysis was performed. Eleven interviews were conducted - 7 with patient informants, 1 with a chaplain, and 3 with chaplains-in-training. Informants reported that in their experience spiritual care increased trust in their provider, made them feel safe to ask or share anything, improved their satisfaction with care, helped sustain healthy behavior change, and improved coping with chronic illness. Participants specifically attributed these positive experiences to chaplains' ability to respect and attend to patients' spirituality, create a safe space, help patients see the connection between their spirituality and health, and help patients tap into their own spirituality as a healthy means of coping. Spiritual care, when integrated into the primary care setting, has the potential, according to the report of our informants, to help achieve important health-related objectives, such as increased trust in their providers, sustained healthy behavior change, and happiness in spite of chronic illness. Now, more than ever, when our society is hurting from mistrust of our profession secondary to disinformation and discrimination, spiritual care has an important role to play in our efforts to gain our patients' trust so that we can support their healing.

Social stress-induced depressive-like symptoms and changes in gut microbial and lipidomic profiles are prevented by pharmacological inhibition of FAAH activity in male rats

Pharmacological inhibition of fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) activity has antidepressant-like effects in preclinical models of stress. In this study, we investigated whether the antidepressant-like effects of FAAH inhibition are associated with corresponding changes in gut microbial and lipidomic profiles, which are emerging as critical components in the pathophysiology of depression. Adult male Wistar rats experienced five weeks of repeated social defeat or control procedure and were treated with the FAAH inhibitor URB694 (0.3 mg/kg/day, i.p.) or vehicle starting from the third week. Repeated social defeat induced the emergence of depressive-like behavioral (sucrose preference reduction and passive coping behaviors in the forced swim test) and neuroendocrine (increased corticosterone levels) changes, which were prevented by URB694 treatment. Repeated social defeat also provoked a significant variation in gut microbiota (changes in the relative abundance of 14 bacterial taxa) and lipidic (e.g., glycerophospholipids) composition. These stress-induced changes were prevented by URB694 treatment. These findings indicate that inhibition of FAAH activity with URB694 blocks the co-occurrence of depressive-like behavioral and neuroendocrine changes and alterations in gut microbial and lipid composition in rats exposed to repeated social defeat. In conclusion, these results suggest that the gut microbiota-lipid crosstalk may represent a novel biological target for FAAH inhibitors to enhance stress resilience.

The influence of recommendation algorithm's information flow on targeted advertising audience's coping behavior

Targeted advertising equipped with a recommendation algorithm can achieve accurate matching between users and recommended content, but overly precise recommendations may exacerbate negative audience reactions or behaviors. Improving the transparency of algorithm recommendation is one of the ways to address audience concerns or skepticism, and transparency guarantees the audience's right to know and thus brings more trust, which will reduce the audience's negative behavior. But increased transparency may also make the audience feel pressured or threatened, and requiring more cognitive and behavioral effort, which was called coping behavior. In order to clarify the relationship between the transparency of the algorithm recommendation and the audience's coping behavior, based on the persuasion theory, this study discusses the mechanism of the influence of the characteristics of the algorithm recommendation information flow on the audience's coping behavior of targeted advertising from the perspective of the flow mode and transmission principle of information. Based on the data of 120 online pretests and 297 formal tests, the results show that the perceived trust and perceived threat caused by the information flow characteristics of the algorithm recommendation jointly determine the possible coping behaviors of targeted advertising audiences. Additionally, users' self-efficacy regulates the relationship between mental process and coping behavior. Different from previous studies on audience coping behaviors of targeted ads, which mainly start from the perspective of participants and advertising content, this research tries to start from the perspective of information flow. The research results demystify the relationship between recommendation algorithm information flow and the audience's coping behavior, and enrich the algorithmic persuasion framework. The research results have reference value for the improvement of personalized recommendation effect, and provide a new way to further study the transparency of algorithm recommendation in the field of consumer behavior. Meanwhile, it also provides suggestions for the practices of platforms and advertisers in practice.

Cancer-Related Fatigue and Its Influencing Factors Among Colorectal Cancer Patients: A Generalized Linear Modeling Approach.

This study aimed to improve cancer-related fatigue (CRF) and health outcomes of colorectal cancer patients by understanding the status quo of CRF, exploring the relations of coping, anxiety symptoms, depressive symptoms, body image perception and CRF, and also identifying the factors affecting CRF based on a generalized linear modeling approach. An exploratory cross-sectional study was conducted on 370 colorectal cancer patients at two hospitals in Anhui Province, China, from July 2020 to February 2021. The data were collected by using general information questionnaire, cancer fatigue scale, simplified coping style questionnaire, generalized anxiety disorder-7 scale, patient health questionnaire-9, and body image scale. Descriptive statistics, t-tests, one-way analysis of variance, Pearson correlation analyses, and generalized linear model analyses were applied to analyze the data. The average CRF score of the patients was 21.612 (SD=6.160), with a prevalence rate of 69.4% for clinically relevant fatigue. The generalized linear model revealed that: In step 1, gender (female) (B=1.799, Waldχ2=7.506, p=0.006), per capita monthly income (1001-3000 RMB) (B=-1.673, Waldχ2=5.536, p=0.019) and treatment modalities (chemotherapy+others) (B=2.425, Waldχ2=8.211, p=0.004) were related to CRF. In step 2, depressive symptoms (B=1.223, Waldχ2=129.019, p<0.001) and negative coping strategies (B=0.215, Waldχ2=11.347, p=0.001) exhibited significant positive correlations with CRF, positive coping strategies (B=-0.319, Waldχ2=59.175, p<0.001) showed significant negative correlations with CRF; While anxiety symptoms (B=0.162, Waldχ2=1.840, p=0.175) and body image perception (B=0.013, Waldχ2=0.048, p=0.826) had no correlations with CRF. The prevalence of CRF was relatively high among colorectal cancer patients. Coping and depressive symptoms were the modifiable influencing factors of CRF. Tailored interventions dedicated to promoting positive coping behavior, diminishing negative coping behavior and reducing depressive symptoms may improve the CRF of patients with colorectal cancer. Healthcare providers working with these patients should receive corresponding education and training in these complementary treatments. Additionally, when developing non-pharmacological interventions, appropriate consideration of the patients' gender, income condition and the type of anticancer treatment is also necessary.