Coping Research Articles

Hubungan Antara Beban Kerja dan Coping Stress pada Mahasiswa yang Bekerja Secara Part Time

Studying and working are familiar things to encounter nowadays, if you look at the many universities in Indonesia, both public and private, that provide special classes for employees. This phenomenon as a trend chosen by female students is currently motivated by various reasons, for example the problem of financing education or daily needs, to fill free time, or as an option for wanting to live independently so that they are not dependent on their parents for their lives and at the same time being able to lighten the family's burden. Interestingly, among students, most of them are interested in part-time work on the grounds that it is more flexible compared to full-time work, so that students can adjust work schedules and study schedules. Of course, studying and working is not easy because students spend a lot of time studying or just doing assignments from lecturers. The impact of this on students can disrupt learning activities, and judging from the possibility that many students are negligent in carrying out their assignments and it is feared that these students' preoccupation with work will override lectures and their studies will be neglected or even drop out. In carrying out study activities while working, stress coping is needed to handle the workload received, because there is pressure from workload and stress when studying while working. The aim of this research is to look at the relationship between workload and stress coping in students who work part time. This research uses quantitative methods with a correlational approach. There were 96 respondent data collected for processing. Data collection using workload and stress coping scales via Google Forms. The results of the analysis show results (0.008  0.05), meaning that there is a relationship between workload and stress coping in students who work part time. That the higher the perceived workload, the more stress coping behavior will be carried out.

More Than Meets the Eye: Understanding Political Microtargeting Processing With Gaze-Cued Retrospective Think-Aloud Methodology

Political microtargeting is a popular campaign tool in elections worldwide. However, it is associated with democratic risks. Foremost, scholars and policymakers are concerned that citizens cannot cope with political microtargeting and, thus, stand vulnerable to persuasion. To assess this risk, an in-depth understanding of how citizens make sense of and cope with political microtargeting is required. However, empirical studies are scarce, partially inconclusive, and provide global rather than nuanced insights. This study contributes to this research by employing an innovative, qualitative gaze-cued retrospective think-aloud design to distinguish coping patterns and, based on that, assess citizens’ vulnerability to persuasion via political microtargeting (<em>N </em>= 25). The results reveal similarities regarding conceptual persuasion knowledge activation (i.e., advertising and targeting awareness) but differences in attitudinal and behavioral coping, illustrated along five coping patterns (avoidance, coherence assessment, ad quality assessment, partisanship bias, and neutral observation). Only individuals who cope by neutrally observing the political message seem vulnerable to political microtargeting. For individuals who cope with political messages based on their partisanship, political microtargeting might strengthen existing ties but backlash when employed by a non-preferred party. This study informs educators and policymakers about citizens’ coping mechanisms with political microtargeting and their potential vulnerability, which may guide intervention and regulation decisions.

PACAP regulates neuroendocrine and behavioral stress responses via CRF-containing neurons of the rat hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus

AbstractPituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) is a neuropeptide widely distributed in the brain including the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) implying a regulatory role in stress function. Recent evidence indicates that one of the main targets of PACAP within the PVN are corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) neurons, which are key regulators of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. However, the neural correlates that mediate PACAP effects on stress function are not fully understood. In the present study, we characterized the neuronal mechanism by which PACAP regulates neuroendocrine and behavioral stress responses in rats. We found that intracerebroventricular administration of PACAP increased the swim stress-induced c-Fos expression in distinct brain areas of the stress and anxiety circuitry including the parvocellular part of the PVN and changed behavioral stress coping during forced swimming to a more passive coping style (i.e., indicated by increased floating and reduced struggling behavior). Subsequently, PACAP administration directly into the PVN mimicked these behavioral effects and potentiated the plasma ACTH response to forced swim stress suggesting an excitatory role of PACAP on HPA stress axis reactivity. In addition, immunohistochemical analysis revealed a considerable portion of stress-activated CRF neurons in the medial parvocellular part of the PVN that co-localized PAC1 receptors suggesting that PACAP-induced effects on stress function are likely mediated directly by activation of CRF neurons in the PVN. Thus, these findings suggest that the PVN may represent one of the key areas where PACAP regulates the neuroendocrine and behavioral stress response.

The evolution of ACEs: From coping behaviors to epigenetics as explanatory frameworks for the biology of adverse childhood experiences

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have become a topic of public and scientific attention. ACEs denote a range of negative experiences in early life, from sexual abuse to emotional neglect, that are thought to impact health over the life course. The term was coined in the CDC-Kaiser ACE Study, an epidemiological study that surveyed 17,421 adults about ACEs and correlated the responses with participants’ current health records. Shortly after the study was published in 1998, the US CDC deemed ACEs an important public health target; however, it is only recently that ACEs feature prominently in scientific and public discourses. We contend that this rise in popularity is linked to the adoption of epigenetic explanations for how ACEs affect health. Based on a literature analysis, we trace the evolution of explanatory frameworks for ACEs—from coping behaviors to allostatic load to epigenetics—and analyze how each of these explanations not only reconsiders the mechanisms by which ACEs affect health, but also who should be held responsible for addressing ACEs and how. Epigenetics provides distinctly different discursive possibilities than previous frameworks: firstly, it offers one distinct molecular mechanism for how ACEs work, lending “molecular credibility” to epidemiological findings; secondly, it raises the possibility of reversing the negative effects of ACEs on the biological level. This epigenetic articulation makes ACEs attractive for new actors in science and society. Particularly, it facilitates novel interdisciplinary collaborations and attracts actors in health advocacy who are interested in non-deterministic readings of ACEs that counteract stigma and support positive health interventions and healing.

Early remission of deliberate self-harm predicts emotion regulation capacity in adulthood: 12.4 years follow-up of a randomized controlled trial of adolescents with repeated self-harm and borderline features

AbstractEmotion regulation capacity, critical for adult functioning and mental health, develops strongly during adolescence in healthy individuals. Deficits in emotion regulation is often referred to as emotion dysregulation [ED] and is associated with various mental health problems, including repeated deliberate self-harm [DSH] which peaks in adolescence. Dialectical Behaviour Therapy for adolescents [DBT-A] systematically targets ED through strategies such as changing coping behaviours and has previously been shown to effectively induce DSH remission in adolescents. However, whether such remission is associated with improved emotion regulation capacity in adulthood, and whether this effect is mediated by changes in use of coping strategies has not been previously studied. Prospective long-term follow-up study of an RCT comparing DBT-A with enhanced usual care [EUC] for adolescents presenting to community child and adolescent psychiatric outpatient clinics with borderline personality features and repeated self-harm. Assessments included both structured interviews and self-report at baseline and 1.6, 3.1 and 12.4 years follow-up. In the final follow-up, adult ED was measured and data were collected for 61 (80%) of the original 77 participants. DSH remission was assessed at 1.6 years follow-up, and use of coping strategies at 3.1 and 12.4 years follow-ups. A mediation analysis was conducted within a causal inference framework. Both treatment groups increased their use of functional coping skills from adolescence to adulthood, while only DBT-A was associated with decreases in dysfunctional coping. There was a direct effect of DSH remission 1 year after treatment on adult ED, particularly for participants who did not receive DBT-A. There was a negative association between reductions in dysfunctional coping and adult ED, however this did not mediate the effect of DSH remission. This is the first study to report that early DSH remission in adolescence predicted lower ED in adulthood. These results highlight the importance of early DSH remission and provides new insight into the long-term relationship between DSH and ED. Clinical trial registration information: “Treatment for Adolescents with Deliberate Self-harm”; http://ClinicalTrials.gov/;NCT00675129

11.P. Scientific session: Behavioural Science of Emergency Preparedness across Europe

Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the critical role of human behaviour in times of crisis. However, it also revealed that the behavioural sciences were not optimally prepared to provide actionable insights to policy makers to support preventive and coping behaviours in a crisis context. To ensure that the behavioural sciences can provide timely and effective advice to policy makers during future emergencies, it is key to act before a crisis occurs. The current workshop chaired by the Behavioural and Cultural Insights Unit of the WHO, will offer five perspectives to explore how behavioural science as a discipline is being applied to our understanding of pandemic and emergency preparedness and what concrete actions can and are already being taken now. Following five short presentations, a discussion with the panel and the audience will take place. The Dutch National Institute of Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) will start by presenting their approach toward embedding behavioural science of pandemic preparedness: the organisation of a national stakeholder network, the development of a conceptual framework, and3) development of a quantitative survey monitor for individual level behaviour. monitoring pandemic preparedness. f The Spanish Carlos III Health Institute and Slovenian Public Health institute will present insights about operationalising this monitor in their given context. They will present results of the first two rounds of this monitor on behalf of the four European member states, focusing on comparative insights on perceptions and states of preparedness, vaccination, citizen wellbeing and resilience with respect to their context. Next, the Competence Centre on Behavioural Insights of the European Commission will present an experimental approach toward preparedness. They will present results based on a scenario study, focused on understanding behaviours in the broader context of pandemic and disaster preparedness. The last two presentations will reflect on qualitative approaches. The Behavioural and Cultural Insights Unit of the WHO will present their qualitative study on health-service access, needs and behaviours of Ukrainian refugees in neighbouring countries, and reflect on operating under emergency constraints. In the final presentation the RIVM will present their findings of qualitative methods to study perceived emergency readiness. In particular, their study focuses on what citizens understand by pandemic preparedness, and to what extent they perceive their government as prepared for a future pandemic. Overall, the workshop aims to equip participants with a comprehensive understanding of the importance of behavioural science in pandemic and disaster preparedness and inspire collaborative action towards building resilient and effective strategies for future crises. Key messages • The workshop underlines the importance of behavioural science in preventing and responding to infectious disease outbreaks. • Participants learn how behavioural sciences can already be applied now to prepare citizens and organisations for future pandemics and crises.

Unveiling the dynamics of binge-scrolling: A comprehensive analysis of short-form video consumption using a Stimulus-Organism-Response model

The rapid rise of short-form content has led to the emergence of a new media consumption behavior termed “binge-scrolling,” where users sequentially consume numerous short videos. However, systematic analysis of this phenomenon is lacking in existing literature, which primarily attributes excessive usage to individual factors. Therefore, drawing on the stimulus-organism-response paradigm, this study designated the platform factor of short-form video services as an environmental stimulus and developed a research model to investigate how features influence users’ negative responses and subsequent coping behaviors. Employing a mixed-method approach, this study discovered that the infinite scrolling feature inherent in the short video services contributes to a perceived loss of self-control among users. This can result in users’ feelings of regret and diminished cognitive engagement and compel them to curtail their time using the video service. The significance of this study is manifold. The study is the first to explore the emerging behavior of “binge-scrolling” comprehensively by employing both qualitative and quantitative methods. Additionally, it underscores the mediating role of “loss of self-control” between service features and users’ negative internal state by extending the stimulus-organism-response model. Furthermore, this study illuminates a paradoxical effect wherein features initially designed to enhance user engagement, such as infinite scroll, may inadvertentely result in decreased usage time. This calls for the necessity of reassessing service feature with a focus on user experience and advocates for the incorporation of platform factors into policies and regulations governing online services. Thereby, this study offers valuable insights for platform developers, policy makers, users, and researchers, ultimately aiming to enhance user well-being in the rapidly evolving landscape of digital media consumption.

The Dialectical Difference: Evaluation of a Modified-Dialectical Behavior Therapy Group for Incarcerated Women in South Australia

Women in custody commonly report high rates of trauma, increased contact with mental health services, and have a significant history of mental illness. Over a 2-year period, we ran seven groups using a modified Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) program at the Adelaide Women’s Prison, South Australia. Participants completed pre- and post-group measures to explore their DBT skills use, coping behaviors, and depression, anxiety and stress symptoms. We also completed post-group interviews. Quantitative and qualitative findings support the use of this modified DBT program to improve women’s coping skills, emotion regulation, mental health symptoms and self-reported behavior whilst in custody.

Caregiver burden, religious coping, and spiritual well-being among caregivers of elderly stroke patients and predictors affecting spiritual well-being.

Stroke is a disease that affects the arteries leading to and within the brain. Stroke usually creates a range of disabilities such as physical deficits and difficulty in performing daily activities. These long-term needs and the continuous caregiving sequence affect the care burden and spiritual well-being of caregivers. The correlational study population consisted of caregivers of stroke older patients (N = 100). Burden Interview Scale, Spiritual Well-Being Scale and Religious Coping Scale were used. Descriptive analyses, independent sample t-test, one-way analysis of variance, correlation, regression analyses were used to evaluate the data. The mean age of caregivers was 48.38 ± 13.52 years. The score of Burden Interview Scale was 31.41 ± 15.13 (light/moderate), Negative Religious Coping was 7.39 ± 3.17 (moderate), Positive Religious Coping was 24.30 ± 4.34 (high), and Spiritual Well-Being was 21.65 ± 6.73 (low). There is a significant relationship between Burden Interview and Negative Religious Coping (r = 0.274; P = 0.006), Burden Interview and spiritual well-being (r = -0.563; P = 0.000), and spiritual well-being and positive religious coping (r = 0.228; P = 0.026). The predictors that affect the spiritual well-being of caregivers were found to be Burden Interview (β = -0.571) and Positive Religious Coping (β = 0.181) (P < 0.05). Nurses play an important role in increasing the spiritual well-being levels and religious coping behaviours of caregivers. Nurses should communicate empathically with caregivers, understand their feelings, and provide emotional support.

Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial of Adapt 2 Asthma (A2A), a culturally relevant coping skills and asthma management intervention for Latinx Families

BackgroundLatinx children in the United States experience disparities in asthma control and asthma-related functional outcomes compared to non-Latinx White children, including more school absences, emergency department visits, and hospitalizations for asthma. Stress appears to play a role in asthma control, but interventions designed to address the role of stress in asthma control for Latinx children are limited.MethodThe current randomized controlled trial tests the effects of Adapt 2 Asthma (A2A), a family-based coping skills and asthma management intervention tailored to the stressors, strengths, and cultural beliefs of Latinx families, compared to an asthma self-management control arm (the Asthma Plan for Kids; APK). Latinx families of children ages 8 to 14 years old with asthma (target N = 280) are identified and enrolled from primary care clinics and randomly assigned to either A2A or APK. The intervention is delivered by lay health workers trained and receiving ongoing consultation from the study team. The primary outcome is child- and parent-reported asthma control, while secondary outcomes are child’s quality of life, lung function, school absences, and emergency department visits, and child and parent coping and family asthma management behaviors. Participants will be assessed at baseline, post-intervention, and at 6- and 12-month follow-up timepoints.DiscussionThis study has the potential to provide new evidence regarding the effects of culturally relevant coping and asthma management intervention strategies for Latinx children with asthma.Trial RegistrationClinicaltrials.gov NCT05118282. Registered on 11 November 2021.

Addiction to analgesics in patients with chronic migraine and medication-overuse headache

Patients with medication-overuse headache (MOH) and chronic migraine (CM) have varying degrees of addiction to painkillers (PK), which complicates treatment and leads to relapses. Development of addiction to PK is associated with various clinical and psychological characteristics and disorders in patients with MOH.Objective: to investigate the relationship between PK addiction and individual clinical and psychological characteristics in patients with CM and MOH.Material and methods. The study included 156 patients with CM and MOH (61 men and 95 women, mean age 34.1±8.9 years). Clinical and psychological characteristics were assessed in all patients using a clinical interview, tests and headache diaries. The relationship between PK addiction (according to the Leeds Dependence Questionnaire – LDQ) and clinical and psychological characteristics (duration of migraine and CM, frequency and intensity of headaches, duration of MOH, frequency of PK use, number of PK doses, personal and situational anxiety, depression, pain catastrophizing, beliefs about the body and health, coping strategies for stressful situations, daily activities during headache, insomnia) was investigated using regression analysis.Results. All patients had misconceptions and wrong behavior regarding PK. The majority (59%) of patients had moderate degree of PK addiction according to the LDQ. Twenty six percent of patients had other forms of addictive behavior (smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, overeating, excessive use of sleeping pills), and 52.6% of patients had relatives with addictive behavior. There was a statistically significantly positive correlation (R≥0.45; p&lt;0.05) between PK addiction and smoking, alcohol consumption, use of sleeping pills, body mass index (BMI), frequency of PK use, attitudes towards pain, body and health (pain catastrophizing, hopelessness about pain, intolerance of body sensations, overestimation of symptom severity, catastrophizing in the interpretation of body symptoms), depression, personal anxiety and avoidance (maladaptive coping behavior). Adequate treatment of CM and MOH was provided in only 7.7% of patients.Conclusion: A positive association was found between PK addiction and smoking, alcohol consumption, use of sleeping pills, BMI, frequency of PK usage, attitudes towards pain, body and health, depression, personal anxiety and avoidance behavior.

The economic burden of visceral leishmaniasis and barriers to accessing healthcare in Tigray, North Ethiopia: A field based study.

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is an important public health problem, which mainly affects the poor rural dwelling communities in Low- and Middle-Income Countries. However, little is known about the health and economic burdens of this disease in East Africa, including Ethiopia. The aim of this study was to assess the household level economic burden of VL among affected communities in Tigray, Northern Ethiopia. Between April and August 2020, a cross-sectional household survey was conducted on 96 patients who had been treated for VL within 12 months prior to the survey, in six districts of Tigray. Data on households' health seeking behavior, direct and indirect costs and coping strategies were collected using a structured questionnaire and the responses were analyzed using SPSS software. Most (82%) of the patients surveyed were males and the majority (74%) of them were between 16 and 30 years of age. The education level of participants was very low: over 33% had not received any form of education; 48% of patients were farmers dependent on subsistence agriculture and about 32% were daily laborers. Just under half of household families (46%) resided in "poor houses" with structures made from entirely local materials. Forty-one percent of patients from the surveyed households had traveled 48 to 72 kilometers to reach VL treatment hospitals. The median total household cost for one VL episode was estimated to be US$ 214. This is equated to 18% of the mean total annual household income or 72.5% of annual per capita income of the study population. More than 80% of the households surveyed incurred catastrophic costs of VL, where this is defined as exceeding 10% of annual household income. The median delay between the onset of symptoms and arrival at a care provider hospital was 37 days; once the patient arrived at hospital, the median delay during diagnosis was 3 days. Direct and indirect costs represented 44% and 56% of the total costs incurred, respectively. To cope with VL treatment costs, 43% of the households used more than one coping strategy: 48% took out loans, 43% sold livestock and 31% of households mobilized cash savings. VL in Tigray is concentrated among young males with low educational background and mostly engaged in subsistence economic activities. Despite the free diagnostic and treatment provisions that were available at public hospitals at the time of the study, our work shows that the household economic burden of the disease had significant impact among VL-affected communities in Tigray. Initiating community awareness towards prevention, early treatment seeking and decentralization of VL treatment centers are strongly recommended. In addition, we recommend efforts to reduce household treatment costs through transport and food provisions for patients (and their accompanying carers where possible) or through cash reimbursement for patients who complete treatment at public hospitals, in order to reduce the barriers to seeking treatment for this life-threatening disease.

Religiosity as a factor of emotional well-being of the Russian youth (on the example of Orthodox and Muslims)

Currently, the studies on religiosity are becoming more and more popular and relevant, and the terminology “spirituality” is acquiring its original etymological meaning. There is a tendency of interest in spiritual development on the part of young people who choose the concept of spirituality as the basis of their personal development. The article presents the results of an analysis of the relationship between coping strategies, stress levels and religious orientation among young people living in Russia. 104 respondents took part in the study: 52 men and 52 women between the ages from 18 to 35 years. To determine coping strategies, the author uses the Russian-language adaptation of the COPE questionnaire developed by K. Carver, M. Scheyer and J. Weintraub and adapted by T.O. Gordeeva, E.N. Osin and E.A. Rasskazova. To measure religious orientation, the G. Allport and D. Ross Scale of Religious Orientation was used, the type of religious coping was assessed using the B-RCOPE short questionnaire of religious coping. The analysis of the study results confirmed our hypothesis that coping strategies are closely related to stress levels: Active coping strategies help reduce stress levels, while avoidant coping behavior correlates with high stress levels. In addition, the study showed that religious orientation and the type of religious coping influence the choice of coping strategies. Participants with an internal religious orientation and positive religious coping were more likely to have active coping strategies, while external religiosity and negative coping were associated with avoidance and passive behavior. This indicates that religiosity can play an important role in choosing ways to cope with stress among young people living in Russia. It has been revealed that it is religious coping that they use most often.Hypothesis: The present study serves to confirm the assumption that religiosity is one of the significant factors of the emotional well-being of the Russian youth.

Bereavement coping strategies among healthcare professionals: A qualitative systematic review and meta-synthesis.

Coping with a patient's death is one of the most challenging events faced by healthcare professionals in clinical practice. A broad understanding of the coping strategies used by healthcare professionals is fundamental to the development of effective interventions and the provision of good bereavement care. This review aims to systematically synthesize the coping experience of healthcare professionals in the course of their work when they are confronted with patient deaths. PubMed, Embase, ScienceDirect, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Scopus, and Wiley online library were searched in April 2023 with no restriction on publication date. A 3-stage thematic synthesis method was applied for data integration and analysis. Thirty studies involving 545 participants met the inclusion criteria and scored a high level on quality assessment ranging from 9.0 to 10.0. Six themes were identified: emotional coping, cognitive coping, behavioral coping, relational coping, spiritual coping, and occupational coping. Overall, the coping strategies used by healthcare professionals in response to bereavement were found to be unique and multidimensional. Understanding how healthcare practitioners use emotional, cognitive, behavioral, relational, spiritual, and professional strategies to cope with bereavement will prove extremely beneficial in helping them to manage their grief, and can furthermore promote their professional growth and ensure the provision of excellent bereavement care for patients.

Adaptive coping, emotions, and antiretroviral therapy adherence among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (gbMSM) with HIV.

This study evaluated the hypothesis that positive emotions attenuate associations between negative emotions with adaptive coping and adherence, as well as explored evidence of the hypothesis of an indirect effect association between adaptive coping and adherence via positive emotions. The sample was 202 gbMSM with HIV who use substances (mean age [standard deviation] = 47.15 [12.26]; 34% Black, 14% Hispanic, and ≥50% with annual income ≤$20,000). Positive emotions were a moderator: negative emotions were not associated with approach coping at low positive emotions but were associated with more adaptive coping at high positive emotions (b = 0.32, p = 0.01). There was also an indirect effect association between adaptive coping with better adherence via high positive emotions (indirect effect: 0.29, 95% Confidence Interval = 0.004-0.39). Findings support the likely benefit of experiencing positive emotions, and investment in intensive longitudinal studies on how emotions, coping, and health behaviors are related to inform behavioral intervention development.

Relationship between Vitality and Characteristics of Coping Strategies in Deviant Adolescents

Adolescence is important in the development and formation of a personality, and the family radically influences the development of a teenager; under the family influence, foundations of intentional behavior, ways of responding to stress, level of vitality and defense mechanisms are laid, and a general direction in the formation of moral concepts and relationships emerges. And all this happens against the background of contradictions in physiological and mental development, spiritual formation. The reasons for the use of psychoactive drugs are varied, and most often chemical dependence is determined by the combined action of various factors and conditions. The purpose of the research work was to study the relationship between family structure and characteristics of the adolescents’ response to stress in undergoing inpatient treatment due to the use of psychoactive substances. The study was conducted on the basis of the Novosibirsk Regional Clinical Narcological Dispensary (teenage department). The main group included 18 young men, age: from 15 to 18 years, with experience of using psychoactive substances from one year to three or more years - “teenage addicts”. The control group, “conditionally healthy”, denying the use of psychoactive substances, was represented by high school students of one of the gymnasiums, 15 young men of the same age group. The following methods were used: the Family Adaptation and Cohesion Scale (FACES-3) questionnaire; Plutchik, Kellerman, Conte questionnaire - Life Style Index (LSI) methodology; questionnaire “Methods of coping behavior” by R. Lazarus and S. Folkman and test of vitality (S. Muddy) adapted by D.A. Leontyev. Results. It was revealed that adolescent addicts differ from adolescents without addictive behavior in the following parameters: low level of family adaptation and family cohesion; Adolescents with addictive behavior differ in their style of responding to difficult life situations: they more often use defenses and coping, which serve the function of regulating negative emotional states associated with unmet needs for communication, self-affirmation, etc., while adolescents without addictive behavior use coping and defense, which main function is to resolve the situation; Adolescents with addictive behavior have a lower level of resilience than relatively healthy adolescents. The possibilities of psychotherapeutic influences are discussed.

Pandemic Palliatives and COVID-19 Coping: Toward the Development of a “Coping with Crisis Communications” (COCCO) Scale

ABSTRACT The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the critical role of coping strategies during global crises and demonstrated how official communications shape public responses. This study evaluates the psychometric validity of a novel pentadic “Coping with Crisis Communication” (COCCO) Scale, which categorizes coping behaviors into five behavioral responses: moving-with, moving-against, moving-outward, moving-away, and moving-inward. A national representative survey of 742 Swiss residents, conducted in February 2022, measured these coping responses to official COVID-19 communications from the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) and traditional Swiss news media (TNM). Items were developed to assess how participants engaged with, opposed, reached outward for support, distanced from, or internalized the messages. Confirmatory factor analyses tested multiple models (5-, 6-, 7-, and 8-factor structures) based on both the initial pentadic theory and data-driven refinements. While the original 5-factor model showed insufficient fit, a 7-factor model (moving-with, moving-toward, moving-against, moving-outward, moving-away, negative-moving-inward, positive-moving-inward) provided a satisfactory factor solution. This model exhibited measurement invariance across the three language versions of the scale (French, Italian, German) and across the two communication contexts (FOPH, TNM). The COCCO scale offers an effective, movement-based assessment of coping strategies in response to crisis communications, serving as a valuable tool for understanding public behavior during global crises.

Stress and Coping Behavior Exhibited by Family Members Toward Long-Term Care Facility Residents While Hospitalized.

With the increase in the elderly population, institution-based care has become another option for elderly people. In Changhua, Taiwan, the number of long-term institutions has doubled in the past decade, and more families are choosing to send their elders to institutions for care. However, there is stress induced by having to care for these elders when they come back to their family members when hospitalized. Therefore, this study aimed to understand the stress and coping behaviors of family members in regard to hospitalized long-term care facility residents and identify relevant factors that affect and predict the stress and coping behaviors exhibited by these family members. In this study, a quantitative and cross-sectional survey was conducted using the convenience-sampling method; family members of long-term care facility residents hospitalized in a regional hospital in central Taiwan were selected as the research participants and a total of 162 family members were admitted. The data were collected in the form of questionnaires including basic information and data on the stress and coping behaviors of the family members. The data were collected and coded by using SPSS 22.0 to perform descriptive and inferential statistical analysis. The standard average score of total stress for family members was 57.03 points, which corresponds to a moderate level. The four perceptions of stress by family members were, in order, physiological, life, psychological, and economic. Furthermore, family income, work status, and the relationship between residents of the family members and physiological, psychological, and economic factors had predictive power for their problem-oriented coping behaviors, with an explanatory power of 59.6%. Life aspects, gender, marital status, and the number of hospitalizations in half a year had significant predictive power for the family members' emotion-oriented coping behaviors, with an explanatory power of 19.0%. The family members had high levels of stress, especially physical stress, and the total scores of stress perception were higher for those who were younger than 39 years old and had no rotating family members. Additionally, the coping behavior of the main caregiver was mainly problem-oriented. The results of this study may serve as a reference that can help nursing staff in clinical or long-term care facilities to provide or develop effective and individualized services for family members of facility residents.

"A way to liberate myself": A qualitative study of perceived benefits and risks of chemsex among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men in Almaty, Kazakhstan

BackgroundIn Kazakhstan, the HIV epidemic has a significant impact on marginalized groups such as gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM), exacerbated by homophobic attitudes (in society) and (resulting) minority stress. This stress often leads to coping behaviors such as chemsex - the use of synthetic stimulants to enhance sexual experiences. Our study explores the motivations and perceived risks associated with chemsex among GBMSM in Almaty. MethodsWe conducted semi-structured in-depth interviews with 21 chemsex participants self-identified as GBMSM in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Participants were recruited through community-based organizations to ensure a diverse sample in terms of age and ethnicity. Thematic analysis was used to identify key themes related to motivations and risks. ResultsParticipants practiced chemsex to seek liberation from societal norms and personal inhibitions, increase sexual pleasure, and escape daily stressors. Chemsex sessions provided intensified sexual experiences, emotional comfort, and social connections, challenging constraints on sexual behavior. Participants recognized significant risks, including mental and physical health issues, social stigma, and violence victimisation. Despite these risks, the desire for the perceived benefits of chemsex, particularly feelings of freedom and happiness, underscored its appeal. ConclusionsThe study reveals a complex dynamic in which chemsex serves as a coping mechanism for minority stress, a source of sexual liberation, and a social connector for GBMSM in Kazakhstan, while also posing significant health risks. These findings emphasize the need for targeted harm reduction strategies, mental health support, and community-building efforts that are responsive to the experiences and needs of GBMSM who engage in chemsex.

Perceived stress and coping strategies among undergraduate nursing students in the psychiatric practicum during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional quantitative study

ABSTRACT Objectives: This study aimed to explore perceived stress and coping strategies among undergraduate nursing students in the psychiatric practicum during the pandemic. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional quantitative design was employed in this study. Data were collected through self-administered questionnaires consisting of demographic variables, the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and the Coping Behavior Inventory (CBI). Results: Of the 73 participants, 82.2% were women. The mean age was 21.25 ± 0.69 years. The overall mean score of PSS was 1.45 ± 0.48, and that of CBI was 1.93 ± 0.31. The major sources of perceived stress were taking care of patients (1.72 ± 0.54) and assignments and workload (1.72 ± 0.75). The major coping strategies to deal with stress were problem-solving (2.66 ± 0.52) and staying optimistic (2.43 ± 0.73). Pearson’s correlation analyses revealed that participants who utilized the avoidance strategy (r = 0.416) reported high-stress levels, whereas participants who utilized problem-solving (r = −0.306) and staying optimistic (r = −0.527) reported low-stress levels. Conclusion: The nursing students perceived moderate stress mainly from taking care of patients as well as assignments and workload. Problem-solving and staying optimistic were the most frequently used coping strategies. Compared with findings from other studies, our data suggested that the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on perceived stress was not apparent possibly due to well-established approaches and education for infection prevention and control in our hospitals and schools. Our findings may provide valuable information to maximize students’ learning opportunities.