Lower Emotional Distress Research Articles

Similarities and differences in the functions of non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) across gender non-conforming and cisgender young adults

BackgroundNon-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) can be motivated by a broad range of functions and many individuals report multiple reasons for self-injuring. Most NSSI research has involved predominantly female samples and few studies have examined gender similarities and differences in function endorsement. MethodsWe characterise the prevalence and versatility of NSSI functions within a gender-diverse online sample of cisgender women (cis-women; n = 280), cisgender men (cis-men; n = 176), and transgender, non-binary, and other gender non-conforming young adults (TGNC; n = 80) age 18–30 (M = 23.73, SD = 3.55). The Ottawa Self-Injury Inventory (OSI-F) assessed 24 intrapersonal and social functions across nine domains: affect regulation, self-punishment, anti-dissociation, anti-suicide, sensation seeking, sexuality, interpersonal influence, and body image. ResultsTGNC participants and cis-women were significantly more likely to report intrapersonally motivated NSSI and greater function versatility than cis-men. Low mood, emotional distress, suicidality, and trauma symptomology appeared to contribute to gender differences in function endorsement. Gender similarities also emerged; across groups, intrapersonal functions were substantially more common than social functions, and the most endorsed domains were affect regulation and self-punishment. No domains were gender specific. LimitationsThe OSI-F was developed from majority female samples and may not adequately capture the experiences of other gender groups. ConclusionsInterventions which reduce distress and strengthen emotion regulation are likely to benefit individuals who self-injure regardless of gender. However, most individuals report multiple NSSI functions and person-centred interventions which address this complexity are needed. Future research should develop gender-informed treatment models which consider the unique experiences of TGNC individuals and cis-men who self-injure.

Depression, anxiety, and stress in young adult gamers and their relationship with addictive behaviors: A latent profile analysis

BackgroundThere is limited research examining latent profiles of gamers based on emotional variables, which has implications for prevention efforts. The study sought to identify young adult gamer profiles based on depression, anxiety, and stress, and to examine differences between the latent profiles in other addictive behaviors (i.e., tobacco, alcohol, cannabis, illegal substance use, gaming, and gambling). MethodsA total of 1209 young adults (Mage = 19.37, SD = 1.62; 55.3%males) reported past-year gaming. A latent profile analysis (LPA) was performed to identify distinct profiles, and a set of ANOVA and chi-square analyses characterized the profiles in terms of sociodemographic, addictive behaviors, and emotional variables. ResultsLPA suggested a three-profile solution: profile 1 (n = 660, ‘low emotional distress’), profile 2 (n = 377, ‘moderate emotional distress’), and profile 3 (n = 172, ‘high emotional distress’). Participants with ‘moderate’ and ‘high emotional distress’ were mostly women, showed greater gaming severity, higher prevalence of past-month substance use (i.e., tobacco and illegal drugs), and greater consequences of alcohol use. LimitationsThe cross-sectional nature of the study and sample being university students. ConclusionFindings revealed three distinct profiles of gamers, which differed in emotional, gaming, and substance use severity. Transdiagnostic prevention programs have the potential to provide significant benefits to college students by addressing the core processes (e.g., emotion regulation) that underlie substance use and gaming.

Randomized Controlled Trial of 60 minutes for Health With Rapid Antiretroviral Therapy to Reengage Persons With HIV Who Are Out of Care.

Many persons with HIV remain out of care (PWH-OOC). We evaluated InstaCare, a complex intervention integrating the brief behavioral intervention 60 minutes for Health with the rapid restart of antiretroviral therapy (rapid ART). Prospective open-label randomized controlled trial among PWH-OOC in San Diego, USA. PWH-OOC were randomized 1:1 to InstaCare or a time-and-attention control integrating a diet-and-nutrition behavioral intervention also with rapid ART initiation (restart ≤7 days from enrollment). All participants had access to support services (free transport, HIV peer navigation, adherence counseling, and linkage to care) and primary care services (mental health, case management, social work, medication-assisted treatment, and specialist pharmacy). The primary outcomes were viral suppression (<50 copies/mL) and re-engagement with care (≥2 HIV care visits >90 days apart) by 24 weeks. Outcomes were reported on an intention-to-treat basis. Between November 2020 and August 2022, 52 PWH-OOC were enrolled. Baseline substance use in the preceding month (49%), unstable housing (51%), moderate/severe depression (49%), and moderate/severe anxiety (41.7%) were prevalent. Rapid ART was provided for all participants. At week 24, the proportion with HIV viral load <50 copies/mL was 37.3% (19/51) (InstaCare 28.0%, control 46.2%, P = 0.25). Fourteen (27.5%) were engaged with care (InstaCare 7/25 [28.0%], control 7/26 [26.9%], P = 1.00). Most participants (94%) reported low or very low emotional distress associated with rapid ART. Study lost to follow-up by week 24 was high (23/51, 45%). The InstaCare complex intervention did not improve viral suppression or reengagement with care among PWH-OOC. Investigation of high-intensity, individually adapted interventions is needed among PWH-OOC.

Bullied Immigrant Youth, Emotional Distress, and Social Well-Being: Moderating Roles of Family and School

This study utilized data from a national survey on student health/well-being to examine the complex interrelations between bullying, social-emotional well-being, student-parent relationship quality, and feelings about school among immigrant youth in grades 7–10 from a strength-based perspective. Using structural equation modeling, we explored the moderating role of the quality of relationship between parents and youth on the link between bullying and emotional distress, as well as between bullying and social well-being, and how feelings about school influenced levels of emotional distress and social well-being in immigrant students. Analyses revealed significant relationships between all constructs, and that the quality of immigrant students’ relationships with parents and their feelings about school moderated the link between bullying and low emotional distress, but not social well-being. These findings suggest that interventions and policies focusing on two key microsystems surrounding immigrant youth—the home and school context—may minimize the adverse effects of bullying. Impact Statement The study’s findings and implications significantly enhance our systems-based understanding of the frequent bullying experiences faced by immigrant students. Beyond implementing school-wide interventions targeting bullying prevention, there is a valuable opportunity to bolster the family microsystem, fortifying the resilience of immigrant students confronted with bullying.

Cross-cultural translation and validation of the Chinese version Distress Tolerance Scale for adolescents with chronic physical disease.

Chronic physical disease (CPD) makes life filled with many negative events in adolescents, but not all adolescents experiencing negative life events proceed to develop emotional distress, only those with low emotional distress tolerance (EDT). A valid and reliable scale to measure EDT in CPD adolescents is important for caring for their emotional distress. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to translate the 15-item English version Distress Tolerance Scale (DTS) into a Chinese version and then validate the scale for measuring EDT of adolescents with CPD. The 15-item English version DTS was translated into a Chinese version using the translation guidelines for cross-cultural research. Two cohorts of adolescents with CPD were recruited from four hospitals in southern Taiwan, with the first cohort including 124 adolescents with CPD employed to conduct exploratory factor analysis, corrected item-total correlation and reliability testing, while the second cohort, consisting of 238 adolescents with CPD, was utilized to examine confirmatory factor analysis and concurrent validity. The two-factor nine-item Chinese version DTS for Adolescents with CPD (C-DTS-A) was developed. Lower scores of the C-DTS-A were significantly associated with higher diabetes distress, poorer self-management, and worse glycaemic control; their correlation coefficients sequentially were -.40, .17 and -.23. Cronbach's α and the test-retest reliability of the two-factor C-DTS-A ranged from .81 to .87 and from .79 to .89, respectively. The two-factor nine-item C-DTS-A with good cross-cultural translation quality was a reliable and valid scale to assess EDT for adolescents with CPD.

Self-Compassion-Based Interventions in Oncology: A Review of Current Practices

Self-compassion consists of an attitude of self-support and self-benevolence. In the general population, increased self-compassion has been associated with well-being and decreased psychopathology. In oncology, higher self-compassion has also been linked with various benefits, such as lower emotional distress, fatigue, body-image disturbances, and sleep difficulties. Self-compassion also seems to foster treatment adherence. Various interventions based on self-compassion have recently been designed and tested in different clinical and non-clinical populations. They are particularly relevant in oncology, as patients are increasingly interested in complementary approaches to help them manage their symptoms and difficulties benevolently and without judgment. In this review, we described various self-compassion-based interventions that have been or will be proposed to patients with cancer, as well as their first results. The main interventions that have been tested are compassion-focused therapy, the combination of self-hypnosis and self-compassion learning, mindful self-compassion training, cognitively-based compassion training, and loving-kindness meditation. Other interventions include a self-compassion-focused writing activity, a mobile self-compassion application, and a self-compassion group therapy focused on the fear of cancer recurrence. Many of these studies were quasi-experimental or protocols. However, existing results tend to suggest the benefits of these interventions to improve different symptoms often endured by patients with cancer. Further research is needed to conduct rigorous studies on these approaches and to determine how and for whom they are efficient.

The Relationship between Sense of Coherence and Depression, Anxiety, and Stress among First-Year Students in Princess Nourah University

Since Saudi Arabia is committed to improving education and is interested in understanding factors affecting students’ academic achievement, this study aims to assess first-year students’ baseline assessment scores for depression, anxiety, stress, and sense of coherence (SOC) to help with the prescription of an individualized mental health intervention. Additionally, the study assesses the correlation between students' evaluation scores for depression, anxiety, stress, and SOC as well as the likelihood that these scores will predict students' SOC. A cross-sectional questionnaire structure was utilized to measure the scores of 364 first-year college students for SOC, depression, anxiety, and distress. SOC and students’ depression, anxiety, and stress scores are significantly correlated. SOC has a negative predicting ability on depression, anxiety, and stress (F (1,442) = 388.65, p &lt; .001, and R2 = .47), whereas a high SOC has been linked to low stress, emotional distress, and anxiety ratings. The present study explored the impact of an individualized mental health intervention on DASS-21 and SOC for the students at Princess Nourah University. Also, it identified some prevalence of mental health issues among university students and reported nonadherence to psychiatric medical use and the prevalence of psychological pressure among university students.

The feasibility of developing an online teacher training program for a neuroscience-informed mental health intervention for Japanese students

Background Neuroscience-informed mental health intervention involves integrating neuroscientific knowledge into mental health interventions, showing potential in effectively enhancing children's mental health. Online platforms are deemed suitable for teaching these strategies to Japanese teachers, especially, under the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. However, there is a lack of research investigating the appropriateness, feasibility, learning needs and goals to develop an online teacher training program focuses on teaching neuroscience-informed mental health intervention. Methods Employing a single-group survey design, this study sought to fill the research gap by conducting surveys and interviews to 20 teachers and 245 students in a Japanese primary school. This study adopted a mixed-method approach, incorporating both qualitative and quantitative data collection from students and teachers. Results Quantitative analysis of student surveys revealed that nearly 30% of students had low subjective well-being and high emotional distress. Thematic analysis of teacher interviews revealed the challenges faced by Japanese educators in delivering effective mental health support, partly attributed to a lack of training in mental health intervention. Approximately 80% of teachers expressed strong or moderate interest in learning about neuroscience-informed mental health intervention. These findings supported the appropriateness and feasibility of an online teacher training program in this domain. Thematic analysis of teacher interviews also revealed the importance of practicality, providing teachers with easily deployable intervention resources, and delivering comprehensive instruction in both intervention and prevention strategies. The analysis also suggested that a format consisting of 6-10 concise, self-paced learning modules, complemented by a brief online interactive session, would be suitable for the online teacher training program focused on teaching neuroscience-informed mental health intervention. Conclusions Future research should focus on developing and evaluating an online teacher training program dedicated to delivering neuroscience-informed mental health intervention. Such a program holds promise for enhancing the mental health of children, integrating the findings from this study.

Self-Compassion Mediates the Relationships Between University Students’ Mindfulness, Dysfunctional Attitudes, and Various Distress and Well-Being Indicators

Objective. The current study intended to model the relationships between mindfulness, dysfunctional attitudes, and self-compassion in predicting university students’ various indicators of emotional distress and well-being of university students. We aimed to examine the mediative role of self-compassion and the mediative roles of self-coldness and self-warmth in these relationships. Methods. Applying a correlational design, validated instruments were used to measure mindfulness, dysfunctional attitudes, self-compassion (and its two main components: self-warmth and self-coldness), various indicators of emotional distress (i.e., negative affect, depression, anxiety, stress), and well-being (i.e., soothing positive affect, activating positive affect, satisfaction with life). The final sample consisted of N = 176 university students. The proposed models were tested by SEM (structural equation modeling) using SPSS AMOS 20. Results. The main results obtained were consistent with the hypotheses. As expected, higher levels of mindfulness led to higher well-being and lower emotional distress through increased self-compassion, and higher levels of dysfunctional attitudes led to lower well-being and higher emotional distress through decreased self-compassion. However, the results also indicated that self-coldness was more important than self-warmth in all of these relationships. Conclusion. The results of the proposed current study supported the models for the relationships between dysfunctional attitudes, mindfulness, and self-compassion (and its positive and negative components) in predicting the various indicators of emotional distress and well-being of university students. These findings support the use of self-compassion interventions, particularly those aimed at reducing self-coldness, to improve well-being and reduce distress among university students.

Impact of Closure of South African Universities on Wellbeing of International Students During Covid-19 Pandemic

The surging coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 has impacted all spheres of the economy not sparing higher education in South Africa. The impact was felt by both staff and students not only on teaching and learning but also on their socio-economic, health and physical well-being. This paper sought to explore the experiences international students during the closure of the universities in the country due to Covid-19 pandemic. This paper adopted the data from self-designed questionnaire administered to 68 international students from a public university in South Africa The quantitative data were analysed using the descriptive statistics. The results show that international students were more vulnerable and exposed to socio-economic and mental challenges including sense of low esteem, financial distress and emotional distress during the pandemic which impacted negatively on their academic outputs and social wellbeing, amongst other things. The findings also revealed that the university authorities did not take the necessary steps to address the life circumstances of the international students. The paper, therefore, highlights the holistic understanding of how to mitigate and alleviate the socio-economic impacts of such pandemic in future through opening dialogue, changing institutional policy to respond to emergency as at when it occurs, and the universities or higher institutions should put in place intervention strategies to assist foreign students during the outbreak of a disease.

Effectiveness of dietary fiber experiential learning on bowel symptom after surgery for colorectal cancer: A randomized controlled trial

PurposePatients with colorectal cancer commonly experience postoperative bowel symptoms, and demand dietary and self-care adjustment. Experiential learning (EL) has been effective in promoting dietary management. This study aimed to investigate the effect of dietary-fiber EL on postoperative bowel symptoms in colorectal cancer patients. MethodA randomized controlled trial was conducted. A total of 66 adults with stage I-III colorectal cancer, being scheduled for surgery were recruited in Taiwan. EL group (n = 34) received gaming-based activities along with routine care after surgery and a follow-up consultation. Bowel symptoms was assessed by Low Anterior Resection Syndrome at baseline, and 1, 3, and 6 months after surgery, with dietary fiber intake measured by the Food Frequency Questionnaire, and knowledge, efficacy and literacy assessed by the Dietary Fiber Food Scale as covariates. ResultsThe two groups did not significantly differ at baseline. The mean bowel symptom scores were 16.2, 13.8, and 9.8 at 1, 3 and 6 months, respectively. The generalised estimating equations model indicated that after controlling surgical site, information sources, fiber intake, knowledge, efficacy, literacy and emotion, EL group reported significantly lower bowel symptoms by 8.3 score at 1 month and by 9.9 score at 3 months post-surgery than the routine group. Lower bowel symptoms were linked to an upper surgical site, higher dietary fiber intake and lower emotional distress. ConclusionsExperiential learning of dietary fiber improved bowel symptoms better than routine patient education alone. Oncology nurses may develop strategies to further implement experiential learning activities in post-surgery colorectal care.

Analysis of diabetes attitudes, wishes and needs in Switzerland, the Swiss DAWN2™ Study

Swiss DAWN2™ aimed to evaluate the difficulties and unmet needs of individuals with diabetes and stakeholders, based on the assessments of diabetes care and self-management: the individual burden of disease, the perception of the quality of medical care, and the treatment satisfaction of individuals with diabetes living in the Canton of Bern. The results of the Swiss cohort were analysed and compared with the global DAWN2™ results. 239 adult individuals with diabetes were enrolled in a cross-sectional study at the Department of Diabetes, Endocrinology, Nutritional Medicine and Metabolism at the University Hospital of Bern between 2015 and 2017. The participants completed validated online questionnaires regarding health-related quality of life (EQ-5D-3L) and emotional distress (PAID-5), diabetes self-care activities (SDSCA-6), treatment satisfaction (PACIC-DSF), and health-related wellbeing (WHO-5). Eligibility criteria were as follows: participants were aged >18 years, had a diagnosis of diabetes type 1 or 2 since at least 12 months and gave written informed for the participation in the present study. When compared globally, the Swiss cohort reported a higher quality of life (77.28 ± 16.73 vs. 69.3 ± 17.9 EQ-5D-3L score, p <0.001) and lower emotional distress (22.28 ± 20.94 vs. 35.2 ± 24.2 PAID-5 score, p = 0.027). Higher frequencies of self-measurement of blood glucose (6.43 ± 1.68 vs. 3.4 ± 2.8 SDSCA-6 score, p <0.001) and physical activity (4.40 ± 2.04 vs. 3.8 ± 2.7 SDSCA-6 score, p = 0.05) were reported. PACIC-DSF revealed higher satisfaction concerning organisational aspects of patient care (60.3 ± 1.51 vs. 47.3 ± 24.3, p<0.001) and higher health-related well-being as compared to the global score (71.38 ± 23.31 vs. 58 ± 13.8 WHO-5 Well-Being Index, p <0.001). HbA1c >7% correlated to emotional distress (PAID-5, 26.08 ± 23.37 vs. 18.80 ± 17.49, p = 0.024), unfavourable eating habits (4.28 ± 2.22 vs. 4.99 ± 2.15, p = 0.034) and decreased physical activity (3.95 ± 2.16 vs. 4.72 ± 1.92, p = 0.014). Sleeping problems were most commonly reported (35.6%). In total, 28.8% of respondents completed diabetes-related educational programs. In global comparison, Swiss DAWN2™ showed a lower burden of disease and yet a higher level of treatment satisfaction in patients who were treated in Switzerland. Further studies are required to assess the quality of diabetes treatment and unmet needs in patients treated outside of a tertiary care center.

The Moderating Role of Family Resilience on the Relationship between COVID-19-Related Psychological Distress and Mental Health among Caregivers of Individuals with Eating Disorders in Post-Pandemic China.

COVID-19 has amplified long-standing emotional distress for vulnerable families. While abundant research highlights the importance of resilience under adverse circumstances, little has been undertaken to understand its effectiveness in helping caregivers of individuals with eating disorders (ED) navigate pandemic-related challenges. This paper presents findings of a cross-sectional study investigating the effects of COVID-19-related life disruptions (COLD) and COVID-19-related psychological distress (CORPD) on caregivers' depression, anxiety and stress, as well as the moderation role of individual resilience (IR) and family resilience (FR) during the post-pandemic period in China. A total of 201 caregivers of individuals experiencing ED participated in our online survey from May 2022 to June 2022. The association between pandemic-related stressors (i.e., COLD and CORPD) and mental health conditions were confirmed. FR moderated the relationship between CORPD and mental health outcomes, while IR independently contributed to low emotional distress. We call for intervention programs strengthening caregivers' FR and IR, which might benefit both patients and caregivers' well-being in the post-pandemic period.

Pain phenotyping and investigation of outcomes in physical therapy: An exploratory study in patients with low back pain.

Phenotypes have been proposed as a method of characterizing subgroups based on biopsychosocial factors to identify responders to analgesic treatments. This study aimed to, first, confirm phenotypes in patients with low back pain receiving physical therapy based on an a priori set of factors used to derive subgroups in other pain populations. Second, an exploratory analysis examined if phenotypes differentiated pain and disability outcomes at four weeks of physical therapy. Fifty-five participants completed psychological questionnaires and pressure pain threshold (PPT). Somatization, anxiety, and depression domains of the Symptom-Checklist-90-Revised, and PPT, were entered into a hierarchical agglomerative cluster analysis with Ward's method to identify phenotypes. Repeated measures ANOVAs assessed pain ratings and disability by phenotype at four weeks. Three clusters emerged: 1) high emotional distress and pain sensitivity (n = 10), 2) low emotional distress (n = 34), 3) low pain sensitivity (n = 11). As an exploratory study, clusters did not differentiate pain ratings or disability after four weeks of physical therapy (p's>0.05). However, trends were observed as magnitude of change for pain varied by phenotype. This supports the characterization of homogenous subgroups based on a protocol conducted in the clinical setting with varying effect sizes noted by phenotype for short-term changes in pain. As an exploratory study, future studies should aim to repeat this trial in a larger sample of patients.

Uloga socijalne podrške u relaciji između različitih strategija prevladavanja gubitka i emocionalnog distresa kod tugujućih starih osoba

The aim of this study is to explore does social support (emotional and instrumental) has a moderating effect on the relation between coping strategies (the loss-oriented and restoration-oriented) and emotional distress. In this research participated 64 respondents who experienced a death of a spouse in the last 40 days. They were uniformed in terms of gender, with their age ranging from 65 to 89. The moderators were measured on a one-item scale, while the predictors were measured with a 22item Inventory of Daily Widowed Life (IDWL; Caserta &amp; Lund, 2007). Emotional distress was measured with The Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS21, Lovibond &amp; Lovibond, 1995). The results indicated the following. When the predictor variable was loss orientation, and the moderator was emotional and instrumental support, significant main and interactive effects on emotional distress were registered. Namely, in the conditions of low loss orientation, the elderly who had higher social support had lower emotional distress than the elderly who had lower social support. However, in the conditions of high loss orientation, individuals achieved equal scores on the emotional distress scale regardless of the level of social support. When the restoration orientation was the predictor, and emotional support was the moderator, both main and interactive effects were registered. Thus, in the conditions of low restoration orientation, the elderly with higher emotional support had a lower score on the emotional distress scale than those with lower support. In the conditions of restoration orientation, regardless of the level of emotional support, the elderly achieved approximately the same values on the scale of emotional distress.

Experiences of infertile women pursuing treatment in Kenya: a qualitative study

BackgroundThe infertility treatment process is associated with various psychological, physical, social, moral, and financial challenges, especially for women. The women are likely to report low marital satisfaction and emotional distress due to fertility treatment demands. This study explored how infertile women described their treatment experience and how they coped with treatment demands as they underwent treatment at three gynecology outpatient clinics in Kenya.MethodsA qualitative phenomenological research design was used to analyze and describe women’s fertility treatment experiences. The data were collected through semi-structured in-depth interviews with 33 infertile women selected purposively. Trustworthiness of the findings was ensured using Guba and Lincoln’s criteria. The recorded interviews were transcribed verbatim and then analyzed using reflective thematic analysis, developed by Braun and Clarkes.ResultsThree themes and 13 sub-themes related to women’s fertility treatment experiences and coping strategies were identified. The theme challenges encountered during fertility treatment have three sub-themes: emotional distressing, physical pain, and financial constraining. Theme impacts of fertility treatment on relationships have three sub-themes: relationship with their husband, relationship with their family, and relationship with their friends. Finally, coping with fertility treatment has six sub-themes: religious practices and personal faith, giving in to feelings, shifting focus, taking a break, staying with their relative’s children, and receiving support from others.ConclusionThe experiences of women undergoing treatment are multi-dimensional. Therefore, incorporating psychosocial interventions or counseling into the fertility treatment routine with National Health Insurance Fund cards may reduce the treatment burden, improving women’s psychological well-being and relationships with their husbands, family, and friends.

Emotional distress and adherence to self-care activities in older adults with diabetes mellitus

Objective: to assess emotional distress and adherence to self-care activities in older adults with diabetes mellitus. Methods: cross-sectional study conducted with 75 elderly diabetics and using the instruments Problem Areas in Diabetes (Brazilian version) and Diabetes Self-Care Activity Questionnaire. For data analysis, descriptive statistics and the calculation of mean differences between groups using the Mann-Whitney test were used. Results: the elderly showed low emotional distress (mean score=29.86). Regarding self-care, lower adherence to blood glucose assessment and higher adherence to medication use according to recommendations. When comparing the groups, the elderly with severe emotional distress showed less adherence to the dimensions specific food (p=0.008) and foot care (p=0.014). Conclusion: most of the elderly showed low emotional distress and unsatisfactory adherence to diabetes self-care related to the dimensions specific diet, and foot care stood out among the elderly with severe emotional distress. Contributions to practice: to foster the process of comprehensive care to the elderly with diabetes mellitus, contributing to the clinical management and promotion of their emotional well-being, therapeutic adherence, self-care - especially - of specific feeding, foot care and quality of life.

Physical Activity, Eating Habits and Mental Health during COVID-19 Lockdown Period in Serbian Adolescents.

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted almost every aspect of life, especially daily physical activity and healthy eating habits but also mental health. Our study aimed to examine the relationship between the physical activity level, eating habits and mental health of Serbian adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 3506 students from the territory of the Republic of Serbia participated in this study. IPAQ-short version and HBSC-FFQ were used to assess physical activity level and eating habits, along with self-rated health. Moderate correlations were identified between physical activity, eating habits and mental health, along with average physical activity, very high life satisfaction (β = 0.177, p < 0.01) and very low emotional distress (β = −0.150, p < 0.01). A significant predictor of mental health was the frequency of breakfast on weekdays (β = 0.167, p < 0.01 for life satisfaction and β = −0.153, p < 0.01 for emotional distress), but not on weekends. Since the pandemic’s course is uncertain, the focus should be on maintaining good physical activity, nutrition and well-being.

The Psychology of Coronavirus Behavioral Health Mindset, Vaccination Receptivity, Customer Orientation and Community Public Service.

Three studies were conducted to explore the psychological determinants of COVID-deterrent behaviors. In Study 1, using data collected and analyzed both before and after the release of COVID-19 vaccines, mask-wearing, other preventative behaviors like social distancing, and vaccination intentions were positively related to assessments of the Coronavirus Behavioral Health Mindset (CVBHM); belief in the credibility of science; progressive political orientation; less use of repressive and more use of sensitization coping; and the attribution of COVID-19 safety to effort rather than ability, powerful forces, fate, or luck. In Study 2, favorable COVID-19 vaccination intentions were related to greater willingness to work, lower emotional distress, and greater customer experience mindset. Study 3 examined the personality and motives of individuals who volunteered to help deliver COVID-19 inoculations to the local community. The vaccine-giving volunteers, especially those with prosocial motives, had high CVBHM scores, belief in the credibility of science, low use of repressive coping, greater attribution of COVID-19 protection to effort, low likelihood of voting conservative, were older, and had more education than others. The majority of public health volunteers expressed prosocial motives to help people or join a cause (60.7%), but many (39.3%) expressed the personal motives of getting the COVID-19 vaccination for themselves, conveying a public image of compassion, or structuring time. Based on the three research studies, a COVID-19 Mindset Hierarchy model is proposed to integrate the results.

Emotional Impact in Adolescents in Ecuador Six Months after the Beginning of the COVID-19 Pandemic

ABSTRACT The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the emotional health of adolescents, especially those with low resilience and life satisfaction. The aim is to analyze the predictors of anxiety, depression, and stress among adolescents in Ecuador during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants were 586 adolescents from Ecuador aged between 12–18 years (M = 15.30; SD = 1.28). Satisfaction, resilience, anxiety, depression, stress and worries about COVID-19 were assessed. Structural equation models (SEM) and models based on qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) were performed. The results indicate that worries are associated with depression, anxiety, and stress. However, higher physical health worries are associated with lower emotional distress. SEM models indicate that life satisfaction is negatively associated with emotional distress. In QCA models, emotional distress is explained by high worries, low resilience, and life satisfaction. Life satisfaction plays a mediating role in emotional distress. In conclusion, adolescents are one of the groups particularly vulnerable to this situation of restriction created by COVID-19. It is necessary to detect signs of risk and protection in emotional adjustment, especially life satisfaction, that appears like principal damper variable.