Perceptions Of Coping Research Articles

Patient perceptions of virtual reality for pain relief in labor: A qualitative study.

Labor represents the most common reason for hospitalization, and most patients will use some form of pain management during their labor. While some studies have suggested that virtual reality (VR) may be an effective option for managing pain, more study is necessary to understand the patient experience of VR. The aim of this study is to characterize the effect of VR on patient perceptions of coping in labor and their descriptions of the VR experience. A nested prospective, descriptive study within a randomized controlled trial of VR in laboring patients. We included nulliparous, term patients, having contractions at least every 5 min, a pain score on the Wong-Baker pain scale of 4-7, and who had been randomized to receive the 30 min virtual reality intervention in the trial. Subjects completed a childbirth self-efficacy inventory prior to the intervention. After the intervention, they completed a modified childbirth self-efficacy inventory related to VR and underwent a structured interview. Self-efficacy scores were compared using t-tests and qualitative, thematic analysis was performed using Dedoose. Twenty-one subjects received the VR intervention. Twenty subjects completed the post-intervention survey and structured interview; one declined due to discomfort. Subjects noted a significant increase in perceived degree to which VR could improve their self-efficacy in managing pain during labor. Thematic analysis revealed that subjects described the VR experience as allowing them to connect with their breathing, feeling more relaxed, and being distracted from pain. In total, 70% believed VR reduced their pain, 60% felt it reduced their anxiety, and 100% would recommend VR availability for laboring patients. VR can improve patient self-efficacy for managing pain in labor. Future studies should focus on the content of the visualizations, optimized user experience and design, and effectiveness with ongoing exposure to VR content in labor.

The relationship between stress and health-related quality of life and the mediating role of self-efficacy in Norwegian adolescents: a cross-sectional study

During the transitional phase from childhood to adulthood, adolescents encounter many changes and challenges. Stress is associated with reduced health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in adolescents and, thus, impacts all aspects of their life. Adolescents' thoughts and beliefs in their capacity may be essential with regard to their subjective perception of stress and coping with it. Insights into the complexity of stress and exploration of the possible underlying mechanisms in adolescence are needed. We sought to describe stress, HRQOL, and self-efficacy and explore the association between stress and HRQOL by testing for self-efficacy as a possible mediator in adolescents. In total, 696 school-based adolescents aged 14-15years participated in this study. Participants were recruited from 22 schools in the Eastern and Southern parts of Norway. All participants completed an electronic survey in their respective classrooms. The survey included demographic data, the Perceived Stress Questionnaire, the KIDSCREEN-27 questionnaire measuring HRQOL, and the General Perceived Self-Efficacy Scale. Statistical analyses were conducted using the PROCESS macro for SPSS Statistics software by Andrew Hayes model 4. Descriptive analyses revealed overall low levels of stress with a score of 0.29 (SD, 0.15). Nevertheless, stress was negatively associated with all HRQOL subscales: physical well-being (B = - 25.60), psychological well-being (B = - 38.43), autonomy and parents (B = - 28.84), social support and peers (B = - 21.05), and school environment (B = - 30.28). Furthermore, these respective associations were all mediated by self-efficacy, which explained approximately one-fifth of the reduction in HRQOL. The highest degree of mediation and, thus, the largest indirect effect was estimated for the HRQOL subscale physical well-being (31.7%). Our findings extend prior research on the mechanisms underlying the relationship between perceived stress and HRQOL in adolescents. They demonstrated that perceived stress explained most of the reduction in the HRQOL after adjusting for the effect of self-efficacy. Hence, stress itself appears to be an important target for future interventions to enhance HRQOL, rather than purely focusing on increasing self-efficacy to enhance the HRQOL in adolescents. Our findings highlight the importance of a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms to develop strategic and accurate interventions for adolescents.

Examining Perceptions Of Religious Coping, Health-Related Quality Of Life, And Healthcare Support Of ALS Caregivers

<h3>Research Objectives</h3> This cross-sectional study (N=8) built on a prior longitudinal case study (N=1) with a similar aim; that of understanding ALS caregiver experiences by exploring declines in swallowing and communication in ALS patients based on the results of one qualitative and two quantitative measurements. <h3>Design</h3> A mixed method cross-sectional design. <h3>Setting</h3> The interviews were conducted over the phone, per Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) social distancing guidelines. <h3>Participants</h3> Eight informal (non-compensated) family caregivers of ALS patients. <h3>Interventions</h3> Not applicable. <h3>Main Outcome Measures</h3> 1) Qualitative interviews, 2) the Brief RCOPE (a 14-item measure of positive and negative religious coping with major life stressors), and 3) a health-related quality of life survey instrument (SF12v2). <h3>Results</h3> Interview data revealed anxiety related to anticipated losses and capacity to meet progressive unrelenting needs of care receivers. In addition, caregivers reported an increased burden as the disease progressed, perceiving a lack of medical personnel training necessary to meet their needs. Caregivers' religious coping ratings attested to feelings of less connectedness with God as the disease progressed. Health quality of life measures suggested emerging issues based on health status, energy levels, pain, and available time for responsibilities. <h3>Conclusions</h3> The unique challenges of ALS caregiver experiences and burdens consist of complex emotional, clinical, financial, secondary supportive care needs, and environmental issues. These perceived experiences and burdens have clinical implications for improved communication in working with caregivers to better meet their needs. <h3>Author(s) Disclosures</h3> Nothing to disclose.

Pregnancy during the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative examination of ways of coping.

The COVID-19 pandemic and related public health restrictions have impacted the mental health and coping strategies of many population groups, including people who are pregnant. Our study sought to explore the ways that pregnant people described coping with stressors associated with the pandemic. N = 5879 pregnant individuals completed the pan-Canadian Pregnancy During the COVID-19 Pandemic Survey between April and December 2020. We used descriptive statistics to quantify sociodemographic characteristics and thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006, 2019) to analyze n = 3316 open-ended text responses to the question "Can you tell us what things you are doing to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic?" The average age of participants was 32years (SD = 4.4), with the majority identifying as White (83.6%), female (99.7%), married (61.5%), having completed post-secondary education (90.0%), and working full-time (75.4%). We categorized participant responses into two overarching thematic dimensions: (1) ways of coping and (2) coping challenges. Ways of coping included the following main themes: (1) taking care of oneself, (2) connecting socially, (3) engaging in pandemic-specific coping strategies, (4) keeping busy, (5) taking care of others, (6) creating a sense of normalcy, (7) changing perspectives, and (8) practicing spirituality. Coping challenges included the following: (1) the perception of coping poorly, (2) loss of coping methods, (3) managing frontline or essential work, and (4) worries about the future. Findings highlight important implications for targeted prenatal supports delivered remotely, including opportunities for social support, prenatal care, and mental health strategies.

Psychological Network of Stress, Coping and Social Support in an Aboriginal Population.

Over the past decades, increasing research interest has been directed towards the psychosocial factors that impact Aboriginal health, including stress, coping and social support. However, there has been no study that examined whether the behaviours, cognitions and emotions related to stress, coping and social support constitute a psychological network in an Aboriginal population and that examined its properties. To address this gap, the current study employed a new methodology, network psychometrics, to evaluate stress, coping and social support in an Aboriginal Australian population. This study conducted a secondary analysis of the South Australian Aboriginal Birth Cohort (SAABC) study, a randomised controlled trial in South Australia, which included 367 pregnant Aboriginal women at study baseline. The Gaussian Graphical Model was estimated with least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO). Node centrality was evaluated with eigencentrality, strength and bridge centrality. Network communities were investigated with the walktrap algorithm. The findings indicated that stress, coping and social support constituted a connected psychological network in an Aboriginal population. Furthermore, at the centre of the network were the troubles experienced by the Aboriginal pregnant women, bridging their perceptions of stress and coping and constituting a potential target for future interventions.

Understanding ethnic minority service user experiences of being invited to and attending group pain programmes: A qualitative service evaluation.

Health inequalities continue to exist for individuals from an ethnic minority background who live with chronic pain. There is a growing recognition that an individual's experience of pain is shaped by their cultural beliefs, which may influence their decisions about managing their pain. This service evaluation aimed to (a) understand experiences of service users from a Black, Asian or other ethnic minority background of being invited to and attending a group pain programme in one secondary care pain rehabilitation service. (b) Provide recommendations to develop culturally grounded services to better meet the diverse needs of all service users living with chronic pain. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with five service users who had been offered a place on a group pain programme within the last 3years. The interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. An interpretative phenomenological analysis was used to identify themes in the data. The analysis produced three themes (1) Pain, Ethnicity and Coping: Perceptions of pain and coping in relation to ethnicity and intersectional factors, alignment to a self-management approach. (2) Communication for Decisions: Experiences of ethnicity and culture in relation to health professional communication about group pain programmes, participants' expectations and fears. (3) Feeling Included: Experiences of feeling included or excluded in group pain programme, relationships and empowerment during the group pain programme. The five service users shared a range of perspectives on how they felt ethnicity shaped their experience of the group pain programme. The findings suggest that adaptations to group pain programmes can make a meaningful difference for service users from ethnic minority backgrounds. 10 recommendations are suggested, including greater exploration of cultural beliefs during assessment, improving accessibility of information about the service and engaging more diverse attendees and facilitators.

Understanding the disparate PTSD prevalence for U.S. and Mexico via social comparison effect types that inform perception of trauma difficulty.

The United States (U.S.) and Mexico have vastly different lifetime prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), despite similarly high rates of trauma exposure. To explain this disparate prevalence, we created the Perception of Trauma Difficulty Assessment Tool (PTDAT) to identify four social comparison effect types that inform perception of trauma difficulty (i.e., Upward Assimilation Effect, Downward Assimilation Effect, Downward Contrast Effect, Upward Contrast Effect) to determine whether there was a dominant effect type associated with respondents' perception of coping with trauma difficulty for a sample of U.S. Americans and Mexicans. We identified sociodemographic characteristics and the degree of trauma exposure that associated with PTSD, PTSD symptom severity, and functional impairment for each effect type. This was a cross-sectional study of a sample of 898 U.S. Americans and 902 Mexicans. A chi-square test determined whether there was a dominant effect type for each national group. For each effect type, multiple regression analyses identified predictors of PTSD, PTSD symptom severity, and functional impairment. For U.S. Americans, trauma exposure was a predictor for PTSD for effect type Upward Contrast Effect, when respondents contrasted from an excellent appraisal of most people by making a poor self-appraisal. For Mexicans, all effect types had predictors for PTSD, with trauma exposure being a predictor for all. These preliminary findings provide support to consider patients' social context as it informs their perception of their capacity to cope, which may maintain PTSD. Future research is needed to determine whether perceptions of trauma difficulty are stable over time. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Adaptation to stress in football athletes: The importance of cognitive appraisal.

This study analysed the adaptation of football athletes to competitive stressors regarding the upcoming match. For that, the study adopted a cross-sectional methodology using a critical incident approach. The participants were 352 young male football athletes, aged between 15 and 19 years (M = 16.91, SD = 0.99), who were competing in the national football championship. The results indicated that cognitive appraisal partially mediated the relationship between competitive stressors and emotions: athletes who perceived stressors as a challenge, tended to feel more control over the situation and more resourceful (coping perception), leading to a more positive emotional experience, while those perceiving the stressors as a threat were more prone to experience less control and more negative emotions. This mediation model was moderated by athletes’ competitive level (U17 or U19), as the role of challenge perception was more pronounced in the U19 team, while the relationship between threat perception and less control was only observed for the U17 team. In sum, the data reveals the importance of cognitive appraisal in young football athletes’ adaptation to competitive stressors, bolstering the theoretical models in this area and the importance of psychologists to consider these variables during intervention, particularly cognitive appraisal.

Residents’ perception of coping and alleviating strategies of poverty in rural areas of Ayedaade local government, Osun State, Nigeria

The attempts of government in eradicating poverty are always based on a government’s view of what rural dwellers need. Without the rural dwellers themselves assessing their level of poverty, ascertaining their coping strategies and their needs for poverty alleviation; the desired goal of a government in reducing poverty cannot be achieved. This paper thus examined the perception of rural dwellers on coping and alleviating strategies of poverty in rural areas of Ayedaade local government area, Osun State. Questionnaires were administered to three hundred and sixty-eight household heads who were selected across the twenty-five villages in five rural wards of the study area. Poverty was assessed based on the perception of residents. Data were analysed using percentage distribution and Geographical Information System technique. The result of the findings reveals that 57.9% reported themselves as being poor. Poverty based on residents’ perception was denser in the southern part than in the northern part of the study area. Hardworking (25.5%) and gathering of the remnant fruits (23.1%) were the most adopting coping strategies in the area. Residents identified provision of infrastructure (54.7%) and financial assistance (18.2%) as crucial poverty alleviating strategies. The study concluded that the dividend of democracy can only be effective if a government considers the perceptions of rural residents in planning and provision for poverty alleviation in rural areas. This study recommends that the government should consider the residents’ perception in planning and execution of poverty alleviation in their areas.

Implementing a telehealth-delivered psychoeducational support group for care partners of individuals with primary progressive aphasia

ABSTRACT Background Primary progressive aphasia (PPA) is a language-prominent dementia that fundamentally impacts the lives of not only the person with the diagnosis, but also their family members. While assuming a caregiving role, care partners are vulnerable to negative health and psychosocial consequences of their own. Support groups are one way to meet the needs of care partners, providing opportunities for individuals with common experiences to socialize, obtain knowledge about disorders, and learn coping strategies. Given that PPA is rare and that in-person support groups are sparse in the United States, there is a need for alternative meeting modalities, to overcome the limitations imposed by relative scarcity of potential participants, lack of appropriately-trained clinical professionals, and the logistical demands faced by overburdened care providers. Telehealth-based support groups provide care partners with opportunities to connect virtually with other care partners; however, research regarding their feasibility and benefit is limited. Aims This pilot study investigated whether a telehealth-based support group for care partners of persons with PPA is feasible and yields benefits in psychosocial functioning. Methods & Procedures Ten care partners of persons with PPA (7 females; 3 males) participated in a group intervention comprising psychoeducation about relevant topics, followed by group discussion. Meetings were held twice monthly for four months via teleconference. All participants completed pre- and post-intervention measures to examine support group satisfaction as well as psychosocial functioning, including quality of life, coping, mood, and caregiving perception. Outcomes & Results Consistent group member participation across study phases supports the feasibility of this intervention model. Quantitative results from paired-samples permutation tests indicate no significant changes from pre- to post-intervention on psychometrically-validated psychosocial measures. Qualitatively, results from an in-house Likert-type survey indicate positive outcomes in quality of life, social support, caregiving skills, and psychoeducation. Relatedly, post-intervention themes derived from a thematic analysis of written survey responses included: Enhancing knowledge about PPA, feeling connected and mutually supported, and desire for more time together. Conclusions Consistent with existing literature evaluating virtually-delivered care partner support groups in dementia and other acquired medical conditions, findings from this study support the feasibility and benefit of telehealth-based support groups for care partners of persons with PPA.

Coping with Covid-19: stress, control and coping among pregnant women in Ireland during the Covid-19 pandemic

BackgroundThe aim of the current study is to investigate the relationship between perceived control, coping and psychological distress among pregnant women in Ireland during the Covid-19 pandemic. It is hypothesised that lower levels of perceived control, greater use of avoidant coping and greater Covid-19 related pregnancy concern will be associated with psychological distress. In addition, it is hypothesised that the relationship between Covid-19 related pregnancy concern and psychological distress will be moderated by perceived control and avoidant coping.MethodThe study is cross-sectional, utilizing an online questionnaire, which was completed by 761 women in January 2021. The questionnaire includes measures of perceived control, coping style, perceived stress, anxiety and depression.ResultsCorrelation analyses found that lower levels of perceived control were associated with higher levels of avoidant coping and psychological distress. There was also a significant positive relationship between avoidant coping and psychological distress. Using multiple regression, perceived control, avoidant coping and Covid-19 related pregnancy concern were found to predict 51% of the variance in psychological distress. However, in the moderation analysis, perceived control and avoidant coping were not found to moderate the relationship between Covid-19 related pregnancy concern and psychological distress.ConclusionThe results from this study suggest that pregnant women in Ireland are experiencing increased levels of psychological distress during the Covid-19 pandemic. The findings also suggest that perceptions of control and avoidant coping are associated with psychological distress in this group and could be used as intervention targets.

Auditoria ao Stresse no contexto Laboral: uma proposta de intervenção nos Riscos Psicossociais

Introduction and objectives In the workplace context, there may be a multiplicity of psychosocial risks that interfere with the health and well-being of workers, influencing productivity, absenteeism, presenteeism, employee satisfaction and motivation. On the other hand, the coping strategies used, as well as individual and organizational resources, promote a better management of work stress. This study aims to assess the perception of psychosocial risks, health and coping of employees of an institution. Methods A descriptive, cross-sectional study was carried out, using instruments such as the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire - COPSOQ-II, Brief Symptom Inventory - BSI and Brief Cope. Results and discussion The general data indicate a greater risk in terms of work demands, with cognitive dimension and work pace being more prevalent. Furthermore, role conflict is perceived as a serious risk. Difficulties in the balance between family life and work are also highlighted, as well as the need to improve vertical trust, which is mutually established between management and employees. Regarding the organization and content of work, even though they are considered moderate risks, it is worth emphasizing the importance of factors such as influence on work and commitment, in promoting and maintaining job satisfaction. On the other hand, it is also important to take into account the resources that can work as protectors of the mental health of employees as positive points were identified the possibility of development, the meaning of work, predictability, rewards, transparency on paper, the quality of leadership, job satisfaction (although these two should be reinforced), support from colleagues, job security, horizontal trust, as well as the social community. Regarding to the symptoms, there are some situations that deserve an individualized intervention, in order to promote its stabilization and mitigate its consequences. Concerning the most used coping strategies, the results show greater resort to acceptance, active coping and planning, although these two are less relevant. Conclusion The data alerts to the need to intervene, resorting to measures centered on the individual, but also on the organization, to prevent, minimize and repair the damage arising from the psychosocial risks found, as well as to strengthen existing resources. Keywords: psychosocial risks; stress; auditing; health promotion; stress prevention; occupational health.

Adaptation and Coping Among Rural Older Adults Throughout the COVID-19 Pandemic

In the past year, older adults have faced challenges due to COVID-19, yet many have also shown great resilience. This qualitative study explores older adults’ experiences and perceptions of adaptation, social connection, and coping across the first six months of the COVID-19 pandemic, with a particular focus on unique resilience factors among rural older adults. A Midwestern sample (35% rural) of 70 older adults aged 70-97 completed three phone interviews (April, June, and October 2020) about their experiences with social distancing due to COVID-19. Thematic analysis of qualitative responses identified themes of resilience including: 1) purposeful and flexible social connections, 2) positive psychological mindset, and 3) hardiness and life experience. Strains related to the loss of community connections were evident, yet older adults demonstrated signs of adaptability and coping as compensation. Implications and future directions will be discussed in the context of change over time and geographic variation.

Living With a Stigmatized Identity; Perceptions of Disclosure, Coping, and Medication Adherence Among Adolescent Boys and Young Men in Chiredzi-Zimbabwe.

There is limited research on adolescent boys and young men (ABYM)'s initial and onward HIV seropositive status disclosure, coping strategies and treatment adherence journeys especially in Zimbabwe. This qualitative exploratory study employed in-depth individual interviews at Chiredzi General Hospital in Zimbabwe to explore the dynamics of disclosure, coping and treatment adherence among ABYM. Twenty-one HIV positive ABYM with ages ranging from 14 to 21 were recruited from their scheduled visit to collect medication at the hospital. Findings indicate that ABYM disclosure journeys began with shock, confusion or misunderstanding and ended in a positive life outlook. Treatment adherence among ABYM was very poor due to poverty, erratic food supply, feeling sick after taking medication, forgetfulness and the public nature of medication collection centers. The study concluded that ABYM maintained secrecy in order to be accepted by their peers but also to protect themselves from stigma and isolation.

Faith and FACES: Black Parents’ Perceptions of Autism, Faith, and Coping

Faith, spirituality, and religious involvement can promote stress-related coping for parents raising children with autism, yet little research has explored religious coping in Black parents raising children with autism. Given the high levels of religiosity and increased incidence of autism in Black families, the purpose of this qualitative study was to highlight perceptions of Black parents raising children with autism on mental health and religious coping within the context of a parent advocacy intervention efficacy study. We used a grounded theory method with structural coding of group session transcripts and written responses to center the voices of seven Black parents raising children with autism. Three significant findings emerged: (a) mental health conceptualization; (b) double disenfranchisement; and (c) communal coping.

An Investigation of the Effect of Elite Athletes' Self-Talk (Inner Speech) During Competition on Perceptions of Coping with Stress

Aim: The study aimed to investigate the effects of the self-talk of the athletes of all ages in the Curling National Team during competition on their perception of coping with stress.. Methods: In the first part, questions for demographic characteristics were used for the participants. In the second part, the self-talk scale developed by Zervas, Stavrou, and Psychountaki (2007) consisting of 11 items, 2 sub-dimensions, and a 5-point Likert was used. The scale was adapted to Turkish by Engür in 2011. In the third part, the scale of coping with stress developed by Moos (1993), which consists of 24 items, 5 sub-dimensions, and a 5-point Likert type was used. It was adapted to Turkish by Ballı and Kılıç (2016). While the study population was composed of the athletes in the Curling National Team, the sample group consisted of 106 athletes, of which 46 were women and 60 men. Results: The linear regression analysis reveals that the self-talk predicted 27% of the perceptions of coping with stress. The results also show that self-talk (p=,896) and the perceptions of coping with stress (p=,377) did not show any difference by the variable of gender. The findings by the variable of age indicate that the self-talk (p=,053) and the attitudes to cope with stress (p=,005) were statistically significant. Conclusion: According to the results of the correlation analysis, a low level and a positive significant relationship were observed between self-talk and coping with stress (r=302). Keywords: Curling, Elite Athletes, Self-Talk, Coping With Stress

Qualitative Analysis of Illness Representations and Coping Perceptions Among Older Adults With Chronic Spinal Disability: “A Thought in the Back of My Mind”

ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to explore older adults’ illness representations, their beliefs about health, and their coping perceptions of chronic spinal disability. MethodsThis qualitative descriptive study used structured interviews that were completed during a randomized trial of non-pharmacological management of spine-related disability with chiropractic spinal manipulative therapy and exercise. Dual coders conducted a descriptive thematic analysis of 50 randomly selected transcripts supported by qualitative data management software. The Common-Sense Model provided an organizing framework for coding and interpretation. ResultsFifty participants (34 women, median age: 68 years) described 4 illness representations, 4 coping styles, and 6 coping strategies for their management of spinal disability. Illness representations formed a continuum of little-to-no health impact to bothersome symptoms to heightened symptom intensity to unmanaged pain and/or disability. Most participants adopted either self-care or self-management coping styles, but some used healthcare-seeking or fear avoidance with worsening symptoms or interference with employment or preferred activities. Participants mentioned 6 coping strategies for spinal disability. Distraction included position changes, hobbies, and supportive relationships. Limitation focused on rest and/or relaxation, restricted movements, and activity modifications. Prevention enhanced self-care knowledge, posture and/or ergonomics, nutrition, and stress management. Movement emphasized stretching, home exercise and/or walking, and exercise therapy. Palliation augmented patient comfort through the use of heat and/or ice, over-the-counter medicine, and spinal manipulation. Avoidance strategies included missing employment, stopping house and/or yard work, and prescription medication. ConclusionThe community-dwelling older adults in this study offered varied illness representations of their chronic spinal disability. Most participants combined and personalized coping strategies to minimize pain and symptom impact; thus, representations may influence the coping styles adopted by older persons to manage their spinal conditions. A quote from a participant that pain was “a thought in the back of my mind” suggests the presence of cognitive and emotional processes that may influence individual perceptions and feelings about their spinal symptoms or conditions. These findings suggest that there may be a broader role for spine care clinicians to include teaching older people about self-management strategies to better cope with spinal disabilities.

The Mediating Role of Dyadic Coping on the Effects of Covid-19 and Relationship Satisfaction among Turkish Couples

The Covid-19 pandemic has been affecting millions of individuals. Dealing with the psychological impacts of Covid-19, including depression, anxiety, and stress, can negatively impact one’s relational experience, potentially lowering relationship satisfaction. This study aims to understand how distress caused by Covid-19 is related to relationship satisfaction and investigate the mediating role of dyadic coping. Using a sample of 233 individuals residing in Turkey who self-identified as being in a romantic relationship, this study found that the Covid-19 distress was negatively linked with relationship satisfaction, and individual’s perception of dyadic coping mediated such relationship. Theoretical and clinical implications are discussed.

Burnout and Coping Perceptions of Volleyball Players Throughout an Annual Sport Season.

Burnout is a psychological syndrome of reaction to chronic stress that occurs in athletes who feel exhausted by a sport activity that was previously pleasurable and enjoyable. One technique to prevent and control the syndrome is through coping, which is the ability to deal with stressful situations. In contrast to traditional cross-sectional approaches, this study aimed to investigate burnout and coping strategy characteristics over time and to analyze the relationship between burnout dimensions and coping strategies. Fifty-four high-level volleyball athletes (twenty-eight men and twenty-six women, age M = 25.57, SD = 4.72, range 18-35) completed paper-and-pencil measures of burnout and coping four times throughout a sport season. The Friedman test presented a significant increase in the reduced sense of athletic accomplishment (X2 = 20.58; p < 0.01) and sport devaluation (X2 = 19.83; p < 0.01) perceptions during the season. However, no coping differences were observed through the longitudinal analysis. Burnout dimensions showed a moderate inverse correlation to confidence/motivation at all measurement points during the season. Overall, the findings suggest that burnout perceptions increase as the season progresses, highlighting the relevance for the periodization of burnout prevention and control

Widowhood and depression among Chinese older adults: examining coping styles and perceptions of aging as mediators and moderators

Objectives: Based on the stress-coping framework, this study examined the role of coping styles and perceptions of aging in the relationship between widowhood and depression through two alternative pathways—mediation and moderation—with a national probability sample of older adults in China. Method: The data came from the baseline wave of the China Longitudinal Aging Social Survey of 2014. Our final sample featured 8,404 older adults. Results: The results of structural equation modeling showed a good fit for the total sample (NFI = .909, IFI = .916, GFI = .963, RMSEA = .038) and indicated the significant direct impact of widowhood on depression among Chinese older adults. Moreover, the findings of mediating effects found compared with a married group, widowed older adults used less problem-focused coping and had more negative perceptions of aging, which in turn, predicted higher depression; they were also more likely to use emotion-focused coping, which in turn, predicted lower depression. The results of moderation analysis demonstrated that a higher level of negative perceptions of aging significantly worsened the adverse effects of widowhood on depression. Conclusion: Overall, our findings highlight the importance of a cognitive approach to targeting programs for widowed older adults in China, with a focus on strengthening their abilities to alter maladaptive copings styles and reauthor their life narratives.