Time Well-being Research Articles

Children’s well-being in times of war: analysing the importance of family through home, objects and relationships

In 2022, Russian forces invaded Ukraine, resulting in one of the largest refugee crises in Europe. Switzerland took in around 60,000 Ukrainian refugees, many of whom were children. Drawing on qualitative interviews with Ukrainian refugee children (aged 8–14) who participated in the WoKidS (Children’s Well-being in German-Speaking Switzerland) project, we reconstruct the importance of family for their subjective well-being by addressing three interrelated aspects: home, objects and relationships. We argue that, despite experiencing adverse situations, refugee children are active participants in the processes of homemaking and the promotion of family co-presence and care across borders. Furthermore, the children’s perspectives expand our understanding of (transnational) families and (transnational) care, showing that well-being is relational and challenging the notion of family as ‘left behind’.

“It takes a lot of sisu to get through it”- managerial experiences of facing adversities during pandemic

ABSTRACTPurposeSisu refers to extraordinary internal strength in the face of adversities. Although originally a Finnish concept, it can be a universally useful concept for studying managerial well-being and performance during difficult or even emergency periods. Previous research on sisu categorizes it into beneficial and harmful sisu and suggests that these two dimensions of sisu are useful when studying determination and resoluteness in crisis situations. This study applies the concept of sisu to examine managers’ well-being in times of crisis.MethodologyInterviews were conducted with 15 managers in the hotel, manufacturing and retail industries in Finland.ResultsThe beneficial effects of sisu seem to dissolve when it is used too often. The study also highlighted the paradoxical tension involved in the decision to stop or continue actions in a difficult situation and contributes to sisu research by discussing collective sisu.ConclusionThe results of this study suggest that beneficial sisu helps to overcome adversity, while harmful sisu causes distortions in thinking that are detrimental to managers. Understanding one’s own tendency towards beneficial or harmful sisu in difficult situations can help in managerial work. Collective sisu is an excellent resource for overcoming difficult situations in workplaces.

How stressful is firm insolvency? Self-reported, biological, and physiological indicators of entrepreneurs’ well-being

This study advances research on the nexus of business insolvency and entrepreneurs’ well-being. We broadly build upon the Conservation of Resources Theory (COR) and explore the severity of the impact of firm insolvency on subjective well-being, stress hormones, and physiological recovery. To test our hypotheses, we compared entrepreneurs operating in 51 businesses affected by insolvency with 51 entrepreneurs in a control group. We conducted our study in Germany, where legal regulations surrounding insolvency are relatively unfavorable for those affected. Our findings indicate that entrepreneurs facing insolvency experience lower psychological well-being, greater vital exhaustion, higher stress hormone levels, and, as revealed by supplementary analyses, poorer risk adjustment. Our study complemented entrepreneurs’ self-reports with objective methods to examine entrepreneurial well-being in times of hardship from three perspectives: psychological, biological, and physiological. Although exploratory, our study provides relevant insights into potential repercussions of business failure. JEL CLASSIFICATION: I10; L26; G01

Do many hands make light work? The role of romantic partners and close relationships in posttraumatic growth.

Our relationships are an important resource for health and well-being in times of need, often buffering the negative effects of stressful situations. Recent research has expanded on these buffering effects, exploring the role of close others in the experience of posttraumatic growth (PTG), or positive personality change that occurs after someone has experienced trauma. In the current review, we examine how much of a role partners play in PTG for individuals, summarizing the existing evidence suggesting that partners can influence the experience of PTG. Additionally, we examine which partner traits or behaviors may facilitate this growth for individuals, discussing relationship-relevant mechanisms, facilitators, and suppressors of PTG. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, we also discuss the quality of existing evidence for the influence of social relationships on PTG, how can we improve the quality of future research, and what is needed for a comprehensive examination of partner-influenced PTG. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Adolescent well-being in time of crisis: The role of social and residential contexts

Abstract Background It is unknown whether social or residential context during the COVID-19 lockdowns may impact mental well-being. We identified classes of each of social and residential context during the lockdown and examined their associations with mental well-being among French adolescents one-year after the first lockdown. Methods We used data collected in a cross-sectional study design in 2021 from 387 adolescents ages 12 to 15 years enrolled in the school-based pilot study for EXIST. Participants reported social and residential characteristics during the lockdown retrospectively, and current mental well-being in self-report questionnaires. We used latent class analysis to identify classes of social and residential contexts, and linear regression models to study their association with mental well-being. Results Four social context classes were identified: class 1 ‘Low opportunities for social contacts at home’, class 2 ‘Moderate opportunities for social contact at home”, class 3 ‘High opportunities for social contact at home’, and class 4 ‘Very high opportunities for social contact at home’. Compared to class 4, lower levels of mental well-being were observed among adolescents in class 1 (b= -4.08, 95% CI [-8.06; -0.10]) one year after the lockdown. We identified four residential context classes, with differences across classes in proximity to nature, type of residence (e.g., apartment, house), and level of neighborhood deprivation. No association was found between residential context during the lockdown and adolescent mental well-being one year later. Conclusions An unsupportive social environment during the lockdown may have long-term effects on mental well-being among adolescents. Given the observed disparities in social support, future intervention should aim to strengthen social support for adolescents living in unsupportive environments (e.g., remote homework assistance, support for isolated parents, provision of virtual chat rooms for adolescents). Key messages • Mental well-being was challenged among youth with lower levels of social connectedness and support during lockdown, residential context was not associated with adolescent well-being after one year. • During crisis, a critical need among adolescents does not pertain to the physical attributes of their living environment, but rather to social support from friends or family within and outside home.

Adolescent mental well-being in time of crises: The role of social and residential contexts.

The extent of the impact and the interconnections among factors within social and residential contexts during the COVID-19 lockdowns on mental well-being remain to be elucidated. We identified latent classes of each of social and residential context during the lockdown and examined their associations with mental well-being among adolescents in France 1-year after the first lockdown. We used data collected in 2021 in a cross-sectional school-based pilot study for EXIST, from 387 participants ages 12-15 years. Participants reported retrospectively on characteristics of their social and residential contexts during the lockdown, and their current mental well-being in self-report questionnaires. We used latent class analysis to identify latent classes of social and residential contexts, and linear regression models to examine the associations between these contexts and mental well-being. Four social context classes were identified: class 1 "Low opportunity for social contact at home," class 2 "Moderate opportunity for social contact at home," class 3 "High opportunity for social contact at home," and class 4 "Very high opportunity for social contact at home." Relative to class 4, lower levels of mental well-being were observed among adolescents in class 1 (b = -4.08, 95% CI [-8.06; -0.10]) 1 year after the lockdown. We identified four residential context classes based on proximity to nature, type of residence (e.g., apartment, house), and level of neighborhood deprivation. No association was detected between residential context during the lockdown and adolescent mental well-being one-year later. A limited social context may negatively impact adolescent mental well-being during crises.

Crafting Individual Resilience Through Social Capital in Times of Conflict: A Qualitative Study on Ukrainian Refugees in Germany

The article examines the role of social capital in fostering individual resilience of refugees in Germany, with a case-study focused on Ukrainian refugees who moved to the middle-sized city of Bielefeld after February 24, 2022. It specifically explores the targeted strategies and reasoning used by the refugees to build bonding, bridging, and linking forms of social capital. The article promotes a more differentiated approach to resilience, spotlighting the variety of social contacts and networks that allow refugees to access resources and support mechanisms in the new context. It also encourages a transition from a deficits-centric to a strengths-based approach in refugees’ studies and utilizes the experience of new Ukrainians in Bielefeld to shed light on the agency of newcomers and the contribution of their personal skills and motivations to promote well-being in times of crises.

Greek People, the Orthodox Religion and Resilience in the Time of Crisis

This paper examines the role of religion in supporting health and the significance this has on emotional wellbeing in time of crisis for individuals of Greek Australian background. Melbourne, Australia, has a large Greek community whose oldest members were born in Greece and emigrated to Australia 50-60 years ago. The children and grandchildren of these immigrants were born in Australia but often see themselves as members of a cultural community distinct from the English-speaking mainstream. In addition to language, one of the most significant cultural factors handed down by the immigrant generation is a belief in the importance of religion and religious rituals in maintaining health. These rituals and beliefs are also a powerful tool for coping in times of crisis, illness and other challenges. Its findings are based on several qualitative studies undertaken in Melbourne between 2011-2016. The individuals that participated in these studies relied on religious faith and traditional practices to support them in times of crisis. Their specific beliefs reflect orthodox theology but also folk practices specific to this community and can be applied to wellbeing and resilience shown by this population in times of crisis. They have a strong belief in destiny and generally accept that God provides the means for addressing negative conditions. This paper describes the nature of their beliefs and outlines the ways in which religion serves as the basis for their resilience and ability to cope with adversity. Keywords: Greek people, Orthodox religion, faith, resilience, crisis

Leading in times of crisis and remote work: perceived consideration leadership behavior and its effect on follower work engagement

Based on the job-demands resources theory, we examine whether leadership behavior affects followers' work engagement in the context of remote work during times of crisis, and how this effect can be explained. We focus on consideration leadership and its impact on followers' engagement under conditions of enforced remote work during the COVID-19 pandemic. Therein, we examine the role of optimism as a potential mediator. To better understand how the impact of consideration leadership behavior unfolds during crises, we examine whether being new to remote work and feeling personally impacted by COVID-19 amplified the proposed relationship between consideration leadership and followers' engagement. A sample of 729 German employees participated in a three-wave study across 6 weeks in May and June 2020. Longitudinal structural equation modeling uncovered direct positive effects of consideration leadership on changes in followers' work engagement in the second time lag (T2 to T3), while optimism did not mediate this effect. Multigroup comparisons revealed that employees who worked from home were particularly responsive to consideration leadership. No moderating effects were found for whether the COVID-19 pandemic personally impacted employees. The discussion highlights the critical role of leadership in followers' motivation and wellbeing in times of crisis and remote work.

Taking on a Life of Its Own: Relational Mentoring for Mutual Professional Growth

Relational mentoring, or critical friendships, has been recognized as an effective form of continuous professional development (PD). Through autonomous informal mentoring sessions implemented outside the umbrella of institutional top-down PD initiatives, teachers can gain valuable insights on their own practice and that of their peers. In this paper, one such mentoring session is analyzed from the perspective of both participants. Transcribed audio data of the mentoring session was inductively analyzed by both mentor and mentee, and major points of salience were reflectively and collaboratively discussed. The reflections highlighted the fluid nature of the session that challenged the traditional hierarchical mentor-mentee dynamic. While the session began in a transactional fashion with mentee seeking knowledge from mentor, it was seen to evolve into a more symmetrical relationship of co-learning. This short account of reflective practice offers additional evidence of the transformational potential of relational mentoring and critical friendships on teachers’ PD. Moreover, there are indications that such autonomous PD can contribute positively to sustaining teacher wellbeing in times of uncertainty and instability.

Greek People, the Orthodox Religion and Resilience in the Time of Crisis

This paper examines the role of religion in supporting health and the significance this has on emotional wellbeing in time of crisis for individuals of Greek Australian background. Melbourne, Australia, has a large Greek community whose oldest members were born in Greece and emigrated to Australia 50-60 years ago. The children and grandchildren of these immigrants were born in Australia but often see themselves as members of a cultural community distinct from the English-speaking mainstream. In addition to language, one of the most significant cultural factors handed down by the immigrant generation is a belief in the importance of religion and religious rituals in maintaining health. These rituals and beliefs are also a powerful tool for coping in times of crisis, illness and other challenges. Its findings are based on several qualitative studies undertaken in Melbourne between 2011-2016. The individuals that participated in these studies relied on religious faith and traditional practices to support them in times of crisis. Their specific beliefs reflect orthodox theology but also folk practices specific to this community and can be applied to wellbeing and resilience shown by this population in times of crisis. They have a strong belief in destiny and generally accept that God provides the means for addressing negative conditions. This paper describes the nature of their beliefs and outlines the ways in which religion serves as the basis for their resilience and ability to cope with adversity. Keywords: Greek people, Orthodox religion, faith, resilience, crisis

Increasing Street-Level Bureaucrats’ Well-Being in Times of Crisis: A Survey Experiment With Two Social Belonging Interventions

This study increases our understanding on how to improve the well-being of street-level bureaucrats. We test the effect of social belonging interventions on street-level bureaucrats’ well-being in times of crisis. We argue stimulating social belonging is especially relevant during crises, because it mitigates identity threats caused by high levels of uncertainty and adversities. We conducted a pre-registered survey experiment during the Covid-19 pandemic among Belgian inspectors ( n = 423). We find social belonging interventions have a small, positive effect ( d = 0.26) on street-level bureaucrats’ work engagement but have no effect on street-level bureaucrats’ burnout. We outline directions for future research by discussing explanations for our (in)significant findings.

Análise sob a perspectiva ocupacional do uso da telesaúde na terapia ocupacional em tempos de confinamento

Abstract Introduction The actions adopted with the purpose of avoiding community infections, during the COVID-19 pandemic, meant an occupational interruption since these measures prevented or restricted the participation in significant occupations of people. At the same time, the different health institutions and health professionals had to resort to telehealth to provide continuity of care. Objective To analyze from an occupational perspective the use of telehealth in Occupational Therapy in confinement contexts. Methodology Qualitative. Information is produced through focus groups and individual interviews. 9 students, 10 teachers, 5 users and/or family members and 5 members of the care teams participate in this study. An analysis of the thematic content is carried out through the triangulation of actors to integrate the opinions of all the participants, later in order to deepen the use of telehealth from an occupational perspective, theoretical triangulation is included. Results Telehealth as an occupation materializes the possibility of having socio-emotional support and allows collaboration in search of well-being in times of social isolation. It is also an occupation that allowed recognizing the home as a territory, in which the appropriation of material and relational resources occurs in a collaborative way between the treatment team and the users. Conclusions Telehealth is a collective occupation that allows re-existence in times of occupational interruption and new forms of occupational dislocation.

Steering towards the unknown: The wellbeing of long-haul truck drivers during the Covid-19 pandemic

Long-haul truck drivers tend to be exposed to myriad health and safety threats – a problem that was exacerbated amid the Covid-19 pandemic. However, we currently have a fragmented understanding of the demands that threaten truck drivers’ health and safety and the resources that can protect them. Drawing on a recently extended version of Job Demands-Resources theory, the present study aimed to identify these demands and resources in order to develop a comprehensive understanding of truck driver wellbeing in times of crisis. Maximum variation and snowball sampling strategies were used to recruit nine truck drivers and seven managers to participate in semi-structured interviews. All interviewees were employed full-time by Canadian trucking companies and had worked in their current position for at least one year prior to and six months during the pandemic. A thematic analysis resulted in the identification of 12 occupational and pandemic-related demands that negatively impacted drivers’ physical, psychological, and/or social wellbeing, and the identification of 4 individual-level and 4 organizational-level resources that buffered the harmful impact of these demands. In addition, our findings indicated that demands and resources originating from disparate work- and non-work domains interacted with each other to impact drivers’ wellbeing. Theoretically, this research advances the safety literature by contributing to a deeper understanding of the factors impacting employee health and safety in times of crisis. Practically, this research offers recommendations for managers of trucking firms and policymakers to protect long-haul truck drivers, which can have important downstream consequences for supply chains and the economy.

Oxytocin as a transdiagnostic biomarker of well-being in severe mental illness during the Covid-19 pandemic

Individuals with severe mental illness (SMI) have been found to suffer a greater decline in psychological well-being compared to the general population in times of stress. The present study aimed to examine clinical and endocrine resilience factors of psychological well-being in SMI patients during the Covid-19 pandemic. Methods: After Covid-19 crisis outburst in Israel 112 participants, 69 outpatients, and 43 inpatients and day treatment patients were recruited. Outpatients signed an online informed consent and filled in questionnaires regarding their level of mental health symptoms (OQ-45), fear of Covid-19 (FCV), and psychological well-being (PWB). Inpatients answered the same questionnaires and in addition, went through a positive social interaction paradigm while providing three saliva samples to measure their s-IgA and oxytocin (OT) levels. Results: A strong negative correlation was found in the whole sample between reported mental health symptoms, fear of Covid-19, and well-being. Hierarchical regression did not find additional contribution of the fear of the pandemic in predicting well-being beyond the impact of symptomatology. For inpatients (N = 39) only, hierarchical regression found that oxytocin, but not s-IgA could explain 5% of the variance of well-being (R2 = 0.05) in individuals with SMI regardless of their mental health symptoms (R2 = 0.46) and their marital status (R2 = 0.21). Conclusions: OT is suggested as a possible independent biological resilience factor of well-being in times of major stress among SMI patients. It is still unknown whether OT is a mediator that contributes to well-being or a biological marker that indicates the degree of beneficial social interactions.

Finding a Way: What Crisis Reveals about Teachers’ Emotional Wellbeing and Its Importance for Education

In crisis, teachers are often positioned as frontline workers serving the community’s needs. The emotional work of teaching is widely recognised, an acknowledgement that teachers mediate emotionally loaded relational dynamics. A fast-growing body of research investigates strategies and interventions to emotionally support children and young people in times of crisis. Less explored is teachers’ emotional wellbeing during times of crisis. This research aims to better understand teachers’ needs to support their wellbeing in times of crisis. It utilises a narrative approach, threading together thematically analysed Twitter posts from teachers and teacher representative bodies engaged in discussion of their profession across the USA. Our findings show that teachers experienced a range of emotions around the pandemic when their daily work pivoted to accommodate government-mandated responses. Teaching is, of its nature, an emotionally taxing role, and this is heightened in crisis. Our research highlights the importance of teachers finding a way toward self-care that is nested within an institutional culture of collective care.

Sport and Recreation Undergraduate Students’ Perspectives on Disruption of Lifestyle, Active Lives, Learning, and Livelihood during Pandemic Times

This paper highlights curriculum and policy reforms and innovations in a Higher Education (HE) institution in response to undergraduate student perspectives about the phenomenon of the COVID-19 restrictions imposed by the New Zealand government (2020–2022). The advent of the coronavirus pandemic precipitated unexpected and unprecedented changes in HE learning and in the pedagogy required for undergraduate students. Consequently, HE institutions have had to be agile, resulting in ‘emergency’ adaptations to curriculum practice and policy implementation. This paper discusses triggers for change, reactions to restrictions, strategic measures, and the emergence of a ‘new normal’ from an undergraduate student perspective. Local and global concerns about student participation in undergraduate study (in Sport and Recreation), sport, and physical activity during restricted periods prompted the researchers to investigate the challenges these young people faced. Student voice was collected through semi-structured interviews and focus groups, collected post lockdown periods. Research findings, elicited from lecturers using a collaborative auto-ethnographical method, along with interpretative analysis (hermeneutic phenomenology) of students’ perspectives about the four pillars of lifestyle, active lives, learning, and livelihood provide insights about the impact of unexpected curriculum and policy change for HE students in New Zealand. This research provides real-time data to inform recommendations on policy and practice in HE institutions, to enhance student wellbeing in times of crises, like the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mental distress and well-being of university students amid COVID-19 pandemic: findings from an online integrative intervention for psychology trainees.

University students have been severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, as significant changes supervened their academic and social life. To tackle these challenges, several adjustments in the educational methods may be warranted for cultivating a positive environment at higher education institutions. The aim of this study was to investigate the risk and protective factors of students' mental health and well-being as well as their potential for flourishing in an undergraduate clinical psychology course that took place online due to the COVID-19 restrictive measures and incorporated positive psychology exercises as a means to empower young people amid the adverse conditions of the lockdown. In total, 124 students attended the course and completed mental health (i.e., DASS-9, HADS, ERQ) and well-being (i.e., MHC-SF, SWLS, PANAS, GQ-6, BRS) measures at two time points (pre-and-post-test), during the first restrictions in Greece (March-June 2020). According to the results, students aged 18-20 years old reported higher levels of stress [χ2 = 14.72, p = 0.002], while students who felt that the quality of their studies had deteriorated [χ2 = 6.57, p = 0.038] reported increased levels of anxiety. High levels of depression were correlated with worse relationships with significant others (z = 7.02, p = 0.030 and χ2 = 11.39, p = 0.003 for family and friends, respectively), while gratitude and resilience were positively correlated with improved relationships with others, both during and after the lockdown. Factors associated with students' well-being were satisfaction with life and gratitude. These results suggest that well-being enhancement factors may have added value to current educational practices for promoting students' mental health and well-being in times of crisis.

Subjective wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic: A 3-year, 35-wave longitudinal study

ABSTRACT This article reports the results of a longitudinal study conducted between December 2019 and December 2022 (35 waves) with 979 participants in Germany. Based on event, transition, and adaptation theories, trajectories of subjective wellbeing (i.e. life satisfaction, positive affect, negative affect) were hypothesized and tested across multiple national lockdown and restriction periods. In addition, based on the transactional stress model, this study examined how individuals’ stress appraisals (i.e. threat, challenge) and coping strategies (i.e. active coping, behavioral disengagement) moderate trajectories of subjective wellbeing. There was evidence for some relatively weak lockdown effects on wellbeing and for subsequent recovery effects. Evidence for moderating effects of stress appraisals and coping strategies was mixed. Overall, findings suggest that national lockdowns associated with the COVID-19 pandemic had negative, albeit on average relatively weak, effects on subjective wellbeing. Moreover, certain stress appraisals and coping strategies might help individuals maintain wellbeing in times of crisis.

Student well-being in times of COVID-19 in the Netherlands: basic psychological need satisfaction and frustration within the academic learning environment

The COVID-19 pandemic affected student well-being through measures such as closing educational institutions and social distancing, which forced universities to adapt the student learning environment. Previous research has demonstrated that the learning environment influences student well-being by satisfying their basic psychological needs of autonomy, competence, and relatedness. The present study therefore aimed to investigate, against the background of the pandemic, (1) how the basic psychological needs related to student well-being, (2) how students perceived interaction within the academic system, and (3) how they would like the “new educational normal” to look. To address these aims, we implemented a cross-sectional survey which included both quantitative measures and qualitative open-ended questions and distributed it at a Dutch university (n = 653). To identify the predictive strength of need satisfaction and frustration, we ran multiple regressions. We found that need satisfaction and frustration were significantly related to the well-being measures, of which relatedness was only weakly related to student well-being. Moreover, students reported restricted interactions with their teachers and fellow students, leading to feelings of disconnectedness, as well as struggles to establish or maintain relationships. In contrast with the quantitative findings, students highlighted relatedness as an essential, currently lacking part of their experience. They suggested a potential hybrid learning environment with a focus on social cohesion. This study emphasizes the relevance of interpersonal connections within higher education and provides practical ideas for post-pandemic academic structures. These insights can support systemic investments of universities in student well-being and creating a healthier learning environment for the future.