The Impact of COVID-19 Home Confinement on Mexican University Students: Emotions, Coping Strategies, and Self-Regulated Learning.

One of the main challenges in higher education is promoting students' autonomous and self-regulated learning, which involves managing their own emotions and learning processes in different contexts and circumstances. Considering that online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic may be an opportunity for university students to take greater responsibility for their learning, it is essential to explore the strategies they have developed in the face of emotional and learning challenges during the health crisis. This study aimed at analyzing the relationships between students' emotions, coping strategies, and self-regulated learning in online learning during COVID-19 home confinement. The participants were 1,290 Mexican students from different universities throughout the country, who answered an online self-report questionnaire from standardized instruments adapted to the pandemic. Data were analyzed with descriptive and inferential analyses, including a structural equation model (SEM). Findings indicate that, although anxiety, boredom, and frustration were present among participants during confinement, the primary emotions were gratitude, joy, and hope. Second, the main coping strategies used by students participating were focused on facing and reassessing the situation. Furthermore, tranquility, hope, gratitude, and joy were positively related to self-regulated learning, although, loneliness and disinterest were negatively related. Finally, it was found that an approach to coping strategies mediated the relationship between emotions and self-regulated learning. Thus, teachers should help students understand the relevance of active coping strategies and use student-centered learning models that promote autonomous and self-regulated learning, considering each learner's needs, during and after confinement.

Survey of Hearing Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Implications for Service Delivery.

Purpose This study aimed to explore older adults' perceptions of their hearing health during the stay-at-home order issued during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method A 24-item survey was completed by 150 community-dwelling older adults in the United States. Participants were asked about their self-reported hearing status, use of hearing aids and difficulty wearing masks while wearing hearing aids, relative importance of their hearing health, priority of their hearing health during the COVID-19 pandemic, difficulty communicating with masks, and utilization of telepractice services. Results The majority of participants did not wear hearing aids despite reporting that they had at least a little trouble hearing. Most participants reported that their hearing health was important and indicated that they were likely to visit their audiologist for an in-person or virtual visit during the pandemic. Conclusion Audiologists should consider telepractice or remote service delivery options during and after the COVID-19 pandemic to meet the needs of their patients.

Unmasking misunderstandings: Strategies for better communication with patients.

ABSTRACT: Positive patient outcomes depend on successful communication. Increased use of personal protective equipment such as face masks during the COVID-19 pandemic can exacerbate communication difficulties. This article describes situations in which miscommunications may occur, identifies sources of communication breakdowns, and offers strategies to prevent them in real-life scenarios.

Coronavirus-Related Anxiety, Social Isolation, and Loneliness in Older Adults in Northern California during the Stay-at-Home Order.

This study aimed to determine the prevalence of and associations between anxiety, social isolation, and loneliness in a sample of older adults in Northern California during the stay-at-home order enacted during the COVID-19 pandemic. 514 older adults completed a 24-item survey. Perceived isolation and loneliness were reported in 56.4% and 36.0% of participants, respectively. Loneliness was found to be associated with both social isolation and COVID-19-related anxiety; however, social isolation and coronavirus-related anxiety were unrelated. Healthcare providers, social service providers, and families are encouraged to maintain or increase contact with older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic.