Love in the time of COVID-19: A systematic mapping review of empirical research on romantic relationships one year into the COVID-19 pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected nearly every area of daily life, including romantic relationships. With the pandemic still ongoing, this study reviewed the existing scholarly literature to document the status of empirical research on how COVID-19 has affected couples during its first year. Studies were identified through searching five databases as well as sources of gray literature. Overall, 42 studies on committed romantic relationships during the first year of the pandemic were identified. The mapping process revealed four main themes: (1) relationship quality; (2) sexuality; (3) couple daily adjustment; and (4) intimate partner violence. The findings suggest that the way romantic relationships were affected by the pandemic depends on a variety of demographic, individual, and couple-level factors. Implications include a call for both the development of evidence-based interventions that consider the current findings and further research to continue exploring the clinical implications of future findings to promote healthy intimate relationships during the ongoing global pandemic.

Public perceptions and the willingness to get vaccinated against COVID-19: Lessons from Israel.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the associations between vaccine hesitancy and demographic and socio-economic characteristics, as well as perspective towards the COVID-19 and its vaccines. METHODS: Data were collected through four online surveys on Israel's representative sample in March (3/2 to 3/7, n = 1517), August (8/10-8/11, n = 925; 8/18-8/22, n = 1054), and September (9/22-9/24; n=1406), 2021. We employ a set of logistic regression models to explore the association between the vaccination action and intentions and the individual-level attributes. RESULTS: We find that individual characteristics, such as age, ethnicity/religiosity, and income, were associated with the vaccination action and intention during the early stage of vaccine distribution. However, most of the discrepancies across demographic groups have disappeared as time passed, and once we limit to those who had not been infected. Lastly, individuals' perspectives toward COVID-19 and its vaccines have prediction power as high as 39% of the vaccination action and intention, higher than their demographic and socio-economic characteristics. IMPLICATIONS: Our findings have the potential to facilitate efforts to increase vaccine uptake by targeting populations, which are the most likely to express hesitancy, and address reported barriers to receipt.

A profile analysis of COVID-19 stress-related reactions: The importance of early childhood abuse, psychopathology, and interpersonal relationships.

BACKGROUND: There is little argument that COVID-19 is potentially highly stressful for many people, however, little research has broken down COVID-19-related distress into different aspects clustering together, and how these clusters differ in terms of the vulnerability of the individuals. OBJECTIVE: The primary aim of the present study was to identify distinct profiles of individuals' reactions to COVID-19-related stress, and analyze potential differences and risk and protective factors associated with these profiles in relation to childhood abuse, psychopathology, and interpersonal relationships. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: Data was collected online among a convenience sample of 914 men and women in Israel. METHODS: A Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) for estimating distinct profiles in people's COVID-19-related distress was applied. Next, profiles were compared in childhood abuse, psychopathology, perceived social support and relationship satisfaction. RESULTS: Five distinct profiles were identified: The distressed (23.75%), the worried (38.96%), the financially and socially distressed (15.20%), the caregivers (13.65%), and the untroubled (8.44Profiles in which individuals had more COVID-19 related distress are characterized by more childhood abuse, psychopathology, and less social support and relationship satisfaction. CONCLUSION: An assessment of the psychological implications of COVID-19 (when screening the population and creating prevention/intervention programs) should take into account the different responses individuals have when facing COVID-19, and their vulnerability, including their history of abuse, psychopathology, social support and relationship satisfaction, so that these programs will be better tailored to each type of distress experienced.

COVID-19 Among Youth in Israel: Correlates of Decisions to Vaccinate and Reasons for Refusal.

PURPOSE: The primary aim of the present study is to examine the reasons for adolescents' refusal to get vaccinated with the COVID-19 vaccine, and examine correlates of vaccination among adolescents aged 12-18 years in Israel. METHODS: A total of 150 youth aged 12-18 years participated in the study. Following parental consent (30% response rate) from an online internet Israeli participants' pool, 150 youth completed the survey (50.5% response rate). Data were collected from May to June 2021. RESULTS: Over half (64.0%) of youth in this study had received the COVID-19 vaccine (25.5% received one dose and 38.9% two doses). Of the youth who were not vaccinated the most common reasons cited for refusing the vaccine was not knowing enough about the harms that a vaccine has in the long run, not trusting the drug companies that the vaccine will be safe, believing the virus is not dangerous, and doubting the safety of the vaccine in the short term. Bivariate odds ratios indicate that age (older) and having both parents vaccinated was related to increase the odds of the youth getting vaccinated. Higher distress over the effects of the vaccine was significantly related to lower odds of receiving the vaccine. Social media use was also related to a higher likelihood of being vaccinated at the bivariate level. DISCUSSION: Study findings provide specific ways in which peer-designed and peer-led public health programs may encourage youth to receive the COVID-19 vaccine in a manner that recognizes concerns of Israeli youth.