The Impact of COVID-19 on Anxious and Depressive Symptomatology in the Postpartum Period.

BACKGROUND: Women in the postpartum period may be particularly vulnerable to the psychological effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of our study was to evaluate the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on postpartum depression and anxiety levels and the role of the fear of COVID-19 in its development. METHODS: Women who delivered at the Bissaya Barreto Maternity Hospital, between 16 March and 16 June 2020 (Group 1: Birth in COVID-19 period, n = 207), recruited in the postpartum period, filled in a set of self-reported validated questionnaires: Perinatal Depression Screening Scale, Perinatal Anxiety Screening Scale, Profile of Mood States, Perseverative Thinking Questionnaire, Dysfunctional Beliefs Towards Maternity Scale, and the Fear of COVID-19 Scale. Levels of depressive and anxious symptomatology, negative affect, negative repetitive thinking, and the dysfunctional beliefs towards motherhood of these women were compared with data from samples of previous studies that included women whose delivery had occurred at the same Maternity Hospital before the COVID-19 pandemic period (Group 2: Birth before the COVID-19 period, n = 212). RESULTS: Based on the cutoff points of the screening scales, the prevalence of clinically relevant depressive and anxious symptoms in Group 1 was 40.1% and 36.2%, respectively. Women in Group 1 had significantly higher levels of anxious and depressive symptoms, negative affect, negative repetitive thinking, and dysfunctional beliefs towards motherhood than women in Group 2 (p < 0.05). Fear of COVID-19 in the postpartum period was a predictor of depressive (ß = 0.262) and anxious (ß = 0.371) symptoms, explaining 6.9% and 13.7% of their variability, respectively (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: During the COVID-19 pandemic, women in the postpartum period present greater depressive and anxious symptomatology, as well as increased risk factors.

The Protective Role of Self-Compassion in the Relationship between Perfectionism and Burnout in Portuguese Medicine and Dentistry Students.

Recent studies have documented the high prevalence of burnout among medicine and dentistry students, with potentially catastrophic consequences for both students and patients. Both environmental and personality factors play a part in burnout; perfectionism, a common trait in medicine students' personalities, has been linked to psychological distress and increasing students' vulnerability to burnout. Self-compassion, i.e., treating oneself kindly through hardship, has recently emerged as a buffer between perfectionism and psychological distress. While using a novel three-factor conceptualization of perfectionism (BIG3), this study aims to analyze if self-compassion has a protective role in the relationship between perfectionism and burnout, in a sample of medicine and dentistry students, through mediation analysis. We found that self-compassion significantly mediated the relationship between all three forms of perfectionism and burnout: as a partial mediator in self-critical and rigid perfectionism, as well as a full mediator in narcissistic perfectionism. Our findings underline self-compassion's relevance in burnout prevention and management, supporting its use as an intervention target in burnout reduction programs and strategies.

COVID-19 psychological impact: The role of perfectionism.

Psychological reactions to pandemics and their constraints depend heavily on personality. Although perfectionism is consistently associated to depression, anxiety and stress, its role in the pandemics' psychological impact has not been yet empirically studied. Our aim was to analyze the role of perfectionism in psychological distress during the pandemic of COVID-19, testing whether it is mediated by fear of COVID-19 and repetitive negative thinking/RNT. Participants (N = 413 adults; 269.2% women) were recruited from September until December 2020, via social networks. They completed self-report validated questionnaires to evaluate perfectionism dimensions (self-critical, rigid and narcissistic perfectionism), fear of COVID-19, RNT and psychological distress (sum of anxiety, depression and stress symptoms). As women had significantly higher levels of self-critical perfectionism, RNT, fear of COVID-19 and psychological distress, gender was controlled in mediation analysis. The three perfectionism dimensions correlated with RNT, fear of COVID-19 and psychological distress. The effect of self-critical perfectionism on psychological distress was partially mediated by fear of COVID-19 and RNT whereas the effect of rigid and narcissistic perfectionism was fully mediated. Perfectionism influences emotional and cognitive responses to the COVID-19 and therefore should be considered both in the prevention and psychological consequences of the pandemic.

COVID-19 Fear Scale - Validation and adaptation for the perinatal period / Escala de Medo da COVID-19 - Validação e adaptação para o Período Perinatal

INTRODUCTION: The comprehensive effects on the mental health of the population due to the rapid global spread of COVID-19 are even more harmful to specific groups of individuals, including pregnant women. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the psychometric properties of the COVID-19 Fear Scale for Perinatal Period (EMC19-9) METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study with 204 pregnant women. Participants were recruited online through social networks. The criteria for participation in the research were: pregnant and aged 18 years or older. An electronic form was filled out, which included the preliminary Portuguese version of the COVID-19 Fear Scale (EMC19), containing the seven items in the original version and the two additional items related to pregnancy and baby, socio-demographic, psychosocial and related to pregnancy, as well as the validated Brazilian versions of the Perinatal Depression Screening Scale and the Perinatal Anxiety Screening Scale. The SPSS version 26 statistical package was used. For parametric measures, Pearson's coefficient and Student's T and non-parametric - Mann Whitney's U. And the magnitude of the correlation coefficients with perinatal anxiety and depression symptoms, Cohen's criteria. AMOS 26.0 was used for confirmatory factor analysis. For internal consistency, Cronbach's alpha. RESULTS: The results indicate that EMC-19-9 is a one-dimensional construct, has robust psychometric qualities, very good internal consistency of the questionnaire and shows convergent validity, has a moderate and significant correlation with perinatal anxiety and a significant, albeit slight, correlation with perinatal depression. CONCLUSION: the Covid-19 Fear Scale for the Perinatal Period (EMC-19-9) has robust psychometric qualities and convergent validity. EMC-19-9 is a reliable and valid tool to assess the severity of fear of COVID-19 among women in the perinatal period in Brazil.

INTRODUÇÃO: Os efeitos abrangentes sobre a saúde mental da população em razão da rápida disseminação global da COVID-19 são ainda mais perniciosos para grupos específicos de indivíduos, incluindo as gestantes. OBJETIVO: Analisar as propriedades psicométricas da Escala de Medo da COVID-19 no Período Perinatal (EMC19-9). MÉTODO: Trata-se de estudo transversal com de 204 gestantes. As participantes foram recrutadas online por meio das redes sociais. Os critérios para participação na pesquisa foram: grávidas e com idade de 18 anos ou superior. Houve o preenchimento de formulário eletrônico, que incluía a versão portuguesa preliminar da Escala de Medo da COVID-19 (EMC-19), contendo os sete itens da versão original e os dois adicionais relacionados com a gravidez e bebé, variáveis socio-demográficas, psicossociais e relacionadas com a gravidez, bem como as versões brasileiras validadas da Escala de Rastreio da Depressão Perinatal e da Escala de Rastreio da Ansiedade Perinatal. Utilizou-se pacote estatístico do SPSS versão 26. Para medidas paramétricas, o coeficiente de Pearson e o T de Student e não-paramétrica - U de Mann Whitney. E a magnitude dos coeficientes de correlação com sintomatologia ansiosa e depressiva perinatais, os critérios de Cohen. Usou-se o AMOS 26.0, para a análise fatorial confirmatória. Para consistência interna, o alfa de Cronbach. RESULTADOS: Os resultados indicam que a EMC-19-9 é um construto unidimensional, possui qualidades psicométricas robustas, consistência interna do questionário muito boa e mostra ter validade convergente, apresenta correlação moderada e significativa com a ansiedade perinatal e correlação significativa, apesar de ligeira, com a depressão perinatal. CONCLUSÃO: A Escala do Medo do Covid-19 para o Período Perinatal (EMC-19-9) possui qualidades psicométricas robustas e validade convergente. A EMC-19-9 é uma ferramenta confiável e válida para avaliar a gravidade do medo de COVID-19 entre mulheres em período perinatal no Brasil.

Escala de medo da covid-19 – tradução e validação para a versão brasileira

Introdução: o medo é um dos principais fatores associados aos transtornos psicopatológicos evidenciados no contexto da pandemia da COVID-19. Objetivo: traduzir e validar a Fear of COVID–19 Scale (FCV-19S) na versão portuguesa (do Brasil), denominada como Escala de Medo da COVID-19 (EMC-19). Método: estudo transversal com 364 indivíduos recrutados de maneira virtual através das redes sociais, considerando-se como critérios de inclusão na pesquisa: ter mais de 18 anos de idade e ser fluente em português. Após o consentimento informado, os participantes preencheram um formulário eletrônico, que incluía a versão portuguesa preliminar da EMC-19, além de variáveis sociodemográficas. O tratamento dos dados foi realizado através do pacote estatístico do SPSS versão 26. Para medidas paramétricas, utilizou-se o coeficiente de Pearson e o T de Student e nas medidas não-paramétricas U de Mann Whitney. A magnitude dos coeficientes de correlação foi classificada segundo os critérios de Cohen e a análise fatorial confirmatória por meio do AMOS 26.0. Para consistência interna, o alfa de Cronbach. Resultados: os participantes tinham idade média de 33,11 anos (±10.047), a maioria do sexo feminino (n=332;91,2%), com escolaridade superior (n=286;78,6%), casados (n=225, 61,8%) e com filhos (n=300, 82,4%). Da análise fatorial exploratória/AFE e da análise factorial confirmatória/AFC emergiu apenas um componente, com variância explicada de 55,49%, resultando num modelo unidimensional com índices de ajustamento satisfatórios (X2/gl=2.135;RMSEA=0,061;CFI, TLI, GFI<0,095). O coeficiente alpha de Cronbach foi de de 0,876. Conclusão: foi demonstrada validade de construto da estrutura unidimensional da EMC-19, bem como sua boa consistência internaAlternate abstract: Introduction: fear is one of the main factors associated with psychopathological disor-ders evidenced in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Objective: translate and validate Fear of COVID–19 Scale (FCV-19S) into Portuguese Brazilian version, named Covid-19 Fear Scale (EMC-19). Methods: cross-sectional study with 364 individuals recruited through social networks, considering as inclusion criteria: being over 18 years old and fluent in Portuguese. After participant consentment an electronic form was completed, which included the prelimi-nary Portuguese version and EMC-19, in addition to sociodemographic variables. Data processing was performed using the SPSS 26 version. For parametric measures, Pear-son’s coefficient and Student’s T were used, and for non-parametric measures the U of Mann Whitney. The magnitude of the correlation coefficients was classified according to Cohen’s criteria and the confirmatory factor analysis using AMOS 26.0. For internal con-sistency, Cronbach’s alpha. Results: mean age of 33.11 years (±10,047), most of them female (n=332;91,2%), with higher education (n=286;78,6%), married (n=225, 61,8 %) and with children (n=300, 82,4%). Exploratory factorial analysis/EFA and confirmatory factor analysis/CFA made. Only one component emerged from the CFA, with an explained variance of 55,49%, re-sulting in a one-dimensional model with satisfactory adjustment indexes (X2/gl=2,135;RMSEA=0,061;CFI, TLI, GFI<0,095). Cronbach’s alpha coefficient is 876. Conclusions: the construct validity of the one-dimensional structure of the EMC-19 was demonstrated, as well as its good internal consistency.