ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: According to sociocultural theory, media is associated with detrimental effects on body image. Due to the popularity of social networking sites (SNS) and the prevalence of body image disturbance among young women, the association between them is worth further exploration. This study examined the relationship between photo activity on SNS and body dissatisfaction (BD) and the roles of thin-ideal internalization (TII) and body appreciation (BA) in this relation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 746 Chinese female undergraduate students (mean age 20.34 ± 1.47 years) completed a questionnaire measuring SNS photo activity, TII, BD, and BA. RESULTS: (1) Photo activity on SNS was positively associated with BD (r = 0.10, p < 0.01), and TII could mediate this relation (ß = 0.07, 95% CI = [0.04, 0.10]). (2) Both the direct effect of SNS photo activity on BD (ß = -0.08, p < 0.05) and the mediating effect of TII (ß = -0.09, p < 0.01) were moderated by BA. Specifically, these associations were more pronounced for students with lower BA. CONCLUSION: People exposed to ideal photos or images can shape women's body image perception via TII, whether in the age of traditional media or the Internet, and BA did not buffer the effect of ideal photos on internalization. Our findings could provide practical suggestions for rational photo activity on SNS and the intervention for BD.
ABSTRACT
The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been a global emergency, affecting millions of individuals both physically and psychologically. The present research investigated the associations between social media exposure and depression during the COVID-19 outbreak by examining the mediating role of psychological distress and the moderating role of emotion regulation among members of the general public in China. Participants (N = 485) completed a set of questionnaires online, including demographic information, self-rated physical health, and social media exposure to topics related to COVID-19. The Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R), the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), and the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ) were utilized to measure psychological distress about COVID-19, depression, and emotion regulation strategies, respectively. Results found that older age and greater levels of social media exposure were associated with more psychological distress about the virus (r = 0.14, p = 0.003; r = 0.22, p < 0.001). Results of the moderated mediation model suggest that psychological distress mediated the relationship between social media exposure and depression (ß = 0.10; Boot 95% CI = 0.07, 0.15). Furthermore, expressive suppression moderated the relationship between psychological distress and depression (ß = 0.10, p = 0.017). The findings are discussed in terms of the need for mental health assistance for individuals at high risk of depression, including the elderly and individuals who reported greater psychological distress and those who showed preference usage of suppression, during the COVID-19 crisis.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Since early December 2019, the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has emerged in Wuhan and spread rapidly in China. We aimed to describe the clinical characteristics of hospitalized patients with confirmed COVID-19 infection in Shaoxing, and provide an insight into the treatment of COVID-19 across China and elsewhere. METHODS: In this retrospective, single-center, study, we enrolled 16 patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 admitted to the Affiliated Hospital of Shaoxing University between February 24 and January 25, 2020. Epidemiological, demographic, clinical, laboratory, radiological feature, and treatment data were all collected. Outcomes were followed up until March 16, 2020. RESULTS: Among the 16 patients with COVID-19 infection, 11 patients (68.8%) had traveled or lived in Wuhan or surrounding areas, and 2 (12.5%) patients had exposure to patients with confirmed COVID-19 infection. The average age of the patients was 44.1 (16.5) years, and there were 10 women (62.5%) and 6 men (37.5%). More than half had chronic diseases [9 (56.3%)]. The most common symptoms at onset of COVID-19 infection were fever [12 (75%)] and cough [8 (50%)]; 11 (68.8%) patients had lymphopenia, and 12 (75%) had elevated C-reactive protein. On admission, abnormalities in computed tomography (CT) or chest X-ray images were revealed among all patients, and 11 (68.8%) of 16 patients had bilateral involvement. All patients were given psychological counseling, 15 (93.8%) patients were administered with antiviral therapy, 8 (50%) received empirical antibiotic treatment, and 5 (31.3%) patients were given systematic corticosteroids. Complications included acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) requiring non-invasive mechanical ventilation [1 (6.3%)], acute respiratory injury [4 (25%)], acute renal injury [1 (6.3%)], septic shock [1 (6.3%)], liver dysfunction [5 (31.3%)], electrolyte disturbance [8 (50.0%)], and hospital-acquired pneumonia [3 (18.8%)]. None of the 16 patients died of COVID-19 pneumonia. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with the symptoms of the initial patients with COVID-19 infection in Wuhan, the symptoms of the patients from Shaoxing city were relatively mild. Currently, there is no effective drug treatment or vaccine for COVID-19, and psychological counseling cannot be ignored. Drugs and vaccines against COVID-19 infection need to be developed as soon as possible.