ABSTRACT
Virtual reality can help individuals to manage stress and anxiety. In addition to its efficacy in reducing stress and anxiety through relaxation, virtual reality can be helpful for psychoeducation. However, to date, few studies have explored this topic. Therefore, this mixed-methods sequential explanatory study, aimed to investigate the usability, sense of presence, emotional response, and effect on learning of MIND-VR, a psychoeducational virtual experience created to offer information on stress and anxiety. Twenty healthcare workers (60% female;mean age 43 ± 10) tried MIND-VR. Psychometric outcomes served as quantitative variables, while participant interviews provided qualitative data. Results showed that the virtual reality psychoeducational experience: (a) was highly usable and satisfying;(b) increased positive emotions (i.e., happiness and surprise) and decreased negative emotions (i.e., fear, sadness) and state anxiety;(c) elicited a strong sense of presence, especially spatial presence;and (d) was practical, simple, motivating, and engaging for learning information about stress and anxiety. These findings offer promising insights into that virtual reality may be an effective tool to provide psychoeducation. © 2022 by the authors.
ABSTRACT
Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has become a global crisis, necessitating an investigation of its effects from a mental health and wellbeing perspective. In Italy within a few weeks of detecting the first case of coronavirus (February 20, 2020), the country imposed a nationwide quarantine to reduce transmission of the virus disrupting people's daily lives, and creating a significant impact on their physical and mental health. Methods: We sought to test the mediating role of the fear of COVID-19 in the association between mental distress and risky health behaviours in a population of 592 Italian adults, including 467 females and 124 males (M= 39.7;SD= 16.4;range 18-79). First, we hypothesized a direct positive effect of mental distress, measured through the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) on risky health behaviours, recorded throughout an adaptation of the Ebola risk behaviour scale, second, a direct and negative association between mental distress and fear of COVID-19 and the mediation role of Fear of COVID (FCV) between mental distress and risky health behaviours. Results: Mental distress and risky behaviours showed to be tied thanks to the mediation of fear of the COVID-19. This relationship is an essential indicator of the role of decreased mental health in alleviating fear and exposing people to risky behaviours. Conclusions: Good mental health could protect from risk-taking behaviours when fear is not intervening as a mediator, while psychologically distressed people could perceive less fear of getting infected and be exposed to harmful and dangerous behaviours that could increase the risk of contracting the COVID-19. Our findings might help in promoting healthy behaviours during the pandemic outbreak.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND We tested the association between the stress of COVID-19 and mental distress manifested by anxiety, depression, and stress, and whether well-being and resilience mediate the relationship between the two variables in a population of Palestinian adults. Namely, we hypothesized that stress of COVID-19 will be positively associated with mental health problems (anxiety, depression, and stress);well-being and resilience will be negatively associated with mental health problems (anxiety, depression, and stress);and well-being and resilience will mediate the association between the stress of COVID-19 and mental health problems (anxiety, depression, and stress). PARTICIPANTS AND PROCEDURE Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21, the Resilience Scale for Adults, the WHO-5 Well-Being Index, and the COVID-19 Stress Scales were administered to 860 participants via online survey. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was applied to address the study hypothesis. RESULTS Participants recorded a mild level of stress of COVID-19 and high scores for resilience and well-being. A conceptual model depicting COVID-19 stress as a predictor, mental distress as an outcome variable, and resilience and subjective well-being as mediators was confirmed. CONCLUSIONS Palestinians are exposed to mental distress in an environment characterized by ongoing stressors. Conversely, the capability of Palestinians to conserve good levels of wellbeing and resilience protects them from mental distress even in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak. On the other hand, COVID-19 can be considered a new critical event demanding and diminishing the people's resiliency recourses in Palestine. Implications for clinical practice and research are discussed.
ABSTRACT
Purpose: One of the most affected groups during the COVID-19 pandemic was health-care providers due to the direct and continuous exposure to the virus and a lack of sufficient medical equipment. Palestinian health-care providers were exposed to several challenges related to their work environment as they worked in war-like conditions;therefore, this study aims to explore health-care providers’ perceptions, perspectives, challenges and human rights-related concerns during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Palestine. Design/methodology/approach: The sample comprised 30 health-care providers 26–35 years, who were purposively selected from among health-care providers in two Palestinian cities, Nablus and Tulkarm, located in the north of the West Bank. Thematic content analysis was applied to transcripts of interviews with the practitioners to identify key themes. Findings: The thematic content analysis showed that the pandemic and quarantine negatively affect the mental health outcomes, daily routine and social relations of health-care providers. The main challenges related to human rights violations and faced by the health-care providers include a lack of sufficient infrastructure, lack of medical equipment’s and protective gear, military occupation and a shortage of health-care providers in general, especially those who practice in speciality fields such as neurology, oncology, pediatric surgery and clinical psychology. Practical implications: Further investigations are recommended to test different variables related to health-care providers’ work during the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper also recommends conducting studies targeting Palestinian health-care providers’ training and supervision services to improve their skills and resiliency in dealing with future crises. Originality/value: The present work is the first to examine health-care providers’ perceptions, perspectives, challenges and human rights concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic in Palestine. This novel sample resides in a political and social environment characterized by high environmental stressors due to decades of military and political violence (e.g. militarization, poverty, lack of employment opportunities, cultural pressures, human rights violations, etc.). © 2021, Emerald Publishing Limited.