Moderating role of life skills for stress responses and COVID-19-related perceived stressors among high school student-athletes

This study aimed to investigate whether life skills could be negative predictors of stress responses in high school student-athletes and moderators of a relationship between coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related stressors and stress responses during the pandemic. A survey was conducted from July to August 2020, and 1528 (717 females and 811 males) high school students, who belonged to sport clubs in Japanese public high schools, participated. The Stressors for Athletes During the COVID-19 Pandemic, the Stress Response Scale for Athletes, and the Daily Life Skills Scale were used to assess COVID-19-related stressors, stress responses, and life skills, respectively. The results showed that three factors of personal life skills—planning, self-esteem, and positive thinking—and one factor of interpersonal life skills—intimacy—were significant negative predictors of stress responses. In contrast, COVID-19-related stressors and one factor of interpersonal life skills—leadership—were significant positive predictors. Furthermore, positive thinking moderated the relationship between stressors and stress responses. The findings suggest the need for educators and practitioners to consider effective life skills in challenging situations, to provide fruitful life skills programs for student-athletes. © 2022 The Authors

Moderating role of life skills for stress responses and COVID-19-related perceived stressors among high school student-athletes

This study aimed to investigate whether life skills could be negative predictors of stress responses in high school student-athletes and moderators of a relationship between coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related stressors and stress responses during the pandemic. A survey was conducted from July to August 2020, and 1528 (717 females and 811 males) high school students, who belonged to sport clubs in Japanese public high schools, participated. The Stressors for Athletes During the COVID-19 Pandemic, the Stress Response Scale for Athletes, and the Daily Life Skills Scale were used to assess COVID-19-related stressors, stress responses, and life skills, respectively. The results showed that three factors of personal life skills—planning, self-esteem, and positive thinking—and one factor of interpersonal life skills—intimacy—were significant negative predictors of stress responses. In contrast, COVID-19-related stressors and one factor of interpersonal life skills—leadership—were significant positive predictors. Furthermore, positive thinking moderated the relationship between stressors and stress responses. The findings suggest the need for educators and practitioners to consider effective life skills in challenging situations, to provide fruitful life skills programs for student-athletes.

Demographic Influences on Perceived Stressors of Construction Workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Construction work is one of the most stressful occupations in the world, and the COVID-19 pandemic has only exacerbated this reality. This research conducted a detailed investigation on the perceived stressors of different demographic groups among construction workers. Empirical data were collected using a structured questionnaire in the Chinese construction industry. The empirical data were processed using both an independent sample t-test and an Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). The findings indicated that male workers reported greater workloads than did females. Married workers experienced more pandemic fear and job insecurity, and they were more sensitive to the poor working environment. Highly-educated workers were inclined to be more satisfied with organizational pandemic responses, and had lower job insecurity and role ambiguity, but they experienced heavier workloads. In addition, the differences in work experience and age were statistically significant with regards to job insecurity. This research contributes to the body of knowledge by giving a comprehensive understanding of demographic influences on perceived stressors among construction workers. It also provides valuable insights to identify sensitive demographic groups and promote their health and wellbeing during and after the pandemic.

Emotional responses and perceived stressors of frontline medical staffs in case of COVID-19 treatment centers and obstetrics emergency in Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: the rapid spread of COVID-19, its lethality in severe cases and the absence of specific medicine poses a huge threat to human life and health, as well as huge impact on the mental health. Facing this critical situation, health care workers on the front line who are directly involved in the diagnosis, treatment, and care of patients with COVID-19 are at risk of developing psychological distress and other mental health symptoms including emotional disturbance. OBJECTIVE: the aim of this study will be to assess the current state of emotional responses and perceived stressors of frontline medical staffs in case of Addis Ababa COVID-19 Treatment Centers and obstetrics emergency and abortion care, Ethiopia 2020. METHODS: Hospital based comparative cross-section study design was conducted by using self-administered questionnaire survey from June 1st to 30th of 2020 among 133 and 266 frontline medical staffs from obstetric emergency and abortion care clinic and COVID-19 treatment centers respectively. The data were collected after getting written consent from each participant and it entered into the computer using Epi-data version 7, then exported to SPSS version 20 for further analysis. Descriptive analysis was done using frequencies & percent. All independent determinants with P-value < 0.05 were used to identify important predictors of emotional responses and perceived stressors. RESULT: A total of 399 frontline medical staffs were included in the study. The mean age of the respondents of those who were working in obstetrics emergency and abortion care clinic was 27.47 (SD, 3.46) years and it was 28.12 (SD, 4.09) years for the other groups. This study revealed that, 72.9 and 5.6% of the study participant from obstetrics emergency and abortion clinic and COVID-19 treatment centers had a positive emotional response, respectively. Factors such as having a low level of motivational factors (AOR 2.78, 95% CI (1.13, 6.84)), being a nurse (AOR 10.53, 95% CI (1.31, 85.26)) and working at triage (AOR 8.61, 95% CI (1.15, 64.81))) had statistically significant association with negative emotional response. CONCLUSION: The current study revealed that a high proportion of front line a negative emotional responses had negative emotional response. Further, almost all of the medical staffs working in COVID-19 treatment centers and at obstetrics emergency and abortion care unit had perceived the outbreak related stressors. So, providing comprehensive psychological support is warranted for health care providers working in such kinds of department or units.