An exploratory study of the social and emotional impact of COVID-19 on LGBTQ+ adolescents living in rural communities

This study examined the impact of COVID-19 restrictions on 16 LGBTQ+ individuals 16 -18 years of age in rural Washington. Data were collected using semi structured virtual interviews, an Experience Questionnaire (EQ) and the Behavioral Assessment Scale for Children - Edition 3 Behavioral and Emotional Screening System (BASC-3). A few major themes emerged from the data: changes in relationships, negative psychological impacts, resiliency, and challenges such as barriers, tensions, and routine changes. Participants found COVID-19 restrictions created barriers to accessing social outlets such as extracurricular activities, LGBTQ+ community center, and so on, as well as engaging with resources for mental and physical health. Participants reported that navigating the significant changes in routines due to school closings and social distancing measures negatively impacted their mental health. Online school, increased home responsibilities, lack of structure or routine, and pressure to maintain grades were the main stressors found to contribute to a decline in mental health. Tensions related to having differing opinions from family members were often triggered or exacerbated by increased proximity with family, due to being stuck at home. Tensions also included experiences of homophobia, transphobia, and racism. These tensions contributed to lower mental health, as many participants felt "trapped" in their own home and unable to reveal parts of their identity. Participants reported that COVID-19 restrictions also impacted their relationships positively in some ways. Some participants found that COVID-19 restrictions allowed them to get out of negative relationships, identify healthy or positive friendships, and be more intentional in their friendships. Although most participants experienced negative psychological impacts on their mental health, many were also able to identify areas of resiliency and improvement. Participants identified new methods for coping, found new and innovative ways to engage with support networks, and found that increased time alone allowed for self-improvement and unprecedented identity exploration. Results of the study add to the limited research currently available about the impact COVID-19 restrictions had on LGBTQ+ youth in rural areas and provide critical information for professionals who work with school-aged LGBTQ+ populations, especially those living in rural communities. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

How COVID-19 worsened the mental health problems of incarcerated youth

The COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 transformed daily life worldwide. To minimize the spread of the virus, many governments imposed a lockdown and physical distancing measures. Schools, universities, restaurants, shops, and businesses all closed. Research has shown that the mandatory stay-at-home orders associated with the COVID-19 pandemic adversely affected the mental health of parents, children, and youth. This chapter considers how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the mental health of youth behind bars in the United States and in other countries. The longstanding impression of prisons is that the people in custody are violent, dangerous, and deserve to be incarcerated. Even incarcerated youth are viewed by many in society as super-predators. Most incarcerated youth have significant mental health needs. Incarcerated youth often suffer from a variety of mental health conditions including anxiety, depression, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, substance abuse, and suicidal ideation. When incarcerated youth show symptoms of COVID-19 or are diagnosed with it, juvenile correctional facilities are faced with few options for quarantine that do not resemble solitary confinement. Because of concern regarding the high transmissibility of COVID-19 in juvenile prisons, most prison administrators suspend visitors or greatly restrict the number of people entering the facilities. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Creative work during a COVID-19 lockdown

In Csikszentmihalyi's 1990 theory of flow, individuals can become immersed in creative activities as well as other positive activities including exercise and meditation. Research found that individuals engaged in flow could persevere regardless of feeling boredom or fatigue. However, the flow state is more difficult to achieve in the face of stress (Csikszentmihalyi, 1990). The current research study utilized an archival database collected during a COVID-19 lockdown to examine the impact of flow-like activities (creative work, meditation, and inside exercise) on psychological well-being (boredom, fatigue, anxiety, and depression). Correlation analyses were conducted followed by hierarchical regression to determine the relative variance in boredom, fatigue, depression, and anxiety that was explained by creative work, exercise, and meditation ratings. Further, creative work was positively associated with meditating, indicating that participants who reported more frequent creative work also reported meditating more often. Additionally, creative work, inside exercise, and meditation were associated with psychological outcomes including feeling boredom and fatigue. However, only inside exercise was associated with decreased anxiety and depression symptoms. These findings should inform interventions to improve psychological well-being during difficult times such as the COVID-19 lockdown. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

The psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in remote learning in higher education

Stressful events can cause a significant impact on education;however, it is not yet clear how the interplay between anxiety, work, and social dysfunction relates to learning impairments. In this study, we investigated the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on students' learning and mental health. This study was conducted during four modules of a remote Psychopharmacology course between 5 October and 20 December 2020. We collected data from 28 Psychology undergraduate students at the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil. We used pre- and post-test multiple-choice questions to obtain a quantitative measure of learning. Students completed an online survey to report demographic information, functional impairment (Work and Social Adjustment scale;WSAS), generalized anxiety (Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale;GAD-7), coronavirus anxiety (Brazilian adapted version of the Coronavirus Anxiety Scale;CAS-BR), and self-perception with the remote lectures' methodology. In our sample, 42.9% of respondents experienced symptoms of generalized anxiety disorders (GAD-7 >= 15), and 53.6% had moderate to severe functional impairment (WSAS > 20). We also observed an overlapping profile of highly anxious and dysfunctional students. A chi-square test of independence revealed a relation between pairs of multiple-choice questions answers and GAD-7 scores, indicating that less anxious students were more likely to perform better in pairs of pre- and post-tests. Intriguingly, the correlational analysis suggested that students with moderate to severe functional impairment (WSAS scores > 20) were less likely to change from an incorrect to a correct answer to pairs of pre- and post-tests. This data suggests that psychological distress and anxiety states might influence students' ability to coordinate social and work activities and performance during remote learning. Although this study evaluated a small sample of students, our data highlights the importance of investigating anxiety and functional impairment measures as part of the remote-learning curriculum. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Who is impacted? Personality predicts individual differences in psychological consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to changes in people's private and public lives that are unprecedented in modern history. However, little is known about the differential psychological consequences of restrictions that have been imposed to fight the pandemic. In a large and diverse German sample (N = 1,320), we examined how individual differences in psychological consequences of the pandemic (perceived restrictiveness of government-supported measures, global pandemic-related appraisals, subjective well-being) were associated with a broad set of faceted personality traits (Big Five, Honesty-Humility, Dark Triad). Facets of Extraversion, Neuroticism, and Openness were among the strongest and most important predictors of psychological outcomes, even after controlling for basic sociodemographic variables (gender, age). These findings suggest that psychological consequences of the pandemic depend on personality and thus add to the growing literature on the importance of considering individual differences in crisis situations. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Conflict in Kashmir: Psychosocial consequences on children

Armed conflict in Kashmiri has negatively impacted all inhabitants of the valley, but most serious effects are seen on children. Conflict has filled the tender hearts of children with anger and frustration, and they have lost their peace of mind. Health, which is mostly valuable for a child, is crippled by armed conflict, and children suffer from psychological problems of anxiety, depression, post-traumatic disorder, etc. It has taken away from them the happy period of childhood and left them stressed with a number of adult responsibilities. Some are left in orphanages as they have lost their caretakers at the time when they need them most. Armed conflict is leaving its long-term effect by compromising education of children which is most important for the future development of society. Since the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution of India which gave special status to the state of Jammu and Kashmir, the people of Kashmir remained inside their homes for a prolonged time. During this period, almost everything was suspended including mobile and Internet services, educational institutions, business, transportation. This paper explores how such experiences have affected the mental wellbeing, cognitive, social and emotional development of these children. Non-governmental organizations working in Kashmir should organize special programs to provide counseling/mental health first aid to the affected children and their parents. Overall, the mental wellbeing of children and adolescents should be strengthened and more so during COVID-19 pandemic, which has added mental health burden in the lives of young Kashmiri children. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

iENCUIST: Development and application of an online psychological support tool during COVID-19 in Spain

The iENCUIST online tool was designed to reduce the psychological impact on both the confined population and on professionals who were at the forefront of the fight against the pandemic. In the first study (N = 2,362), the results are shown of the short test to perform personality profiles, made up of 34 items that show good psychometric properties. In the second study, the psychological profiles of confined individuals and professionals who had requested psychological help are presented (N = 815). The results indicate that confined women present higher scores in the variables of anxiety, anger, or disgust, placing this group at a greater risk for presenting psychological problems. As for professionals, those with more years of experience or who faced past crises have greater emotional stability, being a key factor in crisis management. After 6 weeks, the usefulness of the help offered by iENCUIST was evaluated and almost 80% of users indicated that they applied the recommendations offered by the tool, and that they helped them overcome the crisis. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved) (Spanish) La herramienta online iENCUIST fue disenada para reducir el impacto psicologico, tanto en la poblacion confinada como en los profesionales que estaban a la vanguardia de la lucha contra la pandemia por Covid-19. En el primer estudio (N = 2.362) se muestran los resultados del test breve para realizar perfiles de personalidad, compuesto por 34 items que presentan buenas propiedades psicometricas. En el segundo estudio se presentan los perfiles psicologicos de los confinados y los profesionales que habian solicitado ayuda psicologica (N = 815). Los resultados indican que las mujeres confinadas presentan puntuaciones mas altas en las variables de ansiedad, enfado o disgusto, colocando a este grupo en mayor riesgo de presentar problemas psicologicos. En cuanto a los profesionales, aquellos con mas anos de experiencia o que enfrentaron crisis pasadas tienen mayor estabilidad emocional, siendo un factor clave en la gestion de crisis. A las 6 semanas se evaluo la utilidad de la ayuda ofrecida por iENCUIST y casi el 80% de los usuarios indico que aplicaron las recomendaciones que ofrece la herramienta y que les ayudaron a superar la crisis. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Going through the lockdown: A longitudinal study on the psychological consequences of the coronavirus pandemic

Coronavirus 2019 pandemic lockdown in Italy lasted for 2 months, 1 week and 2 days. During this long period, one of the longest in Europe, the restrictions produced effects on people's psychological well-being, with consequences that also continued after lock- down. The purpose of the study is to investigate these effects and how they changed in the general population over a period of time. We are also interested in exploring people's post-lockdown anxiety and concerns. We conducted an online survey using snowball sampling techniques. The longitudinal study consisted of four administrations covering a period of 10 weeks between April (baseline) and June (last follow-up). Levels of anxiety and depression were assessed by GAD-7 and PHQ-9, coping strategies were assessed by Brief Resilient Coping Scale (BRCS) and social support was assessed by MSPSS. Post-lockdown anxiety was explored by developing a set of ad-hoc questions. PCA was used to determine the principal categories of post-lockdown anxiety/concern resulting from the ad-hoc questions. Longitudinal data, given their nested structure, were analyzed through mixed modeling. Of the 411 responders at baseline, 169 had at least 3 out of 4 data points;the analysis was therefore conducted on this sample. Levels of depression and anxiety were found to be significantly higher in the study sample in comparison with normative samples for each of the four-time points;levels of coping showed that scores from the study sample were significantly lower than normative data at all-time points. Levels of perceived social support were significantly lower than normative data at the baseline and the first follow-up. The results of the study suggest that the lockdown experience had enduring consequences on the mental health of individuals. Prevention and support interventions to limit the psychological distress caused by COVID-19 should be taken into consideration in countries experiencing a second wave of the pandemic. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

The impact of COVID-19 lockdown on perceived stress: The role of defence mechanisms and coping strategies

The COVID-19 pandemic represents a unique global challenge. To deter its spread, several countries have put lockdown and physical distancing measures in place that could have potentially harmful consequences on people's mental health. Therefore, the aim of this study is to explore the relationship between anxiety and perceived stress in individuals who were experiencing the COVID-19 lockdown measures, while also analyzing the impact of coping strategies interacting with defence mechanisms. A sample of 1408 individuals (Mage = 34.69;SD = 11.87) completed the Ten Item Perceived Stress Scale, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-Form X3, Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced and Forty-Item Defense Style Questionnaire, after providing written informed consent. Results highlighted the significant impact of state anxiety levels on perceived stress, both directly and indirectly. The indirect pathways have been explored by performing three mixed serial-parallel mediation analyses, where significant associations between coping strategies (Social Support, Avoidance Strategies, Positive Attitude, Problem-solving and Turning to Religion) and mature, neurotic, or immature defences have been found. These findings may contribute to orientate prevention and intervention activity during the several management phases of COVID-19. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Reflections on intimate partner violence, its psycho-socio-cultural impact amidst COVID-19: Comparing South Africa and the United States

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to provide a comparative analysis on the psychological and socio-cultural impacts of COVID-19 on victims of intimate partner violence (IPV) in South Africa (SA) and the USA. Design/methodology/approach: The authors collected media and scholarly articles that dealt with IPV victims during the early phase of the pandemic. This study focused solely on SA and the USA because of their unique contexts and the fact that the authors are residents of these countries. The authors observed how both presidents dealt with IPV amidst the COVID 19 pandemic, especially when stay-at-home orders were in place. Aspects relating to the psychological and socio-cultural impacts amidst the pandemic were considered. Findings: The authors found that in both countries, many black women from low socio-economic backgrounds experience IPV. Being in isolated spaces with their perpetrators prohibits victims from reporting the abuse. As the world attempts to curb the spread of COVID-19 infections, effective strategies have been suggested for victims and perpetrators. The authors found the approaches of the two governments (until the Biden Administration in 2021) to be starkly different in terms of effective strategies and the neglect and downplaying of the extent of one or both pandemics (i.e. COVID-19 and IPV). Pro-safety, equality, gender and race-conscious embracing approaches to overcome IPV are urgently needed. Originality/value: The paper focused on IPV during the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. It provides relevant information about IPV in both countries, especially when stay-at-home orders are in place. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Psychological outcomes after hospitalization for COVID-19: Data from a multidisciplinary follow-up screening program for recovered patients

Patients who are hospitalized for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) face an extremely stressful experience that might challenge their mental health. The study aims to describe the psychological condition of recovered patients, focusing on anxiety and depression symptoms, as well as post-traumatic stress. All the recovered COVID-19 patients who accessed to a multi- disciplinary follow-up screening program scheduled within two months after their hospital discharge were included. As far as the psychological assessment, patients completed the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and the Impact of Event Scale-Revised for post-traumatic stress. Socio-demographic and clinical data (days of hospitalization, intensity of received care, and number of supportive sessions with the hospital psychologist after the hospitalization) were collected. Descriptive, correlation and regression analyses were conducted. The sample includes 261 patients (68.2% men), aged between 23 and 90 (mean=58.9 st. dev=13.3). High numbers of patients reported anxiety (28%) and depression symptoms (17%), as well as post-traumatic stress (36.4%). Impaired outcomes were associated with female gender, while patient's age was found to be negatively correlated with anxiety symptoms. 13.8% of patients underwent a psychological visit and 6.1% of them were taken in charge for psychological support. Few months after hospital discharge, individuals recovered by COVID-19 reported negative consequences on their mental health. Understanding the impact that COVID-19 and hospitalization have on recovered patients may provide in- sights about how to develop an effective psychological intervention to help them deal with such psychological distress and prevent further psychopathological effects. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

COVID-19 pandemic impact on mental health and quality of life among general population in Pakistan

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the psychosocial impact during the current epidemic situation of COVID-19 in Pakistan. Design/methodology/approach: A total of 1,149 respondents were recruited in the study. Mental health status and psychological impact of COVID-19 outbreak were measured by impact of events scale-revised (IES-R) instrument and depression, anxiety and stress scales (DASS-21), respectively. Findings: Results of IES-R revealed moderate or severe psychological impact in 13.05% respondents (score > 33). DAAS score revealed that severe and extremely severe depression (score: 21-42), anxiety (score: 15-42) and stress (score: 27-42) were reported in 6.35%, 6.87% and 2.78% respondents, respectively. Higher levels of stress, anxiety and depression were recorded in female gender, student, medical professionals, farmer and daily wages employed, exhibiting significant (p < 0.05) association with psychological impact of the COVID-19 outbreak. Majority of respondents received increased support, shared feeling and family care. Originality/value: Mild to moderate psychological impact on mental health status was recorded in this study, which enables further planning and opportunities for health authorities to design psychological interventions for the improvement of negative psychological impact of COVID-19 epidemic in vulnerable groups. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

COVID-19: What can we learn from shared experiences of social distancing within secure services?

COVID-19 is an infectious disease that has spread across the globe with a social, economic and psychological impact that will undoubtedly change the world in which we live. Those working in mental health services will have experienced major changes in working practices, including navigating the challenges of infection control, whilst caring for some of the most vulnerable members of our society. There have been a number of publications considering many of the practicalities of the COVID-19 challenges in mental health. However, deeper reflections of philosophical issues regarding our own shared experiences have not yet been well covered in the professional press. This commentary describes some experiences of working within a low secure forensic service at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK. It aims to explore some of the key themes arising from this unprecedented situation, proposing areas for reflection and shared learning within the mental health inpatient community. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

The psychological impacts during the initial phase of the COVID-19 outbreak, and its associated factors among pastoral community in West Omo zone, South-West Ethiopia, 2020: A community-based study

Background: COVID-19 is a global pandemic and a major health crisis affecting several nations. Such outbreaks are associated with adverse mental health consequences to any group of the population. Despite its negative effects, no study has addressed the potential psychological impacts of the COVID-19 outbreak among the pastoral community. This study aims to assess psychological experiences during the early stages of the COVID-19 outbreak and the factors that contributed to it among pastoral community residents in West Omo, South-West Ethiopia. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was carried out from May to June 2020. The study subjects were selected through a multistage sampling technique. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews, and entered into EpiData 3.1, then exported to SPSS version 24 for statistical analysis. The psychological impact was assessed by the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21). P-value < 0.20 during bi-variable analysis was considered as a candidate for multivariable logistic regression. Independent factors of depression, anxiety, and stress were assessed using adjusted odds ratio with 95% confidence level s at P-value < 0.05 cut-off point. Results: A total of 845 eligible pastoral residents were interviewed, with a 94.4% response rate. The prevalence of a positive response for anxiety, depression and stress was 30.8%, 26.3% and 24.4%, respectively. Being female was highly associated with developing anxiety and depression. Anxiety was found to be three times more prevalent among the respondents with >= 3 family members. Furthermore, participants with a history of mental illness, poor social support, and a high perceived life threat were also at a higher risk of experiencing anxiety, depression, and stress. Conclusion: The prevalence of positive depression, anxiety and stress results were high. As a result, special attention should be paid, by governmental and non-governmental health organizations, to psychosocial and mental health programs for pastoral residentsduring the COVID-19 pandemic. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

COVID-19 racism, internalized racism, and psychological outcomes among East Asians/East Asian Americans

The present study investigated the psychological effects of racism on East Asians and East Asian Americans (EAEAAs) living in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic using a mixed-methods approach. First, using an autoregressive cross-lagged panel analysis, we investigated the relations between COVID-19 racism, internalized racism, psychological distress, and social isolation among EAEAAs. We then examined the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on EAEAAs using consensual qualitative research-modified. Quantitative findings showed that COVID-19 racism at Time 1 was associated with greater subsequent psychological distress, and COVID-19 racism at Time 2 was associated with greater levels of subsequent psychological distress and social isolation at Time 3, suggesting that COVID-19 racism predicted psychological distress and social isolation over time. Qualitative findings highlighted the prevalence of racism towards EAEAAs and the associated negative consequences. Findings demonstrate that EAEAAs living in the United States are at great risk due to the detrimental effects of racism during COVID-19. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

The psychological impact of COVID-19

: Employees from a large government agency were abruptly switched to telework for an extended period of time. There was no plan to address potential psychological stressors associated with the disruption of work-family-life balance that emerged as a result of COVID-19. A knowledge gap in how to support employees was apparent from discussions during team and administrative meetings. The project question explored whether the use of stress first-aid (SFA), an educational program, would enable employees to learn self-care strategies to address stressors in a less protected environment. The purpose of this DNP project was to provide a staff education awareness program in SFA to identify early warning signs of stress reactions to avert a stress injury. The scientific evidence supported education awareness training as an effective strategy to address the gap among healthcare professionals. Survey Monkey collected and analyzed 37 surveys. The summative evaluation found most employees were very satisfied with teleworking and very frustrated with the return to in-person office settings. Employees 50 years and older, married without children, with advanced degrees, and with years of work experience were worried and extremely worried about the psychological impact of COVID-19. Recommendations included integrating SFA as a competency, new employee orientation, and a mentoring program. Other recommendations included training for SFA site champions and providing leadership training in disaster management to prepare for the next epidemic or pandemic. The project's positive social change impact may lead to reduced stress by fostering peer and organizational support, addressing stigma, and changing the culture to provide a safe work environment. . (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Conflict in Kashmir: Psychosocial consequences on children

Armed conflict in Kashmiri has negatively impacted all inhabitants of the valley, but most serious effects are seen on children. Conflict has filled the tender hearts of children with anger and frustration, and they have lost their peace of mind. Health, which is mostly valuable for a child, is crippled by armed conflict, and children suffer from psychological problems of anxiety, depression, post-traumatic disorder, etc. It has taken away from them the happy period of childhood and left them stressed with a number of adult responsibilities. Some are left in orphanages as they have lost their caretakers at the time when they need them most. Armed conflict is leaving its long-term effect by compromising education of children which is most important for the future development of society. Since the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution of India which gave special status to the state of Jammu and Kashmir, the people of Kashmir remained inside their homes for a prolonged time. During this period, almost everything was suspended including mobile and Internet services, educational institutions, business, transportation. This paper explores how such experiences have affected the mental wellbeing, cognitive, social and emotional development of these children. Non-governmental organizations working in Kashmir should organize special programs to provide counseling/mental health first aid to the affected children and their parents. Overall, the mental wellbeing of children and adolescents should be strengthened and more so during COVID-19 pandemic, which has added mental health burden in the lives of young Kashmiri children. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

COVID-19 and healthcare professionals: The psychological impact of the pandemic on healthcare professionals and the use of EMDR early interventions

Recent research has provided new information on the impact of COVID-19 and previous pandemics on the mental health of healthcare professionals (HCP). Several studies have found that HCP are greatly affected by pandemics and may develop anxiety disorders, mood disorders, and posttraumatic stress disorder. The stress caused by the intense working conditions and the fear of contracting and transmitting the virus are major vulnerability factors for these workers, increasing their risk of developing a mental health condition. It is therefore essential to provide appropriate support to this population in order to reduce and avoid the psychological burden of the current pandemic on their mental health. Considering the data previously published on the COVID-19 pandemic and past epidemics, the present article aims to provide an epidemiological review of the psychological impact of a pandemic on healthcare professionals. Furthermore, it examines, from a theoretical perspective, whether EMDR early interventions (EEI) may constitute an effective solution in order to provide psychological support to HCP in hospitals. Lastly, the article will identify various protocols for EEI, which, it argues, should be the approaches of choice for providing early support following a potentially traumatic event. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

The psychological impact of COVID-19

: Employees from a large government agency were abruptly switched to telework for an extended period of time. There was no plan to address potential psychological stressors associated with the disruption of work-family-life balance that emerged as a result of COVID-19. A knowledge gap in how to support employees was apparent from discussions during team and administrative meetings. The project question explored whether the use of stress first-aid (SFA), an educational program, would enable employees to learn self-care strategies to address stressors in a less protected environment. The purpose of this DNP project was to provide a staff education awareness program in SFA to identify early warning signs of stress reactions to avert a stress injury. The scientific evidence supported education awareness training as an effective strategy to address the gap among healthcare professionals. Survey Monkey collected and analyzed 37 surveys. The summative evaluation found most employees were very satisfied with teleworking and very frustrated with the return to in-person office settings. Employees 50 years and older, married without children, with advanced degrees, and with years of work experience were worried and extremely worried about the psychological impact of COVID-19. Recommendations included integrating SFA as a competency, new employee orientation, and a mentoring program. Other recommendations included training for SFA site champions and providing leadership training in disaster management to prepare for the next epidemic or pandemic. The project's positive social change impact may lead to reduced stress by fostering peer and organizational support, addressing stigma, and changing the culture to provide a safe work environment. . (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

The psychological impact of COVID-19 on people suffering from dysfunctional eating behaviours: A linguistic analysis of the contents shared in an online community during lockdown

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) spread several months ago from China and it is now a global pandemic. The experience of lockdown has been an undesirable condition for people with mental health problems, including eating disorders. The present study has the aim of understanding the impact of the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic on people with self-reported disordered eating behaviours. A linguistic analysis was carried out with regard to the online posts and comments published by 1971 individuals (86% women) in a Facebook online community focusing on EDs during the lockdown. A total of 244 posts and 3603 comments were collected during the 56 days of lockdown (from the 10th of March until the 4th of May 2020) in Italy and were analysed by Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC) software. The results showed that words related to peer support decreased in posts over time, and that anxiety and anger increased in the published comments. Moreover, greater feelings of negativity and anxiety were found in posts and comments throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as lesser use of words related to positive emotions. Thematic qualitative analysis revealed eight themes that described the main subjective components of ED symptomatology and distress during the first COVID-19 lockdown. The current findings can help in delivering tailored treatments to people with eating disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)