Effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction on stress response and job burnout of head nurses in the context of Coronavirus disease 2019

Objective To explore the efforts of applying mindfulness stress reduction therapy in alleviating stress reactions and burnout among head nurses in the context of the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Methods This was a quasi experimental study. In June 2021, 109 head nurses with mild or above burnout measured by Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) from 12 hospitals in Zhangjiagang City were selected as the research objects to implement mindfulness-based stress reduction therapy for 8 weeks, and the scores of the Five Facet Mindfulness Question-naire (FFMQ), Stress Response Questionnaire (SRQ) and MBI of the head nurses were compared before and after the intervention. Results The five dimensions of observation, description, perceived action, non-judgment, and non-response and the total scores of the FFMQ were (26.28 ± 1.32), (26.94 ± 1.29), (25.49 ± 0.99), (25.45 ± 1.05), (23.48 ± 1.01), and (127.63 ± 3.78) of the post-intervention, which were higher than the pre-intervention scores of (25.04 ± 1.37), (25.04 ± 1.37), (25.37 ± 1.18), (24.15 ± 1.00), (24.09 ± 0.98), (22.26 ± 1.04), and (120.90 ± 4.06), with statistically significant differences (t values were -39.21- -15.36, all P＜0.01). The three dimensions of emotional, somatic, and behavioral responses and total scores of the post-intervention SRQ were (27.70 ± 6.12), (20.75 ± 4.20), (15.19 ± 3.11), and (65.99 ± 12.43), respectively, lower than the pre-intervention scores of (29.19 ± 6.91), (21.86 ± 5.20), (16.48 ± 4.16), and (70.12 ± 15.97), with statistically significant differences (t values were 5.70-9.33, all P＜0.01);the scores of dimensions of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization in post-intervention MBI were (26.24 ± 4.60) and (5.96 ± 1.25), lower than the pre-intervention scores of (29.66 ± 6.02) and (6.90 ± 1.59). The post-intervention scores of personal fulfillment (32.37 ± 5.02), higher than the pre-intervention scores of (28.60 ± 6.04), all with statistically significant differences (t=15.36, 13.50, - 9.65, all P＜0.01). Conclusions The implementation of mindfulness stress reduction therapy for the head nurses can relieve their work pressure due to the prevention and control of the COVID-19 epidemic, reshape their healthy psychology, and reduce job burnout. © The Author(s) 2023.

Comparing the Effectiveness of Mindfulness and Aerobic Exercise on Psychological Factors and Sleep Quality Following Recovery from COVID-19.

Background and purpose: The COVID-19 pandemic have led to some psychological disorders and sleep problems that should be taken into account after recovery. After recovering from COVID-19 people are at risk of sleep disorders, depression, and low quality of life and there is paucity of information about this issue. The present study aimed to compare the effectiveness of mindfulness and aerobic exercise on depressive symptoms, perceived stress, and sleep quality in recovered COVID-19 patients. Material(s) and Method(s): An intervention field research was performed in 60 male and female patients (mean age: 39.52+/-5.82) recovered from COVID-19 in Kermanshah, Iran. Participants were randomly divided into four groups (n=15): 1) attending mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) program, 2) aerobic exercise, 3) combination of MBSR and aerobic exercise, and 4) control group. The study was carried out at four stages: pretest, interventions, post-test, and follow-up test. Dependent variables included depressive symptoms, perceived stress, and sleep quality. Bonferroni Post hoc test in 4*3 mixed ANOVA was used for data analysis. Result(s): In this study, depression and perceived stress reduced in all experimental groups compared to the control group (P= 0.001). Also, sleep quality improved in these groups compared to the control group (P= 0.001). Post hoc tests showed the superiority of combination of MBSR and aerobic exercise compared to other interventions. Conclusion(s): According to current study, combination of MBSR and physical activity shows to be more helpful than mindfulness training and physical activity alone in improving psychological problems and sleep quality after recovering from COVID-19.Copyright © 2023, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences. All rights reserved.

Comparing the Effectiveness of Mindfulness and Aerobic Exercise on Psychological Factors and Sleep Quality Following Recovery from COVID-19

Background and purpose: The COVID-19 pandemic have led to some psychological disorders and sleep problems that should be taken into account after recovery. After recovering from COVID-19 people are at risk of sleep disorders, depression, and low quality of life and there is paucity of information about this issue. The present study aimed to compare the effectiveness of mindfulness and aerobic exercise on depressive symptoms, perceived stress, and sleep quality in recovered COVID-19 patients. Material(s) and Method(s): An intervention field research was performed in 60 male and female patients (mean age: 39.52+/-5.82) recovered from COVID-19 in Kermanshah, Iran. Participants were randomly divided into four groups (n=15): 1) attending mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) program, 2) aerobic exercise, 3) combination of MBSR and aerobic exercise, and 4) control group. The study was carried out at four stages: pretest, interventions, post-test, and follow-up test. Dependent variables included depressive symptoms, perceived stress, and sleep quality. Bonferroni Post hoc test in 4*3 mixed ANOVA was used for data analysis. Result(s): In this study, depression and perceived stress reduced in all experimental groups compared to the control group (P= 0.001). Also, sleep quality improved in these groups compared to the control group (P= 0.001). Post hoc tests showed the superiority of combination of MBSR and aerobic exercise compared to other interventions. Conclusion(s): According to current study, combination of MBSR and physical activity shows to be more helpful than mindfulness training and physical activity alone in improving psychological problems and sleep quality after recovering from COVID-19.Copyright © 2023, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences. All rights reserved.

Assessment of a Mindfulness Meditation Elective in an Accelerated Doctor of Pharmacy Program.

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the effect of a live 14-week mindfulness elective course on the well-being of doctor of pharmacy students in an accelerated program.Methods: Pharmacy students enrolled in a mindfulness elective participated in weekly class sessions that included an eight-week mindfulness program geared towards emerging adults. Eight weekly reflections were assigned to students and evaluated using the Text iQ text-analysis tool in Qualtrics. Using ANOVA, investigators analyzed the Text iQ-assigned sentiment scores to detect differences in the tone of student reflections over time.Results: Twenty-four students were enrolled in this elective and 22 students submitted complete reflections for evaluation. Mean sentiment scores and the percentage of responses in sentiment score categories (very positive and positive, mixed and neutral, very negative and negative) for these reflections showed statistically significant differences between weeks.Conclusion: The tone of student reflections was more positive after these students learned and incorporated mindfulness practice into their accelerated Doctor of Pharmacy curriculum.

Utility of mindfulness-based stress reduction to impact health promotion in nursing students: A mindful project

The goal of this project was to examine whether Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) influences perceived stress of nursing students. Background/Significance. College nursing students are under increasing stress. The current COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted this chronic, ongoing deficiency, prompting the need to identify interventions that support the mental health of future healthcare workers (HCWs). Problem. The increasing incidence of burnout and anxiety in the healthcare industry is concerning. The implementation of MBSR into nursing curricula has the potential to address this problem. In 2021, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) released a report, The Future of Nursing 2020-2030: Charting a Path to Achieve Health Equity, specifically addressing this issue. Recommendation three of the NASEM report supports the implementation of evidence-based interventions into educational systems to support the health and well-being of our current and future nurses. Provision five of the American Nurses Association (ANA) Code of Ethics for Nurses also states that a nurse owes the same duty to self as they give to others, implying a responsibility for self-care (ANA, 2015).PICOT Question. In nursing students (P), does the implementation of a brief mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) intervention (I) versus no MBSR (C) affect students' perceived stress (O) during their first semester in a nursing program (T)? Methods. This pre-post survey design pilot project evaluated whether an eight-week session of MBSR would have an impact on the perceived stress of first-semester nursing students. The Short Stress Overload Scale (SOS-S) and the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) were utilized to measure students' perceived stress to the MBSR sessions. Independent t tests were performed to analyze data. Results. Comparison of pre and post stress scores were not statistically significant. However, small sample size limited results. MBSR is supported in the literature to reduce perceived stress in nursing students. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Assessing Vocal Chanting as an Online Psychosocial Intervention.

The ancient practice of chanting typically takes place within a community as a part of a live ceremony or ritual. Research suggests that chanting leads to improved mood, reduced stress, and increased wellbeing. During the global pandemic, many chanting practices were moved online in order to adhere to social distancing recommendations. However, it is unclear whether the benefits of live chanting occur when practiced in an online format. The present study assessed the effects of a 10-min online chanting session on stress, mood, and connectedness, carried out either in a group or individually. The study employed a 2 (chanting vs. control) × 2 (group vs. individual) between-subjects design. Participants (N = 117) were pseudo-randomly allocated across the four conditions. Before and after participation, individuals completed the Spielberg's State Trait Anxiety Inventory, the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, the Social Connectedness Scale and Aron's Inclusion of Self in Other Scale. Online chanting led to a significant reduction in stress and an increase in positive affect when compared to the online control task. Participants who took part in group chanting also felt more connected to members of their chanting group than participants in the control group. However, feelings of general connectedness to all people remained similar across conditions. The investigation provides evidence that online chanting may be a useful psychosocial intervention, whether practiced individually or in a group.

Respite and connection: Autistic adults' reflections upon nature and well-being during the Covid-19 pandemic.

LAY ABSTRACT: The Covid-19 pandemic and associated lockdowns provided opportunities to spend time in nature, with many people reporting that this benefitted their well-being. However, existing research from the pandemic period has focused on the way general populations experienced nature; less is known about how autistic people used nature to support their well-being during the pandemic. We created a survey that invited autistic adults living in the United Kingdom to reply to text box questions. A total of 127 people responded to our survey; we analysed their responses using a method called reflexive thematic analysis and developed themes based on patterns among all the responses. We developed two themes: respite in nature and connecting amid widespread disconnection. For some autistic adults during the pandemic, nature provided physical distance from others or from crowded homes, which helped them reduce their stress. In addition, some participants felt more psychologically connected to nature itself during the pandemic, while for others, nature served as a way of connecting with others during a potentially isolating time. These findings are important for autistic people and their families and carers who may want to seek out nature-based activities to support well-being in the wake of the pandemic.

Evaluating an online-delivered mindfulness-based stress reduction program for parents of children with externalizing behavior concerns

Many parents experience elevated levels of stress, or the perceived inability to cope with one's situational demands. Parents of children with externalizing behavioral concerns tend to experience even higher levels of stress than parents of children without significant behavior concerns due to the transactional and bidirectional nature of child behavior and parent stress. The Family Adjustment and Adaptation Response (FAAR) model suggests that families work to balance demands with capabilities, which interact with family meanings, to achieve adjustment or adaptation. Thus, increasing capabilities is an important task for families experiencing stress. Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), rooted in mindfulness theory, is an increasingly popular framework for reducing stress, anxiety, and depression. MBSR has been successfully used in many populations including parents to reduce parent stress and even help to improve child outcomes. However, there is a dearth of research on MBSR for parents of children with externalizing behavior concerns. One accessible, research-supported, online-delivered MBSR program is called Be Mindful. Currently, there is no extant research on the effects of this program for parent stress and child behavior outcomes. This hybrid effectiveness-implementation intervention study sought to evaluate the effectiveness of this publicly accessible, online, self-mediated MBSR program (Be Mindful) for reducing parent stress and decreasing child externalizing behavior immediately following completion of the program and at one-month follow-up. Other major aims of the study were to determine whether the online-delivered MBSR intervention was acceptable to parents and to characterize how parents engaged with the MBSR program. Participants included a 38 mothers, fathers, and other primary caretakers of children ages two to ten years with behavioral concerns living across the United States. Children were a community sample presenting with externalizing behavior concerns at or above the at-risk range (raw score >= 115) based on the Eyberg Child Behavior Inventory whose parents had stress levels at or above the 60th percentile on any domain of the Parenting Stress Index, Fourth Edition. Parents engaged in the 4-module Be Mindful (MBSR) program for between 4 and 10 weeks and completed pre-, post-, and follow-up adult stress and child behavior measures. Parents also completed usage and satisfaction reports throughout the study. Results of the study provided promising support for the Be Mindful intervention within this particular population: there were robust, statistically significant and clinically meaningful reductions in both parent stress and externalizing child behavior problems following completion of the intervention that maintained through one-month follow-up. Additionally, participants generally found the intervention to be acceptable and practiced the skills a moderate amount during the intervention phase. Open-ended and quantitative feedback provides information regarding barriers and facilitators to intervention use. These results are important within the context of the global COVID-19 pandemic, provide further support for the increasingly popular MBSR framework in an online format, and uniquely examine effects on both parent stress and child behavior in a real-world sample. Limitations, directions for future research, and implications for practice are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Determining the feasibility and acceptability of delivering HEADS: UP, a psychoeducational intervention for self-management of depression and anxiety symptoms post-stroke, face-to-face and online

Introduction: Depression and anxiety are prevalent after stroke, persist long-term, and are associated with poor outcomes, including lack of engagement with rehabilitation. Long-term psychological support is a recognised unmet need and a research priority. In previous work with people affected by stroke we co-developed a stroke-specific psychoeducational self-management intervention HEADS: UP, an adaptation of a Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction course. The work reported here aimed to test feasibility and acceptability of HEADS: UP (NCT03956693). Method(s): We recruited stroke survivors (SS) >=3 months post-stroke, with symptoms of mood disorder (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale >=8), to participate in one of two non-randomised feasibility studies. Participants could 'enrol' a family member/'other', if desired. Study 1 tested face-to-face delivery of HEADS: UP;data informed optimisation and adaptation of research processes and the intervention. In response to COVID 19, Study 2 tested HEADS: UP Online. Quantitative data (demographics;mood and quality of life outcomes measures (OMs)) and qualitative data were collected pre-/post-intervention. Both studies received ethical approval. Result(s): STUDY 1: SS n=13;aged 63.3 (mean). Feasibility: Completion of paper-based OMs post-intervention n=6 (46.2%);intervention attendance 6.2/9 (median). Acceptability: I find myself . . . on the bus doing [mindfulness]! I realise I am actually doing it! STUDY 2: SS n=9;aged 54.2 (mean). Feasibility: Completion of online OMs: n=9 (100%) post-intervention;intervention attendance: 8.6/9 sessions. Acceptability: I was apprehensive . . . I wasn't sure you could do mindfulness over Zoom . . . but it has worked really, really well Conclusion(s): Stroke survivors found a stroke-specific psychoeducational self-management intervention, HEADS: UP, feasible and acceptable.

Coping strategies initiated by COVID-19-related stress, individuals' motives for social media use, and perceived stress reduction

PurposeThis study examined whether individuals' coping strategies and their motivations for social media use act as mediators between actual COVID-19-related stress and the perception that social media use can reduce stress.Design/methodology/approachThis study empirically develops and tests a research model with data (N = 503) collected through Amazon Mechanical Turk. A path analysis was used to test the research model.FindingsThe path analysis indicated that active coping initiated by individuals under COVID-19-related stress was more likely to be associated with information and social interaction needs, leading the individuals to perceive the use of social media as the cause for stress reduction. The expressive support coping strategy motivated the individuals under stress to seek social interaction, leading individuals to perceive that activities on social media reduced their stress during the pandemic. Emotional venting and avoidance coping strategies significantly impacted escape, social interaction, and entertainment seeking by allowing individuals to get absorbed in social media activities and forget unpleasant thoughts associated with the pandemic.Originality/valueNo previous study has explored the relationship between decisions around the type of coping strategy used and motivations for media usage, which leads to stress reduction. Understanding how stress-induced coping strategies influence social media users' specific motivations and reduce users' stress levels would help communicators understand how users' can encourage individuals to cope with stress by presenting individuals with more effective social media, resulting in stress reduction and improved well-being.

The effectiveness of mindfulness-based stress reduction on parental stress during COVID-19 pandemic: A randomized controlled trial

Introduction: Parental stress during the COVID-19 pandemic causes a negative parenting response and impactschildren'ssocial-emotionaldevelopment. This studyaimedtoanalyzetheeffectivenessofMindfulnessBased Stress Reduction (MBSR) on parental stress during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: This study used a randomized controlled trial. A total of 32 participants were recruited and randomlydividedintointerventionandcontrolgroups. The intervention group received mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) 8 sessions (one session a day for 40 minutes), while the control group got the same intervention after filling out the post-test. The parental stress index is used to measure the stress level of parents. Data were analyzed using Wilcoxon and Mann-Whitney tests. Results: Participants in the intervention group showed a significant reduction in parental stress levels after receiving MBSR (p<0.05), as well as substantial differences in parental stress levels between the two groups (p<0.05). Conclusion: Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) reduced parental stress during the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings from the study suggest that MBSR can be carried out routinely on the sidelines of daily activities to reduce parental stress. Furthermore, it can be applied as nurses'independent intervention for reducing adult stress during the pandemic. © 2022 Academia Nacional de Medicina. All rights reserved.

Effects of a online brief modified mindfulness-based stress reduction therapy for anxiety among Chinese adults: A randomized clinical trial.

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated anxiety and related symptoms among the general population. In order to cope with the mental health burden, we developed an online brief modified mindfulness-based stress reduction (mMBSR) therapy. We performed a parallel-group randomized controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy of the mMBSR for adult anxiety with cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) as an active control. Participants were randomized to mMBSR, CBT or waitlist group. Those in the intervention arms performed each therapy for 6 sections in 3 weeks. Measurements were conducted at baseline, post-treatment and 6 months post-treatment by Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, Patient Health Questionnaire-15, reverse scored Cohen Perceived Stress scale, Insomnia Severity Index, and Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale. 150 participants with anxiety symptoms were randomized to mMBSR, CBT or waitlist group. Post intervention assessments showed that mMBSR improved the scores of all the six mental problem dimensions (anxiety, depression, somatization, stress, insomnia, and the experience of pleasure) significantly compared to the waitlist group. During 6-month post treatment assessment, the scores of all six mental problem dimensions in the mMBSR group still showed improvement compared to baseline and showed no significant difference with the CBT group. Our results provide positive evidence for the efficacy and feasibility of an online brief modified MBSR program to alleviate anxiety and related symptoms of individuals from the general population, and the therapeutic benefits of mMBSR persisted for up to six months. This low resource-consuming intervention could facilitate the challenges of supplying psychological health therapy to large scale of population.

A moment of peace: Utilizing practical on the job relaxation and meditation techniques to improve feelings of stress and burnout among healthcare professionals

Few career paths are as mentally, physically, and emotionally exhausting as a career in healthcare. Due to the nature of the job responsibilities, healthcare professionals often sacrifice their own wellbeing for the sake of their patients. The COVID-19 pandemic has asked an even greater sacrifice from healthcare professionals and continues today with little end in sight. The majority of healthcare workers report that stress has a negative impact on their work, which can ultimately manifest in poor patient outcomes and decreased work satisfaction. As stewards of wellbeing, it is imperative that healthcare professionals prioritize self-care and find their own individualized way(s) to manage stress. Building resilience, which is the ability to adapt to traumatic or adverse events in a positive manner, can help decrease anxiety, depression, and burnout. Resilience also helps healthcare professionals re-establish meaning in both their professional and personal lives, and has been proven to improve patient safety and job satisfaction. Complementary and integrative modalities treat the whole person by focusing on the physical, emotional, social, economic, and spiritual needs of the individual. Techniques such as meditation, progressive muscle relaxation, 4-7-8 breathwork, acupressure, aromatherapy, and Jin Shin Jyutsu have been used with great success in the workplace setting to help build resilience. Such techniques offer options for stress reduction and can decrease feelings of work-related burnout. These techniques can be used in real time at the moment of a stressful event. They may also help reduce stress when used prior to, or at the end of a workday. Consistent practice can reduce the feelings of stress that contribute to compassion fatigue and burnout. These integrative health modalities do not require any additional tools or extensive training. They are easy to learn and perform, and can be easily incorporated into a daily practice to encourage stress reduction and promote wellbeing.

Evaluating an online-delivered mindfulness-based stress reduction program for parents of children with externalizing behavior concerns

Many parents experience elevated levels of stress, or the perceived inability to cope with one's situational demands. Parents of children with externalizing behavioral concerns tend to experience even higher levels of stress than parents of children without significant behavior concerns due to the transactional and bidirectional nature of child behavior and parent stress. The Family Adjustment and Adaptation Response (FAAR) model suggests that families work to balance demands with capabilities, which interact with family meanings, to achieve adjustment or adaptation. Thus, increasing capabilities is an important task for families experiencing stress. Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), rooted in mindfulness theory, is an increasingly popular framework for reducing stress, anxiety, and depression. MBSR has been successfully used in many populations including parents to reduce parent stress and even help to improve child outcomes. However, there is a dearth of research on MBSR for parents of children with externalizing behavior concerns. One accessible, research-supported, online-delivered MBSR program is called Be Mindful. Currently, there is no extant research on the effects of this program for parent stress and child behavior outcomes. This hybrid effectiveness-implementation intervention study sought to evaluate the effectiveness of this publicly accessible, online, self-mediated MBSR program (Be Mindful) for reducing parent stress and decreasing child externalizing behavior immediately following completion of the program and at one-month follow-up. Other major aims of the study were to determine whether the online-delivered MBSR intervention was acceptable to parents and to characterize how parents engaged with the MBSR program. Participants included a 38 mothers, fathers, and other primary caretakers of children ages two to ten years with behavioral concerns living across the United States. Children were a community sample presenting with externalizing behavior concerns at or above the at-risk range (raw score >= 115) based on the Eyberg Child Behavior Inventory whose parents had stress levels at or above the 60th percentile on any domain of the Parenting Stress Index, Fourth Edition. Parents engaged in the 4-module Be Mindful (MBSR) program for between 4 and 10 weeks and completed pre-, post-, and follow-up adult stress and child behavior measures. Parents also completed usage and satisfaction reports throughout the study. Results of the study provided promising support for the Be Mindful intervention within this particular population: there were robust, statistically significant and clinically meaningful reductions in both parent stress and externalizing child behavior problems following completion of the intervention that maintained through one-month follow-up. Additionally, participants generally found the intervention to be acceptable and practiced the skills a moderate amount during the intervention phase. Open-ended and quantitative feedback provides information regarding barriers and facilitators to intervention use. These results are important within the context of the global COVID-19 pandemic, provide further support for the increasingly popular MBSR framework in an online format, and uniquely examine effects on both parent stress and child behavior in a real-world sample. Limitations, directions for future research, and implications for practice are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

LessStress - how to reduce stress in school: evaluation of a universal stress prevention in schools: study protocol of a cluster-randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Chronic stress is detrimental to health, and children and young people have had to cope with significantly more stress since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. In particular, stress at school and in relation to learning is a major problem in this age group. Studies in Germany have indicated that the pandemic has led to a reduced quality of life (QoL) and an increased risk for psychiatric disorders in children and adolescents. Schools are an ideal setting for interventions against stress, which is one of the strongest predictors for the development of psychosocial problems. The present study seeks to address stress by means of a short prevention training programme in schools, including emotion regulation, mindfulness, and self-compassion. In addition to information material for self-study, students should have the opportunity to actively deal with the topic of stress and develop coping strategies within a short space of time. In contrast to very long stress reduction programmes that often last several weeks, the programme is delivered in just 90 min. METHODS: The effectiveness of the short and economical prevention programme LessStress will be examined in a cluster-randomised controlled trial (RCT) encompassing 1894 students. At several measurement time points, students from two groups (intervention and control) will be asked about their subjectively perceived stress levels, among other aspects. Due to the clustered nature of the data, mainly multilevel analyses will be performed. DISCUSSION: In Germany, there are no nationwide universal prevention programmes for students against stress in schools, and this gap has become more evident since the outbreak of the pandemic. Universal stress prevention in schools may be a starting point to promote resilience. By dealing with stress in a healthy way, mental health can be strengthened and maintained. Moreover, to reach at-risk students at an early stage, we advocate for a stronger networking between child psychiatry and schools. TRIAL REGISTRATION: German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS) DRKS00025721 . Registered on November 4, 2021.

A study on CO VID-19 awareness, psychological status and stress reduction among health care workers after “traffic control” in Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture

Objective To understand the awareness, psychological status and stress reduction of health care workers involved in the emergency response Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak since the “traffic control” in Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture on 26 January 2020, in order to inform the development of relevant measures. To provide a reference basis for the development of related measures. Methods The study participants were invited through the Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture medical and nursing exchange group by snowball sampling method based on WeChat from February 4 to February 5, and the invited participants filled out the questionnaires online(Questionnaire Star). The invailed questionnaires were strictly eliminated according to the quality control conditions, and the questionnaires that fit the research study were selected for collation, statistical analysis was performed. Results Onerall high awareness of COVID-19 among health care workers after “traffic control” in Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, with the highest knowledge of the source of infection was 95.95% and the lowest genotype knowledge rate of 64. 86%. The differences between the different psychological profiles of anxiety and stress, loneliness and depression among health care workers were statistically significant (x2 = 25. 439, P < 0. 01), and the highest percentage of anxiety among health care workers was 79. 73% and the lowest percentage of depression was 50. 85%;health care workers mainly reduced stress by watching TV and surfing the Internet, and the composition ratios of the two main forms of reducing stress were 68.92% and 60. 81%, respectively. Conclusion Different types of mental health problems existed among health care workers of different genders, occupations, titles and marital status after the “traffic control” in Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture. Therefore, targeted mental health guidance and interventions for different health care workers. © 2022, Editorial Department of Medical Pest Control. All rights reserved.

DEVELOPMENT AND INTEGRATION OF A MODIFIED MINDFULNESS CURRICULUM DESIGNED TO OPTIMIZE RESIDENT SURGICAL PERFORMANCE: MINDFULNESS INTEGRATION IN SURGICAL TRAINING (MIST)

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has increased resident anxiety regarding surgical performance. The number of surgical cases they perform has been reduced, increasing the importance of each procedure. This is compounded by the numerous stressors residents face in their daily lives. High stress can make it difficult to focus in the operating room, impacting learning and surgical performance. Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) can decrease anxiety and improve learning, executive function, and well-being. Incorporation of MBSR courses into residency curriculum faces barriers, most significantly time pressures and program buy-in. Objective: This project aimed to develop and assess a feasible and meaningful modified MBSR curriculum for surgical residents. Methods: Obstetrics and gynecology (OBGYN) residents in years two to five were invited to participate in a 12-week modified MBSR curriculum tailored to busy surgical trainees. Modifications included a reduction in the required course hours and additional sessions focused on mindfulness in surgery. A mixed methods embedded design was employed to assess the feasibility and desirability of the curriculum. Secondary outcomes were measured in a pre- and postintervention design assessing surgical performance, anxiety, confidence, and burnout using previously validated survey tools. Qualitative components assessed how mindfulness techniques are used in the operating room. Results: Twelve out of sixty-one residents enrolled in the program (20%) and eight completed the course (67%). There was a statistically significant decrease in anxiety (p < 0.001) and increase in surgical confidence (p = 0.007) following the MBSR curriculum. There was no change in burnout or surgical evaluations. The major qualitative themes identified that mindfulness tools were regularly incorporated into the operating room and had a perceived beneficial impact by residents. This change was sustained 3 months post intervention. The biggest barrier to mindfulness was time. Participants felt the residency program should support ongoing MBSR training to promote a positive culture shift in the department. Conclusions: A modified MBSR program for surgical trainees is feasible and desirable for OBGYN residents and positively impacts anxiety and surgical confidence. Trainees noted a sustained benefit from the course. The major limitation of this study was the small sample size. Future work should focus on expanding this study to other surgical specialties and addressing the barriers to mindfulness raised by participants.

Historical and social aspirations: influence of SME key decision makers’ resilience, social skills and stress on attaining firm performance goals

Purpose>This paper examines how some specific psychological characteristics and stress levels of small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) key decision-makers (founders/managers) (KDMs) influence firm goal attainment based on two firm aspiration types.Design/methodology/approach>This study hypothesizes that perceived resilience, social skills (self-promotion, ingratiation, expressiveness, social adaptability), and stress of SME KDMs will differently influence firm performance goal achievement based on firm historical versus social aspirations. IBM AMOS v27 is used to test these hypotheses on survey data of 267 Australian SME KDMs.Findings>The study reveals that KDMs’ perceived resilience, social skills and stress differentially impact the achievement of firm performance goals when selecting firm-level historical and social aspirations. Resilience and some specific social skills can even have a detrimental effect on achieving firm goals when applying historical and social aspirations. Historical aspirations are based on the firm’s performance history, while social aspirations are based on the performance of a reference group of competitor firms. The differences in the relationship between these characteristics and the two aspiration types are also explained. Furthermore, the study reveals the important role of perceived stress levels in achieving firm performance goals, using both aspiration types.Originality/value>This study is the first to investigate how the perceived use of some specific psychological characteristics of SME KDMs influence the ability to meet firm performance goals based on the discretionary use of historical and social aspirations and the relationship between these aspiration types. In this context, the paper explains the reasons for the differences and similarities in their use. Thus, this study provides an important empirical contribution to research on the emergent domain of micro-foundational SME goals.

Virtual Intervention for Caregivers of Persons With Lewy Body Dementia: Pilot Quasi-Experimental Single-Arm Study.

BACKGROUND: Compared to other types of dementia, family caregivers of people with Lewy body dementia (LBD) report higher stress levels and more severe depressive symptoms. Although several digital support interventions for caregivers of persons with dementia exist, few target LBD specifically or leverage a fully remote and asynchronous approach suitable for pandemic circumstances. OBJECTIVE: We performed a pilot evaluation of a digital intervention designed to help caregivers of people with LBD address challenges they have experienced, with the end goal of reducing psychological distress in this population. METHODS: We recruited 15 family caregivers of people with LBD to participate in the quasi-experimental, single-arm, mixed methods study titled Virtual Online Communities for Aging Life Experience-Lewy Body Dementia (VOCALE-LBD). The study offers an 8-week web-based intervention that uses a digital discussion platform and involves moderation, peer-to-peer support, didactic training, and problem-solving skill enactment. RESULTS: Participants' baseline characteristics were the following: mean age 66 (SD 8) years; 14 of 15 (93%) of them were female; all (15/15, 100%) were White; and 8 (53%) of them had at least a postgraduate degree. Throughout the intervention, participants engaged in weekly web-based discussions, generating a total of 434 posts (average 4 posts per week). Attrition was 20% (3/15). Upon study exit, participants showed the following average improvements: 3.0 (SD 6.0) in depression, 8.3 (SD 16.7) in burden, 2.9 (SD 6.8) in stress, and 0.3 (SD 0.8) in loneliness. When looking at the proportion of participants with clinically significant improvement versus those with a worsening of ≥0.5 SD for each outcome, we observed net improvements of 50% (6/12), 33% (4/12), 25% (3/12), and 25% (3/12) in depression, loneliness, burden, and stress, respectively. In terms of the benefits of participation, participants reported that participation helped them "a great deal" to (1) improve their understanding of LBD (9/12, 75%), (2) gain confidence in dealing with difficult behaviors of the care recipient (6/12, 50%), and (3) improve in one's abilities to provide care to the care recipient (4/12, 33%). CONCLUSIONS: The study generated promising feasibility and preliminary efficacy data for a low-cost, web-based intervention designed for caregivers of persons with LBD. Though the study was not powered for significance, we observed nominal average and net improvements in important psychological outcomes. Moreover, many caregivers reported that study participation helped them better understand the disease, feel more confident in dealing with difficult behaviors of the care recipient, and improve their ability to care for the care recipient. If validated in future studies, the intervention could be an accessible, on-demand resource for caregivers, enabling them to engage in moderated remote discussions with peers at their own convenience in terms of location, time of the day, and frequency.

Study of the role of mindfulness intervention based on stress reduction in psychological distress and self-efficacy among the health industry staff during COVID-19 pandemic

The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of mindfulness intervention based on stress reduction in psychological distress and self-efficacy of health industry staff in Russia in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic. The statistical population included 600 physicians and nurses working in COVID-19 wards of hospitals in Moscow. Data were collected using standard questionnaires. Data analysis was performed in SPSS. According to the results, mindfulness intervention based on stress reduction improved psychological distress and self-efficacy in nurses of the test group, compared to the control group, during the COVID-19 pandemic (P < 0.05). According to the results, mindfulness treatment based on stress reduction reduced three components of psychological distress, stress (F = 24.03, effect size = 0.78, P < 0.001), anxiety (F = 32.12, effect size = 0.69, P = 0.001), and depression (F = 22.31, effect size = 0.72, P = 0.001) while increasing self-efficacy (F = 44.52, effect size = 0.84, P = 0.001). Copyright © 2022 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd.