Depression, Anxiety and Stress of Adolescents before and during the Fourth Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic

This cross-sectional trend study compared the intensity of internalised problems of adolescents in the City of Zagreb before the COVID-19 pandemic and during its 4th wave. Two groups of secondary school students participated in the research: (1) 1st grade secondary school students in 2016 (N=267, Mage= 15.16, SDage= 0.468, 61.6% females) and (2) 1st grade secondary school students in 2021 (N =353, M age =14.78, SDage= 0.468, 45.9% females). Using the DASS-21 questionnaire, a growing trend of internalised problems was identified. In December 2021, 20.6% of students had severe and very severe symptoms of depression compared to 15.0% of students in 2016. In 2016 and 2021, 13.4% and as many as 33.0% of students, respectively, had severe and very severe symptoms of anxiety. Symptoms of this level of stress were present in 20.2% of students in 2016, and in 25.4% in 2021. A higher level of depression, anxiety and stress was found in females, as well as in students whose families suffered material damage in the Zagreb earthquake. Students of lower financial status reported significantly higher levels of anxiety and stress. Maladaptive coping strategies are significant predictors of depression, anxiety and stress. A significant predictor of depression is also lower self-esteem, parental rejection and greater dissatisfaction with physical appearance predict higher anxiety, and female gender higher stress. The data show that the mental health of Zagreb secondary school students was at high risk even before the COVID-19 pandemic and earthquakes, and these adverse circumstances increased that risk.Copyright © 2023 Medicinska Naklada Zagreb. All rights reserved.

"Monday Feels Like Friday!” - Towards Overcoming Anxiety and Stress of Autistic Young Adults During Times of Isolation

Autistic young adults are at a higher risk of experiencing elevated mental and psychological distress during times of isolation, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, due to the challenges related to uncertainty and abrupt changes in every aspect of daily life. In this research, we aim to develop participant-centric interventions for assisting autistic young adults in addressing their anxiety and stress during times of isolation. We first conducted an exploratory literature review to gather the design requirements for an effective stress management technology. Based on our findings, we designed our initial high-fidelity prototype, MindBot, a mindfulness and AI-based chatbot application. We conducted an in-depth qualitative study (semi-structured interviews with 15 autistic young adults and a cognitive walkthrough with 20 participants who have training in HCI and usability evaluation techniques) to identify the design and usability issues to improve the effectiveness of MindBot. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

Correction

Reports an error in "Socioeconomic crisis and mental health stress among the middle-income group during the COVID-19 pandemic" by Sk. Faijan Bin Halim, Sojal Mridha, Nishad Nasrin, Md. Karimul Islam and Md. Tanvir Hossain (Sociological Spectrum, 2022, Vol 42[2], 119-134). The article listed above was intended to publish as part of the forthcoming "COVID-19: Health Inequities and Pandemic Disasters Yet to Come" special issue, but was mistakenly published in a previous issue. (The following abstract of the original article appeared in record 2022-75958-003). Following the spread of COVID-19, the prolonged lockdown has adversely affected not only the mental health but also the socioeconomic well-being of people, particularly the underprivileged population, across the world. This study was designed to assess the mental health of middle-income people and its association with the socioeconomic crises that emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh. A semi-structured interview schedule in Bangla was administered to conveniently collect the data from 150 participants based on certain specifications. Findings suggest that COVID-19 status, household debt, and depression were significantly associated with mental stress among middle-income people. Depression, on the other hand, was substantially affected by socio-demographic and socioeconomic status as well as their hygiene and government support during the COVID-19 pandemic. Likewise, an individual's anxiety was determined by income during the COVID-19 pandemic, quarantine status, personal hygiene, and socio-demographic factors. To reduce the pandemic-induced stress, depression, and anxiety, the government should provide financial assistance through social safety net and create alternative livelihood opportunities using existing resources. Besides, policymakers should implement community awareness programs about the risk of COVID-19 to minimize both risk of infection and mental health stress. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Socioeconomic crisis and mental health stress among the middle-income group during the COVID-19 pandemic

[Correction Notice: An Erratum for this article was reported in Vol 42(3) of Sociological Spectrum (see record 2022-84985-006). The article listed above was intended to publish as part of the forthcoming "COVID-19: Health Inequities and Pandemic Disasters Yet to Come" special issue, but was mistakenly published in a previous issue.] Following the spread of COVID-19, the prolonged lockdown has adversely affected not only the mental health but also the socioeconomic well-being of people, particularly the underprivileged population, across the world. This study was designed to assess the mental health of middle-income people and its association with the socioeconomic crises that emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh. A semi-structured interview schedule in Bangla was administered to conveniently collect the data from 150 participants based on certain specifications. Findings suggest that COVID-19 status, household debt, and depression were significantly associated with mental stress among middle-income people. Depression, on the other hand, was substantially affected by socio-demographic and socioeconomic status as well as their hygiene and government support during the COVID-19 pandemic. Likewise, an individual's anxiety was determined by income during the COVID-19 pandemic, quarantine status, personal hygiene, and socio-demographic factors. To reduce the pandemic-induced stress, depression, and anxiety, the government should provide financial assistance through social safety net and create alternative livelihood opportunities using existing resources. Besides, policymakers should implement community awareness programs about the risk of COVID-19 to minimize both risk of infection and mental health stress. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Teman Berlindung: Mobile-Based Student Counseling Service Application

The existence of Covid-19, which is sweeping the whole world, has caused Indonesia to make a policy to change the learning system that was previously face-to-face to online. As a result, students are prevented from interacting directly with their friends, making them bored and stressed. Increased stress levels can also be influenced by other factors, such as an unsupportive home environment and the number of tasks assigned with relatively few deadlines. In addition, other problems, from friends and family, are often a burden for students, significantly affecting stress levels and mental health. The data collection method used in this study uses observation and literature studies on object-oriented applications. This study uses the Waterfall method to make information systems in the designed application and Unified Modeling Language as the language used in analyzing needs. The application's design can explain in detail how this application will run, and the appearance of this application will be seen. So, the purpose of designing this application is expected to reduce stress levels by accommodating students who need counselling services. Based on the design of the Teman Berlindung that the author carried out, the author stated that there were many cases where college students had no space to tell stories or just a place to complain. Regarding mental health, Teman Berlindung is expected to be useful not only during the pandemic but can also be used in the long term and help students channel complaints to related parties. © 2022 IEEE.

Surviving intimate partner violence and disaster

PurposeFew studies investigating disaster have examined the risks associated with surviving both disaster and intimate partner violence (IPV). IPV is psychological or physical abuse in a personal relationship. Using an intersectional approach, the purpose of this study is to investigate contributions to and differences in perceived stress and personal resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic among a sample of predominantly female-identified IPV survivors (n = 41) to examine risks associated with this vulnerable population during disaster.Design/methodology/approachUsing a structured interview guide, IPV survivors were interviewed regarding their perceived stress (i.e. perceived stress scale), personal resilience, (i.e. Connor Davidson Resilience Scale), type of violence experienced (i.e. physical violence), COVID-19-related stressors (i.e. loss of income due to the pandemic) and relevant socio-demographic characteristics (i.e. race).FindingsThese interviews indicate that participants exhibited low levels of resilience and a moderate amount of stress exposure highlighting risk factors associated with experiencing personal violence during disaster.Originality/valueAt the height of their need for support and assistance, the disaster generated additional rent and nutritional stress compounding the pressures violence survivors face. These findings suggest those who are socially vulnerable due to violence need structural support services to cope with disaster and violence-related stresses.

Analysis of clinical medication scheme and nursing measures of acute stress disorder complicated with delirium under the COVID-19

BackgroundCOVID-19 is highly contagious, which has a significant impact on people's physical health and mental health. Under the current COVID-19, some people have negative emotions, such as anger and fear, which have triggered psychological stress, resulting in acute stress disorder of different degrees. Therefore, the study put forward a targeted clinical medication scheme. It applies corresponding nursing measures to explore the role of the targeted medication scheme in improving the mental health and the life quality of patients.Subjects and MethodsAmong the patients with acute stress disorder admitted to our hospital from June 2020 to July 2021, 80 patients with delirium caused by the COVID-19 were selected as research objects according to the medical records and disease analysis. Before using the new clinical medication scheme and nursing measures for treatment, the patients' delirium and stress disorder were evaluated by Stanford Acute Stress Response Questionnaire (SASRQ) and 3-min Confusion Assessment Scale (3D-CAM). Then the new clinical medication scheme and nursing measures was applied for four weeks, including specific medication for acute stress disorder and delirium, and evaluate the disease status again with the two selected scales.ResultsTable 1 shows the results of SASRQ score and 3D-CAM score of 80 selected patients before and after treatment. The results showed that before treatment, both the SASRQ score and the 3D-CAM score showed that the patient had different degrees of delirium and acute stress disorder. After treatment, both the 3D-CAM score and the SASRQ score of the patient decreased significantly, and the symptoms of acute stress disorder complicated with delirium were significantly improved, with a statistically significant difference (P < 0.05).Table 1.Results of SASRQ score and 3D-CAM score of 80 patients before and after treatmentTreatment stagenSASRQ score3D-CAM scoreBefore treatment8045.4±2.346.5±2.1After treatment8038.6±1.639.2±2.5t-21.7120.00P-0.000.00ConclusionsUnder the COVID-19, some people suffer from acute stress disorder and delirium. Therefore, the study put forward a specific clinical medication scheme and nursing measures for these patients, and assessed the acute stress disorder and delirium status before and after treatment through SASRQ and 3D-CAM scales. The results verified the effectiveness of the medication scheme, which had certain clinical application value.

Sojourning mentality, acculturative stress, and mental health among Chinese international students and visiting scholars in the United States

This dissertation bridges the literatures on race, migration, and health to highlight the acculturation experiences and related health implications among Chinese immigrants, particularly sojourning Chinese international students in the US. Due to their temporary stay in the recipient society, Chinese students usually demonstrate a sojourning mentality that is characterized by a strong attachment to their home country and a keen desire to return home after fulfilling their migration goals. This mentality appeared more intense during the COVID-19 pandemic when the migration environment (particularly the anti-Chinese racism) featured a heightened level of hostility to sojourning Chinese immigrants in the US. Therefore, this dissertation utilizes data from multiple sources to investigate how sojourning mentality (and possible changes during the pandemic) interplayed with Chinese students' experiences of acculturation and acculturative stress, and their mental health status. For the first study that comprises my dissertation, I have utilized the nationally representative survey data from the 2002-2003 National Latino and Asian American Study (NLAAS) to investigate the link between acculturation and mental health among Chinese immigrants in the US. Specifically, I have employed weighted OLS regression and binary logistic regression analyses to examine the relationship between acculturative stress and psychological distress among foreign-born Chinese immigrants, and whether such an association persists and varies on the basis of respondents' levels of ethnic identification (the best proxy measure available for sojourning mentality in the NLAAS). My findings indicate that higher levels of ethnic identification are associated with respondents' lower levels of psychological distress. However, for respondents who have stayed in the US for over 20 years, higher levels of ethnic identification are associated with greater vulnerability to psychological distress when they encounter acculturative stress simultaneously. For the second study of my dissertation, I designed and conducted a cross-sectional online survey among Chinese international students and visiting scholars currently studying in the US. The goal was to establish and validate a psychometric scale of sojourning mentality. Using convenience and network sampling, I managed to recruit 698 participants, with 643 qualified responses and a completion rate of 80.7%. Using multiple rounds of exploratory factor analyses (EFA) on a convenience sample of 545 adult Chinese international students and visiting scholars studying in the US, I constructed a 24-item measurement scale of sojourning mentality that is composed of 4 factors, including Attachment to Chinese Identity, Motivations to Stay in the Host Society, Preparedness to Return to China, and Motivations to Leave the Host Society. I further assessed the construct validity of this measurement scale by examining its association with three theoretically related concepts, including acculturative strategy, acculturative stress, and depression. This 4-factor solution accounts for over 60% of the total variance and exhibits satisfactory internal reliability and construct validity. This study is original and unprecedented, as it has established and validated the very first psychometric scale of sojourning mentality. Future research is strongly encouraged to apply this scale to other sojourning population(s), using probabilistic sampling. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Correction

Reports an error in "Socioeconomic crisis and mental health stress among the middle-income group during the COVID-19 pandemic" by Sk. Faijan Bin Halim, Sojal Mridha, Nishad Nasrin, Md. Karimul Islam and Md. Tanvir Hossain (Sociological Spectrum, 2022, Vol 42[2], 119-134). The article listed above was intended to publish as part of the forthcoming "COVID-19: Health Inequities and Pandemic Disasters Yet to Come" special issue, but was mistakenly published in a previous issue. (The following of the original article appeared in record 2022-75958-003). Following the spread of COVID-19, the prolonged lockdown has adversely affected not only the mental health but also the socioeconomic well-being of people, particularly the underprivileged population, across the world. This study was designed to assess the mental health of middle-income people and its association with the socioeconomic crises that emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh. A semi-structured interview schedule in Bangla was administered to conveniently collect the data from 150 participants based on certain specifications. Findings suggest that COVID-19 status, household debt, and depression were significantly associated with mental stress among middle-income people. Depression, on the other hand, was substantially affected by socio-demographic and socioeconomic status as well as their hygiene and government support during the COVID-19 pandemic. Likewise, an individual's anxiety was determined by income during the COVID-19 pandemic, quarantine status, personal hygiene, and socio-demographic factors. To reduce the pandemic-induced stress, depression, and anxiety, the government should provide financial assistance through social safety net and create alternative livelihood opportunities using existing resources. Besides, policymakers should implement community awareness programs about the risk of COVID-19 to minimize both risk of infection and mental health stress. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Frontline, Essential, and Invisible: The Needs of Low-Wage Workers in Hospital Settings During COVID-19.

BACKGROUND: Frontline health care workers are particularly vulnerable to burnout and diminished well-being as they endure COVID-19 pandemic-related stressors. While physicians and nurses are the public face of those experiencing burnout in hospitals, these stressors also affect low-wage workers such as food and housekeeping/janitorial service workers whose roles largely remain "invisible" when conceptualizing the essential health workforce and understanding their needs. This study sought to understand the experiences of frontline essential workers to better support them and prevent burnout. METHODS: Using a semi-structured interview guide, we conducted 20 in-depth qualitative interviews with workers in three U.S. states. Thematic content analysis was conducted to code and analyze interviews. RESULTS: Workers had an average of 5.8 years in their jobs, which included food services, housekeeping/janitorial, and patient transport roles. Analysis revealed four prominent stressors contributing to worker burnout: changes in duties and staff shortages, fear of contracting or transmitting COVID-19, desire for recognition of their job-related risk, and unclear communication on safety precautions and resources. Protective factors included paid time-off, mental health supports, sense of workplace pride, and self-coping strategies. CONCLUSION/APPLICATION TO PRACTICE: As health systems continue to grapple with care delivery in the context of COVID-19, identifying best practices to support all workers and prevent burnout is vital to the functioning and safety of hospitals. Further consideration is warranted to create policies and multipronged interventions to meet workers' tangible needs while shifting the culture, so all members of the health workforce are seen and valued.

Virtual canine comfort: A randomized controlled trial of the effects of a canine-assisted intervention supporting undergraduate wellbeing

Being a university student is known to be a stressful experience, and researchers across studies have reported elevated stress and compromised mental health for university students when compared with findings from the general population. The unexpected disruption to their studies arising from COVID-19 and its corresponding social isolation added to the stress experienced by students. This study assessed the effects of a virtual canine-assisted intervention to support student stress reduction and wellbeing. Participants (n = 467) were recruited from undergraduate psychology classes at a mid-size Western Canadian university and were randomly assigned to either synchronous (i.e., live Zoom) or asynchronous (i.e., pre-recorded YouTube videos) sessions with or without a dog present. An abbreviated, small group dose intervention of five minutes was used and handlers across conditions followed a script that mirrored as closely as possible the dialogue shared during a typical live, in-person visit (i.e., shared information about their dog, asked participants to reflect on their wellbeing, etc.). Measures of wellbeing included 1-item measures of connectedness to campus, loneliness, and stress, the PANAS, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Circumplex Model of Affect, and self-ratings of engagement during the intervention. Results of paired samples t-tests revealed that participants, regardless of condition, reported significant reductions in anxiety, stress, loneliness, and negative affect and more positive emotional states and stronger feelings of connectedness to their campus. Regarding the impact of platform delivery, participants reported greater campus connectedness following their participation in the synchronous conditions;however, type of platform was not associated with other aspects of wellbeing as noted above. As hypothesized, undergraduate students in this study did report feeling less stressed at the end of the intervention when a dog was present. The implications of the findings are discussed within the context of university student wellbeing. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

The psychological impact of COVID-19’s e-learning digital tools on Jordanian university students’ well-being

Purpose: This study aims to depict and probe into the building tension, stress and depression to which Jordanian university students have been vulnerable after the compulsory shift to online learning and their prolonged use of digital tools. Design/methodology/approach: The researchers used a five-construct questionnaire, namely, use of digital tools in e-learning, sleeping habits, social interaction, psychological reactions and academic performance, to elicit the responses of university students in Jordan concerning the psychological impact of COVID-19’s e-learning digital tools on their well-being. In total, 775 university-level students representing Jordanian public and private universities were asked to fill in the questionnaire, and their responses were statistically analyzed. Findings: The results showed that the prolonged use of digital tools, lack of face-to-face interaction and heavy load of assignments have led to anxiety, change of sleeping habit, distraction and a stress-building environment, perhaps resulting in depression. This was aggravated by COVID-19’s strict regulatory measures of social distancing, lockdowns, health threats and eroding family income. The prolonged and escalating social, psychological, loss of affection and worsening economic conditions have increased the number of psychological disorders and a drop in students’ academic performance. Practical implications: This study is useful for educational leaders and policymakers, providing guidance and insights on how higher education institutions can support students’ mental health and psychological well-being, especially in times of crisis. Consequently, the higher education sector should be prepared to function more efficiently and effectively in future emergency situations. Originality/value: While different studies have investigated the impact of COVID-19 on the education sector globally, little attention has been given to developing countries in the Middle East. By focusing on the Jordanian example, the present study will fill a gap in the research endeavors addressing the prolonged use of e-learning digital tools. © 2022, Emerald Publishing Limited.

Generalized anxiety disorder in the health workers of Salud Chacao

Few are the studies and epidemiological data published and updated in Venezuela, regarding generalized anxiety disorder in health workers, whose worldwide prevalence is 30 % to 50 %, with a recent increase due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The objective of this study is to determine the prevalence of generalized anxiety disorder in the health workers of the ambulatory healthcare centers of Salud Chacao, during June- August 2021. The authors carried out a descriptive, cross-sectional, quantitative, and population study, with a sample of 110 health workers, including specialist medical doctors, general physicians, and nurses. The female sex was predominant, and the mean age was of 36.75 ± 12.307 years. 50 % (n = 55) of said sample presented mild anxiety, especially specialist medical doctors (61.8 %;n = 34);44 % (n = 48) referred moderate to severe anxiety, mainly nurses (43.7 %;n = 21);and the remaining 6 % (n = 7) presented mild to moderate anxiety, especially general physicians (85.7 %;n = 6). The prevalence of stress was 67.9 % (n = 75). This study determined that there is a high and statistically significant prevalence of generalized anxiety disorder in the health workers of Salud Chacao, which can be extrapolated to the rest of said workers, both nationally and internationally. © 2021 Academia Nacional de Medicina. All rights reserved.

Mental Health Issues in the COVID-19 Pandemic and Responses in Bangladesh: View Point of Media Reporting.

Background: The negative impact of COVID-19 on mental health has been reported by media throughout the world, although this role is not well-understood in low-and middle-income countries (LMIC). We examined the reporting of mental health issues during the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh and initiatives undertaken to support mental health reported from the viewpoint of media. Methods: We reviewed articles published in 10 local newspapers, including seven Bangla and three English newspapers, during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. News topics were identified through discussions among the team members, with searches across online newspapers and portals. Data extrapolated from newspapers were documented in an Excel spreadsheet. A mixed-method approach was used following a framework analysis for analyzing data. Recurring issues and commonly emerging topics were generated from the data. Descriptive statistics were applied for analyzing quantitative data. Results: Between March 2020 and March 2021, we have identified 201 reports on mental health issues including 45 reports (22.4%) focused on stress due to the associated financial crisis, unemployment and loneliness, 50 reports (24.9%) of 80 apparent suicides linked to family issues, disharmony in conjugal relationships, harassment, sexual violence, emotional breakdown, financial crisis, and stigma due to COVID-19.There were 77 reports (38.3%) concerning domestic violence during the pandemic. Twenty-nine reports (14.4%) referenced actions taken by different organizations to address mental health issues in response to the pandemic in Bangladesh. Conclusion: News coverage has the scope to highlight important issues that can emerge as a consequence of the COVID-pandemic, such as mental health, in a low resource setting. Capacity building of the media on the way to report mental health issues during emergency situations could be a useful strategy for more credible reporting on mental health issues during the COVID-19 pandemic for raising awareness of the public and policymakers about the negative consequences on mental health of the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh. Adopting policies to support essential mental health care and promoting the local organizations to take timely public health measures will be imperative for averting the negative consequences of mental health due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh.

Mental health in the aftermath of COVID-19: A new normal.

The COVID-19 pandemic with its subsequent mental health consequences has challenged the word view of most people. A genome typically of 26,000-32,000 bases long RNA has shut down the wheel of man made progress. The social isolation after the lock-down has not only led to economic difficulties but also adverse psychological reactions. The most common reaction is stress, anxiety and depression when faced with life-threatening circumstances. People have to deal with the imminent issue of death which is anxiety provoking in itself. This calls for dealing with the immediate mental health consequences with the aide of technological advancements as discussed in this write-up. A new inter-personal ethics need to emerge which is scientifically correct and in-line with age old values.