ABSTRACT
Introduction: Few studies have explored the correlations between personality traits and mental health during the outbreak period of the COVID-19 pandemic. Students' academic success, interpersonal interactions, and propensity for mental illnesses are all impacted by their sleep quality. One of the recognised elements influencing a person's sleep design is their personality. Medical students' personality and academic success are both negatively impacted by poor sleep quality. Aim(s): The current research looked into the connection between personality traits and sleep quality among medical students in Post Covid-19 Pandemic Lockdown in Erode, Tamil Nadu. Material(s) and Method(s): 288 undergraduate medical students participated in a cross-sectional study that was performed on an institutional level. Structured questionnaires that were administered by interviewers were used to gather the data. Medical students learning in Erode had their personality and sleep quality evaluated using the NEO personality inventory (NEO-PI) and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Result(s): 226 (78.5%) of the 288 medical students said they had poor sleep. The results of our study demonstrate a significant correlation between neuroticism and the global PSQI score (P< 0.05). Students who slept poorly scored more highly on the neuroticism scale. The findings show that, among students during the COVID-19 outbreak, personality characteristics were risk factors for psychological disorders. Our findings might serve as a guide for those conducting psychological disorder screenings. Conclusion(s): In the Post Covid-19 Pandemic Lockdown, medical students who don't get enough sleep become neurotic. Medical students' mental health and academic success are impacted by COVID-19. The findings show that, among students during the COVID-19 outbreak, personality characteristics were risk factors for psychological disorders. Future research on these personality traits may help to better understand how sleep disorders affect academic achievement.Copyright © 2023, Dr Yashwant Research Labs Pvt Ltd. All rights reserved.
ABSTRACT
Introduction: More evidence confirms a link between maladaptive personality traits and Non-suicidal Self-injury (NSSI). Research suggests that individuals with NSSI were found to have higher levels of negative affect, detachment, antagonism, and psychoticism. Additionally, the interest in the relationship between COVID-19 and NSSI is growing. The present study aims (a) to investigate differences in personality traits between individuals with NSSI, suicidal ideation, NSSI and suicidal ideation co-occurrence and none;(b) to observe which personality traits predominantly influence the occurrence of self-harm acts;(c) to investigate the effects of COVID-19 on selfharm attitude. Method(s): 270 (108 males and 172 females) participants aged between 18-25 were included in the study. Each individual participated in a clinical interview and completed an assessment consisting of the Personality Inventory for DSM-5 (PID-5) and the Health of the Nation Outcome Scales (HoNOS). A multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was conducted to test the differences in personality traits between the groups. Moreover, a multiple hierarchical regression analysis, controlling for age and gender, was performed to measure the association between personality traits and self-harm attitude (HoNOS item 2). Finally, to investigate whether there was a difference in self-harm attitude before and after the pandemic, a T-test was conducted. Result(s): The individuals with the highest levels of negative affectivity, detachment, antagonism, and psychoticism are those who simultaneously present suicidal ideation and NSSI. Additionally, age and detachment predicted higher scores in self-harm attitudes. Our results unexpectedly do not confirm an upward trend of NSSI and suicidal ideation in the pandemic period. Conclusion(s): The study shows that personality, particularly maladaptive traits, is fundamental to a greater understanding of NSSIs. Furthermore, as NSSIs and suicidal ideation are predictive (although not determinative) of suicidal attempts, implementing psychotherapeutic treatments would have a conspicuous impact on self-harm attitudes, thereby reducing suicidal ideation and suicide attempts.
ABSTRACT
Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has considerably influenced all the domains of people's lives worldwide, determining a high increase in overall psychological distress and several clinical conditions. The study attempted to shed light on the relationship between strategies adopted to manage the pandemic, vaccine hesitancy, and distinct features of personality and mental functioning. Method(s): The sample consisted of 367 Italian individuals (68.1% women, 31.9% men;M age=37, SD=12.79) who completed an online survey including an instrument assessing four response styles to the pandemic and lockdown(s) (RSPL;Tanzilli et al., 2021), the Personality Inventory for DSM-5-Brief Form (PID-BF;Krueger et al., 2013), the Defense Mechanisms Rating Scales-Self-Report-30 (DMRS-SR-30;Di Giuseppe et al., 2020, 2014), the Reflective Functioning Questionnaire (RFQ;Fonagy et al., 2016), and the Epistemic Trust, Mistrust, Credulity Questionnaire (ETMCQ;Campbell et al., 2021). Result(s): Maladaptive response patterns to pandemic restrictions were related to dysfunctional personality traits, immature defense mechanisms, poor mentalization, and epistemic mistrust or credulity. Moreover, more severe levels of personality pathology was predictive of an extraverted-maladaptive response style to health emergency through the full mediation of low overall defensive functioning, poor certainty of others' mental states, and high epistemic credulity. Conclusion(s): Recognizing and understanding dysfunctional psychological pathways associated with individuals' difficulties in dealing with the pandemic are crucial for developing tailored mental health interventions and promoting best practices in healthcare services.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To identify possible associations between premorbid personality traits and cognitive impairment and affective symptoms in patients who have recovered from COVID-19. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 30 people with the so-called post-COVID syndrome. The diagnosis of COVID-19 was previously confirmed by laboratory tests in each patient. The control group included 15 healthy individuals. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale was used to assess depression and anxiety. Cognitive function was assessed using the Verbal Fluency Test (VF), the Montreal Cognitive Scale (MOCA), and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST). The Munich Personality Test (MRT) and the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-26) were used to assess premorbid personality characteristics. Multiple stepwise regression analysis was used as the main statistical method to identify the relationship between premorbid personality constructs and cognitive test results and affective and anxiety symptoms. RESULTS: The presence of frustration tolerance in the personality structure reduced the number of incorrect answers (beta coefficient -0.811) in WCST and decreased the delay in responses with positive reinforcement (-0.630), and also reduced the level of depression (-0.465). Extraversion decreased the MOCA test score (-0.675) and increased the percentage of perseverative incorrect answers on the WCST test (0.573). The constructs of adherence to social norms and propensity to isolate lowered the final MOCA score (beta coefficients are -0.725 and -0.527, respectively). The esoteric tendencies construct decreased the latency of positive and negative reinforcement responses in WCST (-0.441 and -0.528, respectively). The severity of alexithymia was positively correlated with depression (beta 0.577), while neuroticism was positively correlated with anxiety (0.737). CONCLUSION: Low levels of frustration tolerance and esoteric tendencies have negative effects on cognition in COVID-19 survivors, while high levels of these constructs are protective against cognitive decline and depression.