The mediating role of psychological capital in the association between life satisfaction and depressive and anxiety symptoms among Chinese medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Although life satisfaction is a predictor of depressive and anxiety symptoms, the mechanisms underlying this association are poorly understood. This study examined how psychological capital (PsyCap), a positive psychological state, mediated the association between life satisfaction and depressive and anxiety symptoms among Chinese medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted at three medical universities in China. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to 583 students. Depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, life satisfaction, and PsyCap were measured anonymously. A hierarchical linear regression analysis was performed to explore the effects of life satisfaction on depressive and anxiety symptoms. Asymptotic and resampling strategies were used to examine how PsyCap mediates the association between life satisfaction and depressive and anxiety symptoms. RESULTS: Life satisfaction was positively associated with PsyCap and its four components. There were significant negative associations between life satisfaction, psychological capital, resilience, optimism, and depressive and anxiety symptoms among medical students. Self-efficacy was negatively associated with depressive and anxiety symptoms. Psychological capital (a×b = -0.3201, BCa 95% CI: -0.3899, -0.2446; a×b = -0.2749, BCa 95% CI: -0.3817, -0.1996), resilience (a×b = -0.2103, BCa 95% CI: -0.2727, -0.1580; a×b = -0.1871, BCa 95% CI: -0.2520, -0.1414), optimism (a×b = -0.2100, BCa 95% CI: -0.3388, -0.1150; a×b = -0.1998, BCa 95% CI: -0.3307, -0.0980), and self-efficacy (a×b = -0.0916, BCa 95% CI: 0.0048, 0.11629; a×b = 0.1352, BCa 95% CI: 0.0336, 0.2117) significantly mediated the association between life satisfaction and depressive and anxiety symptoms. LIMITATIONS: This was a cross-sectional study, and causal relationships between the variables could not be ascertained. Self-reported questionnaire instruments were used for data collection, which may have recall bias. CONCLUSIONS: Life satisfaction and PsyCap can be used as positive resources to reduce depressive and anxiety symptoms among third-year Chinese medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Psychological capital and its components (self-efficacy, resilience, and optimism) partially mediated the relationship between life satisfaction and depressive symptoms, and completely mediated the relationship between life satisfaction and anxiety symptoms. Therefore, improving life satisfaction and investing in psychological capital (especially self-efficacy, resilience, and optimism) should be included in the prevention and treatment of depressive and anxiety symptoms among third-year Chinese medical students. Additional attention is needed to pay for self-efficacy in such disadvantageous contexts.

Factors affecting the self-efficacy of medical teachers during a health crisis - a qualitative study on the example of the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: The diversity of tasks entrusted to medical teachers with their simultaneous responsibility for the safety of patients and the effective education of future healthcare professionals requires maintaining a skillful balance between their teaching, scientific and clinical activities. Meanwhile, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the work of both healthcare facilities and medical universities, forcing already overworked medical teachers to establish a new balance. One's ability to perform effectively in new, ambiguous, or unpredictable situations was described by Albert Bandura as a self-efficacy concept. Consequently, this study aimed to identify factors affecting the self-efficacy of medical teachers and the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on them. METHODS: Twenty-five semi-structured interviews with medical teachers were conducted using a flexible thematic guide. They were transcribed and analyzed by two independent researchers (researcher triangulation) with phenomenology as the qualitative approach. RESULTS: Identified themes demonstrate a process of the evolvement of clinical teachers' self-efficacy in response to the sudden outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, namely the decline of self-efficacy in the first phase of the crisis, followed by building task-specific self-efficacy and the development of general self-efficacy. CONCLUSIONS: The study shows the significance of providing care and support for medical teachers during a health crisis. Crisis management decision-makers at educational and healthcare institutions should consider the different roles of medical teachers and the possibility of overburden associated with the cumulation of the excessive number of patient, didactic, and research duties. Moreover, faculty development initiatives and teamwork should become a vital part of the organizational culture of medical universities. A dedicated tool acknowledging the specificity and context of medical teachers' work seems necessary to quantitatively evaluate their sense of self-efficacy.

Exercise Self-efficacy Improvements During Cardiac Rehabilitation: IMPACT OF SOCIAL DISPARITIES.

PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to determine exercise self-efficacy improvements during cardiac rehabilitation (CR) and identify predictors of exercise self-efficacy change in CR participants. METHODS: Patients with coronary heart disease at four metropolitan CR sites completed the Exercise Self-efficacy Scale at entry and completion. A general linear model identified independent predictors of change in exercise self-efficacy. RESULTS: The mean age of patients (n = 194) was 65.9 ± 10.5 yr, and 81% were males. The majority (80%) were married or partnered, 76% were White, and 24% were from an ethnic minority background. Patients received CR in-person (n = 91, 47%) or remote-delivered (n = 103, 54%). Exercise self-efficacy mean scores improved significantly from 25.2 ± 5.8 at CR entry to 26.2 ± 6.3 points at completion ( P = .025). The majority of patients (59%) improved their self-efficacy scores, 34% worsened, and 7% had no change. Predictors of reduced exercise self-efficacy change were being from an ethnic minority (B =-2.96), not having a spouse/partner (B =-2.42), attending in-person CR (B =1.75), and having higher exercise self-efficacy at entry (B =-0.37) (adjusted R2 = 0.247). CONCLUSIONS: Confidence for self-directed exercise improves in most, but not all, patients during CR. Those at risk for poor improvement (ethnic minorities, single patients) may need extra or tailored support, and screening for exercise self-efficacy at CR entry and completion is recommended. Differences identified from CR delivery mode need exploration using robust methods to account for complex factors.

An exploratory cross-sectional study of the effects of ongoing relationships with accompanying patients on cancer care experience, self-efficacy, and psychological distress.

BACKGROUND: Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal in Canada introduced accompanying patients (APs) into the breast cancer care trajectory. APs are patients who have been treated for breast cancer and have been integrated into the clinical team to expand the services offered to people affected by cancer. This study describes the profiles of the people who received the support and explores whether one-offs vs ongoing encounters with APs influence their experience of care, on self-efficacy in coping with cancer, and on their level of psychological distress. METHODS: An exploratory cross-sectional study was carried out among patients to compare patients who had one encounter with an AP (G1) with those who had had several encounters (G2). Five questionnaires were administered on socio-demographic characteristics, care pathway, evaluation of the support experience, self-efficacy in coping with cancer, and level of psychological distress. Logbooks, completed by the APs, determined the number of encounters. Linear regression models were used to evaluate the associations between the number of encounters, patient characteristics, care pathway, number of topics discussed, self-efficacy measures in coping with cancer, and level of psychological distress. RESULTS: Between April 2020 and December 2021, 60% of 535 patients who were offered support from an AP accepted. Of these, one hundred and twenty-four patients participated in the study. The study aimed to recruit a minimum of 70 patients with the expectation of obtaining at least 50 participants, assuming a response rate of 70%. There were no differences between G1 and G2 in terms of sociodemographic data and care pathways. Statistical differences were found between G1 and G2 for impacts on and the return to daily life (p = 0.000), the return to the work and impacts on professional life (p = 0.044), announcement of a diagnosis to family and friends (p = 0.033), and strategies for living with treatment under the best conditions (p = 0.000). Significant differences were found on the topics of cancer (p = 0.000), genetic testing (p = 0.023), therapeutic options (p = 0.000), fatigue following treatment (p = 0.005), pain and discomfort after treatment or surgery (p = 0.000), potential emotions and their management (p = 0.000) and the decision-making processes (p = 0.011). A significant relationship was found between the two groups for patients' ability to cope with cancer (p = 0.038), and their level of psychological distress at different stages of the care pathway (p = 0.024). CONCLUSIONS: This study shows differences between one-time and ongoing support for cancer patients. It highlights the potential for APs to help patients develop self-efficacy and cope with the challenges of cancer treatment.

Nursing students' learning commitment, self-efficacy and grit during the COVID 19 pandemic: Quantitative empirical research on adaptation to college life.

AIMS: To examine the learning commitment, self-efficacy, grit and adaptation to college life among Korean nursing students, under the prolonged COVID-19 situation, and identify the factors that affect their adaptation to college life. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study. METHODS: The participants were 247 nursing students. The instruments used in the study were the Learning Commitment Scale for Adults, Self-Efficacy Scale, Grit Scale and Campus Life Adaptation Scale (developed for Korean nursing students). A multiple linear regression analysis was conducted using SPSS 23.0. RESULTS: Adaptation to college life had significant positive correlations with learning commitment, self-efficacy and grit. Moreover, self-efficacy and learning commitment were key correlators for adapting to college life.

Self-efficacy and resilience as predictors of students' academic motivation in online education.

Motivation as a catalyst for human conduct has been associated with lots of variables. However, self-efficacy and resilience as two important components of the individuals' psychological capital have not received enough scientific attention. This gets more significance considering the global COVID-19 pandemic with noticeable psychological consequences for the learners receiving online education. Hence, the current study proceeded to investigate the relationship between students' self-efficacy, resilience, and academic motivation in online education. To this aim, a convenience sample of 120 university students coming from two state universities in south of Iran participated in an online survey. The questionnaires used in the survey included the self-efficacy questionnaire, resilience questionnaire, and academic motivation questionnaire. Pearson correlation and multiple regression statistical methods were applied to analyze the obtained data. The results pointed to a positive relationship between self-efficacy and academic motivation. In addition, those with a higher degree of resilience were found to experience higher academic motivation. Moreover, the results of multiple regression test revealed that self-efficacy and resilience can significantly predict the academic motivation of the students involved in an online mode of education. The research proposes a number of recommendations for developing the learners' level of self-efficacy and resilience through enacting various pedagogical interventions. In this way, a heightened level of academic motivation would enhance EFL learners' learning rate.

Psychological distress and academic self-efficacy of nursing undergraduates under the normalization of COVID-19: multiple mediating roles of social support and mindfulness.

BACKGROUND: Nursing undergraduates' academic self-efficacy is a significant factor in determining their learning motivation, cognition, and emotions. It has a significant impact on improving academic performance and achieving learning goals. METHODS: To explore the mechanism of psychological distress affecting the academic self-efficacy of nursing undergraduates, the generalized anxiety disorder scale-7, patient health questionnaire-9, academic self-efficacy scale, perceived social support scale and mindful attention awareness scale were conducted. RESULTS: Model fitness indexes of the structural equation model is good (CMIN/DF = 1.404, RMSEA = 0.042, GFI = 0.977, IFI = 0.977, TLI = 0.954, CFI = 0.975, NFI = 0.923). Structural equation model analysis showed that social support and mindfulness were the mediating variables of psychological distress on academic self-efficacy. Mediating variables accounted for 44% of the total effect value (- 0.3) with a value of - 0.132. Three paths were verified: psychological distress indirectly affected academic self-efficacy through social support (- 0.064); psychological distress indirectly affected academic self-efficacy through mindfulness (- 0.053); psychological distress indirectly affected academic self-efficacy through social support and mindfulness (- 0.015). CONCLUSIONS: Social support and mindfulness play significant mediating roles in the effect of psychological distress on academic self-efficacy, and the chain mediating role of social support and mindfulness is also significant. Educators may mitigate the impact of psychological distress on academic self-efficacy by enhancing students' social support and mindfulness.

Improving Nurse Self-Efficacy in Caring for Critical Care Obstetric Patients.

Few studies have examined the experiences of critical care nurses in caring for critically ill obstetric patients; however, preliminary evidence indicates low self-efficacy among nurses. This quasi-experimental pre-/posttest study explored changes in self-efficacy after the provision of real-time education to critical care nurses. There was an increase in self-reported scores after participation in the professional development program, showing that a single education session has an impact on nursing perceived self-efficacy in the care of this patient population. [J Contin Educ Nurs. 2023;54(5):208-215.].

Reported Self-Efficacy of Health Educators During COVID-19.

The COVID-19 pandemic forced many public health professionals to take on new roles such as online teaching, communicating, and managing; serving on the frontlines of patient care; and serving as health education resource personnel. Researchers of this study posed the question: How has the pandemic impacted those who serve to help others? Seven aspects of self-efficacy in professional practice were examined via an online survey sent to health educators. Respondents were extremely confident communicating with their colleagues and supervisors (60%) and with students (51%), but only 19% were extremely confident in maintaining a work-life balance and 22% in managing personal and professional stress. Respondents reported being confident in all areas of responsibilities, overall, but they were most confident in Area 8 (ethics and professionalism) and least confident in Area 1 (assessing the needs and capacity of a community) since COVID-19. Findings imply a need for more professional development opportunities to foster professional and personal self-efficacy and to improve self-efficacy in needs assessment, leadership, and advocacy. Findings also show a need for workplace or state-based interventions to support resiliency and self-care among professionals who work to serve others.

Psychosocial Factors Predict Mask-Wearing: A Longitudinal Study Across 3 Phases of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Determinants of mask-wearing during a pandemic range from the personal to the political. Using a repeated measures design, we examined psychosocial predictors of self-reported mask-wearing 3 times during the early stage of the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants completed surveys at baseline (summer 2020), 3 months (fall 2020), and 6 months (winter 2020-2021). The survey assessed the frequency of mask-wearing and psychosocial predictors from various theories, including fear of COVID-19, perceived severity, perceived susceptibility, attitude, health locus of control, and self-efficacy. Results indicated that the strongest predictors of mask-wearing varied as a function of the stage in the pandemic. In the earliest phase, fear of COVID-19 and perceived severity were the strongest predictors. Three months later, attitude was the strongest predictor. Finally, another 3 months later, self-efficacy became the strongest predictor. Overall, the results suggest that the primary determinants of a novel protective behavior shift over time and with increased familiarity.

Self-perception and COVID-19 vaccination self-efficacy among Chinese adults: A moderated mediation model of mental health and trust.

BACKGROUND: Optimal Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination coverage is necessary to achieve community protection, and self-efficacy independently predict vaccination behavior. The current study examined the effect of self-perception on COVID-19 vaccination self-efficacy as well as potential mechanisms among Chinese adults. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted from four cities in China (n = 6781). Models 4 and 8 in Hayes' PROCESS macro were used to test models. RESULTS: Self-perception (ß = 0.128, 95 % CI: 0.093, 0.163) and self-perception ∗ mental health (ß = 0.009, 95 % CI: 0.003, 0.014) were positively associated with trust in doctors and vaccine developers, while mental health was negatively related to trust in doctors and vaccine developers (ß = -0.483, 95 % CI: -0.629, -0.337). Self-perception (ß = 0.149, 95 % CI: 0.138, 0.161), trust in doctors and vaccine developers (ß = 0.185, 95 % CI: 0.177, 0.194) and self-perception ∗ mental health (ß = 0.003, 95 % CI: 0.002, 0.005) were positively associated with COVID-19 vaccination self-efficacy. Mental health was negatively related to COVID-19 vaccination self-efficacy (ß = -0.101, 95 % CI: -0.151, -0.051). LIMITATIONS: This cross-sectional study collected data through online questionnaires. CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrated that the relationship between self-perception and COVID-19 vaccination self-efficacy was partially mediated by trust in doctors and vaccine developers. Both the correlation between self-perception and COVID-19 vaccination self-efficacy, and the relationship between self-perception and trust in doctors and vaccine developers were moderated by mental health. Findings confirm that increasing COVID-19 vaccination self-efficacy would be facilitated by improvements in self-perception, mental health, and trust in doctors and vaccine developers.

Nurses' self-efficacy and well-being at work amid the COVID-19 pandemic: A mixed-methods study.

AIMS: To explore the factors associated with the nurses' well-being at work. DESIGN: A sequential explanatory mixed-methods design. METHODS: The quantitative part of the study included a conveniently sampled 271 nurses employed in healthcare facilities in the Riyadh region of Saudi Arabia. A purposive sample of 21 nurses were interviewed in the qualitative part of the study. Data collection was performed from May to August 2021. This article followed the STROBE checklist. RESULTS: Nurses working in private hospitals reported higher level of self-efficacy than nurses in public hospitals. Being a Filipino, working in private hospital, and having higher self-efficacy were associated with better well-being at work among nurses during the pandemic. The thematic analysis revealed four important themes in understanding their well-being at work: safe work environment, ensuring staff nurses' health, leadership support, and solidarity in the workplace.

Effects of Cognitive Appraisals on Perceived Self-Efficacy and Distress during the COVID-19 Lockdown: An Empirical Analysis Based on Structural Equation Modeling.

During the COVID-19 lockdown, individuals and households had to responsibly manage the difficulties and problems caused by the restrictions on their mobility, such as the interruptions to work schedules, insecure food supplies, and the procurement of services and health care. The perceptions of risk as well as the fear of disease were strongly linked to worry, defined as a sequence of thoughts that evoke negative emotions and elevated levels of anxiety and distress. This study evaluated how different cognitive appraisals of an individual's sources of worry could influence their perceived self-efficacy and directly or indirectly moderate their perceived general distress. A sample of 544 participants completed a survey that included questions based on the generalized self-efficacy scale, the sources of concern during the epidemic, the cognitive appraisal scale in emergency, and perceived discomfort. Subsequently, a structural-equation-modeling (SEM) analysis was performed to test the moderating role of cognitive appraisals and perceived self-efficacy on participants' overall distress during a lockdown. Overall, the model reported acceptable fit values and confirmed the hypotheses of the study. An individual's worries activated either a dysfunctional threat appraisal, which prompted a fear-and-closure response that then increased their overall state of distress; or two other functional appraisals (i.e., adaptive or supportive) that contributed to significantly improving the individual's self-efficacy. Higher self-efficacy was shown to be associated with lower levels of perceived distress. For the purposes of prevention and distress containment, it would be appropriate to promote psycho-educational interventions that promote the adoption of appraisal strategies that are functional and beneficial for perceived self-efficacy.

Relationship between Anxiety, Depression and Learning Burnout of Nursing Undergraduates after the COVID-19 Epidemic: The Mediating Role of Academic Self-Efficacy.

BACKGROUND: Although cross-sectional studies on the learning status of nursing undergraduates during the COVID-19 epidemic have surged, few studies have explored the normalization of COVID-19 on students' learning burnout and mental health. The study was designed to investigate the learning burnout of nursing undergraduates in school under the normalization of the COVID-19 epidemic and explore the hypothesized mediation effect of academic self-efficacy in the relationship between anxiety, depression and learning burnout in Chinese nursing undergraduates. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among nursing undergraduates in the school of nursing of a university in Jiangsu Province, China (n = 227). A general information questionnaire, College Students' Learning Burnout Questionnaire, Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7), and Patient Health Questionnaire depression scale (PHQ-9) were administered. Descriptive statistical analysis, Pearson correlation analysis, and multiple linear regression analysis were performed via SPSS 26.0. Process plug-in (Model 4) was used to test the mediating effect of academic self-efficacy (bootstrap 5000 iterations, α = 0.05). RESULTS: Learning burnout (54.1 ± 0.656) was positively correlated with anxiety (4.6 ± 0.283) and depression (5.3 ± 0.366) (p < 0.01) and was negatively correlated with academic self-efficacy (74.41 ± 0.674) (p < 0.01). Academic self-efficacy plays a mediating role between anxiety and learning burnout (0.395/0.493, 80.12%) and a mediating role between depression and learning burnout (0.332/0.503, 66.00%). CONCLUSION: Academic self-efficacy has a significant predictive effect on learning burnout. Schools and teachers should strengthen the screening and counselling of students' psychological problems, detect learning burnout caused by emotional problems in advance and improve students' initiative and enthusiasm for learning.

Perceived social support and professional identity in nursing students during the COVID-19 pandemic era: the mediating effects of self-efficacy and the moderating role of anxiety.

BACKGROUND: Health professionals, including nurses, experienced heavy workloads and significant physical and mental health challenges during the coronavirus disease (COVID) 19 pandemic, which may affect career choices for those considering nursing and for nursing students. The COVID-19 pandemic is not only a period of risk, but also an occasion to redeploy the professional identity (PI) of nursing students. However, the relationship between perceived social support (PSS), self-efficacy (SE), PI and anxiety remains unclear under the background of COVID-19. This study aims to explore whether PSS has an indirect effect on PI through mediation of SE and whether the anxiety can moderate the relationship between PSS and SE in nursing students during their internship period. METHODS: An observational, national cross-sectional study was conducted following the STROBE guidelines. An online questionnaire was completed by 2,457 nursing students from 24 provinces in China during their internship during September to October 2021. Measures included Chinese translations of the Professional Identity Questionnaire for Nursing Students, the Perceived Social Support Scale, the General Self-Efficacy Scale, the 7-item Generalized Anxiety disorder scale. RESULTS: Both PSS (r = 0.46, p < 0.001) and SE (r = 0.51, p < 0.001) were positively correlated with PI. The indirect effect of PSS on PI through SE was positive (ß = 0.348, p < 0.001), with an effect of 72.7%. The results of the moderating effect analysis showed that anxiety attenuated the effect of PSS on SE. Moderation models indicated that anxiety has a weak negative moderating effect on the effect of PSS on SE (ß =-0.0308, p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: A better PSS and higher scores in SE were associated with PI in nursing students, and a better PSS had an indirect effect on the PI of nursing students through SE. Anxiety played a negative moderating role in the relationship between PSS and SE.

The effectiveness of an internet-based support program on maternal self-efficacy, postpartum depression and social support for primiparous women during the COVID-19 pandemic: Randomized controlled trial.

Background: Many primiparous women usually encounter various parenting and mental health issues after childbirth. The effects of intervention based on internet platform on parenting and mental health outcomes for Chinese first-time mothers remain unknown during the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, our research aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of an internet-based support program (ISP) on maternal self-efficacy (MSE), postpartum depression (PPD) and social support for primiparous women amid the pandemic. Methods: A multicenter randomized controlled trial (RCT) was conducted. From May 2020 to March 2021, 242 primiparous women were recruited in the maternity wards of two hospitals in Shenzhen City, China and randomly assigned to the intervention group and the control group. Women in control group (n = 118) received the routine postpartum care, and women in intervention group (n = 118) accessed to the ISP intervention (expert education and peer support) and routine postpartum care. Intervention outcomes were measured at baseline before randomization (T0), post-intervention (T1), and three-month follow up (T2) through questionnaires. The chi-square (χ2), the independent sample t-test and the repeated measures multivariate analysis of covariance were performed, and the two-tailed p-value <0.05 was regarded as statistically significant. Results: In comparison with women in the control group, women in the intervention group had a significantly higher score of MSE at T1 (mean: 73.53, standard deviation [SD]: 6.21) and at T2 (mean: 72.90, SD: 6.73); and a lower score of PPD at T1(mean: 6.03, SD: 2.50) and T2 (mean: 5.70, SD: 2.23); and a higher score of social support at T1 (mean: 45.70, SD: 3.73), but no significant difference at T2 (mean: 42.90, SD: 3.29). Conclusions: The effect of ISP was evaluated to significantly increase the levels of MSE, social support, and to alleviate PPD symptoms for Chinese first-time mothers. As an effective and easily accessible intervention, ISP could become a significant source for health professionals to support primiparous women on parenting and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. Trial registration: The trial is registered at the Chinese Clinical Trials Registry (ChiCTR2000033154).

The influence of deliberate rumination on the post-traumatic growth of college students during the COVID-19 pandemic and the moderating role of self-efficacy.

Objective: To understand the relationship between deliberate rumination and post-traumatic growth and the mechanisms affecting this relationship, we constructed an adjustment model to test the impact of deliberate rumination on the post-traumatic growth of college students and the moderating role of self-efficacy during the 2019 COVID-19 pandemic. Study design and setting: A total of 881 college students from a university of science and technology in Guangdong Province, China, completed a questionnaire that measured deliberate rumination, post-traumatic growth, and self-efficacy. SPSS (version 26) and the PROCESS plug-in (version 4.0) were used for correlation and moderation analyses. Results: The correlation analysis showed that deliberate rumination was positively correlated with post-traumatic growth (r = 0.353, P < 0.01) and self-efficacy (r = 0.261, P < 0.01). Self-efficacy was also positively correlated with post-traumatic growth (r = 0.466, P < 0.01). In addition, we found that self-efficacy had a regulatory effect on the relationship between deliberate rumination and post-traumatic growth (R 2 = 0.287, P < 0.001) and that this effect was significant. Conclusion: The results show that deliberate rumination can be a positive predictor of post-traumatic growth and can play a certain role in fostering such growth. In addition, self-efficacy is a moderator that plays a buffer role between deliberate rumination and post-traumatic growth. These results contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms that affect post-traumatic growth.

Effect of a One-Time Communication Training Session on Dental Students' Self-Efficacy Expectancy.

An implementation of training units that provide evidence for improving students' communication skills in the dental curriculum is now more than ever of utmost importance. This study aimed to investigate how students assess their skills after communication training and whether this training also increased students' self-efficacy expectancy. A total of 32 male and 71 female students with a mean age of 25.6 ± 3.9 years participated in the study. Self-assessment of communication skills and self-efficacy expectancies were collected at two time points using Likert scales. Our study shows that the communication training, consisting of a practical exercise with actors and an online theory module, significantly improved the students' self-assessment of their communication skills and also improved some aspects of self-efficacy expectancy. These results indicate that, in addition to the practical and technical-theoretical training of students, communication training is essential in the dental curriculum. In summary, this study showed that a one-time practical exercise with actors together with an online theory module could improve both the self-assessment of communication competence and some aspects of self-efficacy expectancy, which demonstrates the importance of training communication skills alongside practical and technical-theoretical training.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on self-efficacy scores and intensity of depressiveness in people aged over 60 years providing kinship foster care.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study has been to investigate whether the COVID-19 pandemic has had impact on self-efficacy scores and intensity of depressive severity in people aged over 60 who provide kinship foster care to their grandchildren. METHODS: The study subjects were selected from among individuals aged over 60 years providing kinship foster care to their grand-children. The participants were asked to complete the Generalised Self-Efficacy Scale (GSE) and the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) before and during the pandemic. The questionnaire was com-pleted in whole twice by 40 participants. RESULTS: There are no statistically significant differences between the GSE and GDS scores obtained before and during the pandemic. In study subjects with the oldest child in foster care aged 10 years or less, the GDS score decreased in a statistically sig-nificant way (p = 0.03). The correlation coefficient of the GSE and GDS scores before the pandemic was - 0.46 (p = 0.003), while that of scores during the pandemic was - 0.43 (p = 0.006). CONCLUSIONS: Neither the sense of self-efficacy nor the intensity of depressiveness of the study subjects changed significantly during the pandemic. Both before and during the pandemic, the increase in depressiveness was associated with a decrease in self-efficacy.