Fake news during the war in Ukraine: coping strategies and fear of war in the general population of Romania and in aid workers.

Introduction: In addition to the health crisis that erupted during the COVID-19 pandemic, the war between Russia and Ukraine is impacting the mental health and wellbeing of the Romanian population in a negative way. Objectives: This study sets out to investigate the impact that social media consumption and an overload of information related to the armed conflict between Russia and Ukraine is having on the distribution of fake news among Romanians. In addition, it explores the way in which several psychological features, including resilience, general health, perceived stress, coping strategies, and fear of war, change as a function of exposure to traumatic events or interaction with victims of war. Methods: Participants (N = 633) completed the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ), the CERQ scale with its nine subscales, the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and the BRS scale (Brief Resilience Scale), the last of which measures resilience. Information overload, information strain and the likelihood of the person concerned spreading fake news were assessed by adapting items related to these variables. Findings: Our results suggest that information strain partially moderates the relationship between information overload and the tendency to spread false information. Also, they indicate that information strain partially moderates the relationship between time spent online and the tendency to spread false information. Furthermore, our findings imply that there are differences of high and moderate significance between those who worked with refugees and those who did not as regards fear of war and coping strategies. We found no practical differences between the two groups as regards general health, level of resilience and perceived stress. Conclusion and recommendations: The importance of discovering the reasons why people share false information is discussed, as is the need to adopt strategies to combat this behavior, including infographics and games designed to teach people how to detect fake news. At the same time, aid workers need to be further supported to maintain a high level of psychological wellbeing.

The impact of the Russian-Ukrainian war on the mental health of Italian people after 2 years of the pandemic: risk and protective factors as moderators.

Objective: This contribution aimed at investigating the moderating role of risk (e.g., the negative influence of COVID-19 on mental health) and protective (e.g., post-traumatic growth) factors on the relationship between the concern for war and stress and anxiety/depression levels among Italian people. Methods: A questionnaire that included sociodemographic characteristics, the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-4), the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-4), the Brief Resilience Scale (BRS), the Post-Traumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI), and questions formulated ad hoc about concern for war was administered online. A sample of 755 participants (65.4% females, mean age = 32.39, SD = 12.64, range = 18-75) was recruited by convenience and snowball sampling. The researchers spread the link to the questionnaire to their acquaintances asking them to fill it out and to recruit other people. Results: Results showed that concern for war significantly augmented the levels of stress and anxiety/depression in Italian people. Being a healthcare professional or having a chronic illness negatively moderated the effect of concern for war on stress and anxiety/depression. Instead, the negative influence of COVID-19 on mental health positively moderated the effect of concern for war on stress. Moreover, the overall positive changes after trauma and four of its five scales (i.e., Relating to Others, New Possibilities, Personal Strength, and Spiritual Change), negatively moderated the effect of concern for war on anxiety/depression. Conclusions: In conclusion, concern about the Russian-Ukrainian war affects the mental health of the Italian population even if they are not directly involved in the conflict.

Perceived posttraumatic growth and its psychosocial predictors during two consecutive COVID-19 lockdowns

This study seeks to expand previous research by examining (a) the prevalence rates of posttraumatic growth (PTG) and its potential predictors (posttraumatic stress symptoms [PTSS], perceived stress, adaptive coping strategies, social support) during the first and second lockdown in the general population of Greece, and (b) the mediating role of the stress indicators (PTSS/perceived stress) in the relationship between positive reframing and PTG. A sample of 1,361 participants (1.009 in the first lockdown and 352 in the second lockdown) completed the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5), The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory, the Brief Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced Inventory and the ENRICHD Social Support Instrument (ESSI). Moderate levels of PTG were found during both lockdowns. PTG did not significantly increase during the second lockdown. PTG was associated with PTSS during the first lockdown and with perceived stress during the second one;these two stress indicators partially mediated the positive reframing-PTG relationship in the first and second lockdown, respectively. Both adaptive and maladaptive coping strategies predicted PTG during the first lockdown, whereas only adaptive coping strategies predicted PTG during the second lockdown. Perceived social support, emotional during the first lockdown and instrumental during the second one, predicted PTG during the two lockdowns, respectively. The results of this study may enhance our understanding of PTG and its predictor to inform the design of interventions moving beyond growth cognitions into growth actions. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Diabetes Mellitus Type 1 During the COVID 19: Psychological Symptoms and Eating Attitudes.

BACKGROUND: Diabetes Mellitus Type 1 is a chronic metabolic disorder the treatment of which extremely burdens the patient. The lockdown, as a measure to prevent the spreading of the 2019 corona virus disease, was a major challenge for the general public. People with chronic diseases, such as T1D patients, have complex emotional and psychological needs and are at increased risk for both depressive symptoms and anxiety. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of body mass index of T1D patients on the psychological symptoms and eating habits, as well as the prognostic factors of the psychological symptoms during the lockdown period. METHOD: Diabetes mellitus patients were invited to complete this survey from the outpatient Diabetes clinic of the General Hospital of Chania and the "AHEPA" General University Hospital of Thessaloniki in Greece. Psychological symptoms were assessed using the DASS-42 questionnaire and eating habits were assessed using the EAT-26 questionnaire. RESULTS: Overall, 112 T1D patients were analyzed (response rate: 28.8%). Obese T1D patients appear to be at greater risk of developing psychological symptoms such as depression, anxiety, and stress. Furthermore, disordered eating behaviors and bulimia and food preoccupation subscale were associated with psychological symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggested that obese T1D patients are at greater risk of developing psychological symptoms and an eating disorder is being triggered to reduce the negative psychological symptoms. The results of this study may guide targeted interventions among T1D patients.

Perceived posttraumatic growth and its psychosocial predictors during two consecutive COVID-19 lockdowns

This study seeks to expand previous research by examining (a) the prevalence rates of posttraumatic growth (PTG) and its potential predictors (posttraumatic stress symptoms [PTSS], perceived stress, adaptive coping strategies, social support) during the first and second lockdown in the general population of Greece, and (b) the mediating role of the stress indicators (PTSS/perceived stress) in the relationship between positive reframing and PTG. A sample of 1,361 participants (1.009 in the first lockdown and 352 in the second lockdown) completed the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5), The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory, the Brief Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced Inventory and the ENRICHD Social Support Instrument (ESSI). Moderate levels of PTG were found during both lockdowns. PTG did not significantly increase during the second lockdown. PTG was associated with PTSS during the first lockdown and with perceived stress during the second one;these two stress indicators partially mediated the positive reframing-PTG relationship in the first and second lockdown, respectively. Both adaptive and maladaptive coping strategies predicted PTG during the first lockdown, whereas only adaptive coping strategies predicted PTG during the second lockdown. Perceived social support, emotional during the first lockdown and instrumental during the second one, predicted PTG during the two lockdowns, respectively. The results of this study may enhance our understanding of PTG and its predictor to inform the design of interventions moving beyond growth cognitions into growth actions.

Secondary traumatic stress and dissociative coping strategies in nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic: The protective role of resilience.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, nurses are repeatedly exposed to acute stress at their workplace, and therefore, they are at high risk for developing mental health symptoms. The prolonged exposure of healthcare professionals may lead to Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS). STS is an aspect of "cost of care", the natural consequence of providing care to people who suffer physically or psychologically. The purpose of this study was to investigate the levels of STS in nurses during the first phase of the COVID-19 pandemic in Greece and to detect aggravating and protective factors. Participants were 222 nurses (87.4 % women; mean age 42.3 years) who completed an online survey. The questionnaire comprised of the Secondary Traumatic Stress Scale, the Brief Resilience Scale, and the Brief Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced Inventory. Nurses had high levels of STS. The hierarchical regression analyses showed that STS and its dimensions Avoidance and Arousal were positively predicted mainly by denial and self-distraction coping strategies and inversely by resilience. Resilience exhibited a protective (partial mediation) effect on the strong relationship between the dissociative coping strategies (denial, self-distraction, venting and behavioral disengagement) and STS. Trauma-informed care psychosocial interventions are needed to support the already overburdened nursing staff during the coronavirus pandemic.

Post-traumatic stress symptoms during the first and second COVID-19 lockdown in Greece: Rates, risk, and protective factors.

The aim was to (i) compare the rates of perceived stress, post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) and other potential correlates (i.e., resilience, social support, coping strategies, and loneliness) in the general population between the two COVID-19 lockdowns in Greece and (ii) explore risk and protective factors of PTSS. Online data were collected amid the first (timepoint 1-T1) and second lockdown (timepoint 2-T2) by 1009 and 352 participants, respectively. The PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 and the Perceived Stress Scale measured levels of PTSS and perceived stress. The Brief Resilience Scale, the COPE, the revised UCLA Loneliness Scale, and the ENRICHD Social Support Instrument measured resilience, coping strategies, loneliness, and social support, respectively. Higher levels of PTSS and perceived stress were reported during T2, compared to T1. Clinically significant levels of PTSS were presented by 26.1% and 35.5% of the participants during T1 and T2, respectively. Higher levels of loneliness and use of maladaptive coping strategies and lower levels of social support, resilience and use of adaptive coping strategies were also found. During both lockdowns, PTSS were predicted by perceived stress, loneliness, reduced resilience and the coping strategies of denial and self-blame. PTSS were associated with younger age, female gender, being single, not having children, and the evaluation of the pandemic as a crisis. The findings highlight the significant public mental health concerns during the COVID-19 lockdowns. Understanding the risk and protective factors against PTSS and focusing on vulnerable populations should be prioritized by the governments worldwide in the development of evidence-based interventions.

From secondary traumatic stress to vicarious posttraumatic growth amid COVID-19 lockdown in Greece: The role of health care workers' coping strategies.

OBJECTIVE: Health care workers (HCWs) are at risk for suffering negative psychological consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, such as secondary traumatic stress symptoms (STS), as they are exposed to this traumatic experience both directly, as community residents, and indirectly, in the care of infected patients. Following vicarious exposure, positive psychological outcomes, such as vicarious posttraumatic growth (VPTG), are also likely, though they are less studied. The present study aims to examine (a) the associations among STS, VPTG, and coping strategies among HCWs during the COVID-19 lockdown and (b) the mediating role of coping strategies in the STS-VPTG relationship. METHOD: Cross-sectional online data were collected amid the COVID-19 lockdown in Greece (March 23, 2020 through May 3, 2020) from a sample of 647 HCWs (25% men, 75% women). The Secondary Traumatic Stress Scale, the Post Traumatic Growth Inventory, and the Brief Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced Inventory were used to measure STS, VPTG, and coping strategies, respectively. RESULTS: HCWs reported moderate to low levels of STS and VPTG, with the VPTG dimensions of personal strength and appreciation of life being the highest categories. Intrusions mental and both adaptive and maladaptive coping strategies predicted VPTG. Adaptive coping strategies partially mediated the relationship between STS and VPTG, whereas maladaptive coping strategies fully mediated this relationship. CONCLUSIONS: Understanding the coping responses during lockdown among HCWs is important for developing tailored prevention and intervention actions to protect the populations at risk from the deleterious impacts of uncontrollable and life-threatening diseases and promote posttraumatic growth. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Secondary traumatic stress and vicarious posttraumatic growth in healthcare workers during the first COVID-19 lockdown in Greece: The role of resilience and coping strategies.

Despite the indisputable negative psychosocial consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, positive consequences are also possible. Resilience and coping strategies have been assumed to contribute to these outcomes. However, findings are still scarce and inconclusive. The study aimed to examine the role of resilience and coping strategies in the secondary stress for the Greek healthcare workers (HCWs) and in the posttraumatic growth following the COVID-19 lockdown in Greece. A sample of 673 HCWs coming from Greece were recruited. A convenience and snowball mixed sampling procedure were used. A questionnaire was distributed through social networking sites, webpages, and personal contacts of the author. Participants were asked to distribute it to their own contacts. Recruitment occurred during April 5 - 30, 2000, amid the lockdown (March 23-May 03), when people were asked to follow the stringent lockdown constraint enforced by the Greek government. Sociodemographic data were collected. The Secondary Traumatic Stress Scale measured secondary traumatic stress (STS) for the HCWs. The Post-Traumatic Growth Inventory, the Brief Resilience Scale, and the Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced Inventory measured posttraumatic growth, resilience, and coping strategies, respectively. Regression analyses demonstrated that resilience and coping strategies were differentially associated with positive and negative (stress/growth) lockdown outcomes. Resilience and mostly maladaptive coping strategies predicted STS. A mixture of adaptive and maladaptive coping strategies predicted PTG. The so-called "second wave" of the outbreak that started in August 2020 indicates that the study of the psychosocial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown and of the internal resources (resilience and coping) to deal with, is necessary. The findings contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the coping strategies used by population subgroups (e.g., HCWs) in dealing with the COVID-19 lockdown in Greece. Enhancing internal resources through supportive services will ameliorate HCWs ability to withstand, recover, and thrive with benefits in their psychological health and well-being. Despite the indisputable negative psychosocial consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, positive consequences are also possible. Resilience and coping strategies have been assumed to contribute to these outcomes. However, findings are still scarce and inconclusive. The study aimed to examine the role of resilience and coping strategies in the secondary stress for the Greek healthcare workers (HCWs) and in the posttraumatic growth following the COVID-19 lockdown in Greece. A sample of 673 HCWs coming from Greece were recruited. A convenience and snowball mixed sampling procedure were used. A questionnaire was distributed through social networking sites, webpages, and personal contacts of the author. Participants were asked to distribute it to their own contacts. Recruitment occurred during April 5 - 30, 2000, amid the lockdown (March 23-May 03), when people were asked to follow the stringent lockdown constraint enforced by the Greek government. Sociodemographic data were collected. The Secondary Traumatic Stress Scale measured secondary traumatic stress (STS) for the HCWs. The Post-Traumatic Growth Inventory, the Brief Resilience Scale, and the Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced Inventory measured posttraumatic growth, resilience, and coping strategies, respectively. Regression analyses demonstrated that resilience and coping strategies were differentially associated with positive and negative (stress/growth) lockdown outcomes. Resilience and mostly maladaptive coping strategies predicted STS. A mixture of adaptive and maladaptive coping strategies predicted PTG. The so-called "second wave" of the outbreak that started in August 2020 indicates that the study of the psychosocial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown and of the internal resources (resilience and coping) to deal with, is necessary. The findings contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the coping strategies used by population subgroups (e.g., HCWs) in dealing with the COVID-19 lockdown in Greece. Enhancing internal resources through supportive services will ameliorate HCWs ability to withstand, recover, and thrive with benefits in their psychological health and well-being.

Posttraumatic symptoms, posttraumatic growth, and internal resources among the general population in Greece: A nation-wide survey amid the first COVID-19 lockdown.

Scarce and inconclusive evidence exists on the mental health consequences of the COVID-19 lockdown. This study examined the psychological impact of the lockdown in Greece, resilience levels, use of coping strategies, and identified high-risk groups. A sample of 1661 participants (mean age = 39.5, SD = 12.2; 75.5% females) completed a web-based survey, which was distributed through social networking sites, webpages, and personal contacts. Posttraumatic symptoms, posttraumatic growth, resilience, and coping strategies were assessed. Different population subgroups suffered the impact of lockdown disproportionately. Healthcare workers, females, younger, less educated, and those living alone reported higher rates of posttraumatic stress symptoms. Females achieved more posttraumatic growth and were using coping strategies more frequently than men. Men, older, healthcare workers, and those with a partner were more resilient. Interventions need to be developed to target personal resources, protect vulnerable populations, facilitate posttraumatic growth, and ameliorate wellbeing and quality of life.