COVID-19 through the lens of mental health in India: Present status and future directions

This book provides an in-depth understanding of the impact of COVID-19 on the psychological health of people and communities in India. Focusing on the current discourse on Mental Health literacy in India, the book also analyses COVID-19-specific health beliefs and their convergences and divergences with COVID-19 protocols and advisories. It discusses the impact of the pandemic on survivors of COVID-19 including their quality of life, psychological well-being, and coping mechanisms while tackling loneliness, loss, and grief. It explores the psychological and social challenges which children have faced during the pandemic and offers techniques to address and adequately manage Mental Health challenges. Grounded in theoretical and empirical research, this book will be of interest to students, teachers, and researchers of psychology, social psychology, Mental Health and wellness studies, and sociology. It will also be useful for academicians, social workers, healthcare workers, and psychologists. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Health beliefs and compliance to health behaviours during the COVID-19 pandemic: A survey among Indian adults

In the current chapter, we have detailed the course and results of our research to evaluate the five constructs of Health Behaviour Model (HBM) as well as the degree of compliance to preventive measures to contain the spread of COVID-19 among the Indian citizens. Additionally, we also examined the degree of association of the HBM constructs with the compliance. Finally, we investigated whether these constructs differed across various socio-demographic group. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Empowering through solution-focused conversations: Context of COVID-19 crisis

What makes SFBT remarkably fast and effective is its shift from the traditional medical model approach, which emphasises recognising and treating the deeper root cause, which in turn is time consuming. Instead of digging in past traumas and finding patterns, the therapist helps the client build the image of a preferred future. Moreover, this small change in perspective often encourages the client to recognise his hidden resources blurred by the magnitude of the problem. digging into problems creates more problems, and substituting them with a solution-focused conversation will help both the client and the therapist land at desired outcomes fast. Although the emphasis is on the future rather than the past, it is not strictly restricted to future talk. The conversations regarding the past are focused on the previous successes or, in other words, the exceptions in the conflict the client is going through. SFBT often adopts questions as interventions. They apply questions and questioning in different ways following a cognitive change. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Impact of loneliness and cognitive emotion regulation in psychological well-being of students during the pandemic

The current study, seeks to determine how loneliness and the different cognitive emotion regulation strategies contribute to psychological well-being of young adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. It also examines whether cognitive emotion regulation explains well-being beyond loneliness. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Quality of living in the aftermath of a pandemic

The present study explored the impact of COVID-19 on general health, quality of life, and resilience among adults, essentially COVID-19 survivors in India. We conducted a cross-sectional study from March 2021 to August 2021 in Kolkata, India. The data was collected through the snowball sampling method. Participants' consent was taken before they filled up the questionnaires. The participants were presented with five questionnaires. The total sample (N = 120) was divided into two groups, one group consisted of the COVID-19 survivors (n = 60), and the other group consisted of individuals who had not contracted COVID-19 (n = 60). Participants in the COVID-19 group were selected keeping in mind the following inclusion criteria. The participants had to be aged between 20 and 50 years with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 in the past year. In the case of the non- COVID-19 group, participants between the ages of 20 and 50 years without any medical history of COVID-19 symptoms were selected. Individuals who displayed symptoms of COVID-19 in the past year but had not received a clinical diagnosis of the same were excluded from the present study. The present study found a significant association of general health with the impact of event and quality of life in the COVID-19 survivors. Additionally, the impact of event is significantly associated with quality of life, and resilience is significantly associated with the psychological aspect of quality of life among COVID-19 survivors. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Unveiling stigma: Exploring mental health literacy in the time of COVID-19 pandemic

In the present chapter, an attempt is made to explore the persisting Mental Health stigma and its association with the aforementioned construct from a quantitative perspective. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Impact of COVID-19 stress on the psychological health of sexual & gender minority individuals: A systematic review.

Introduction: The differential effect of the Covid-19 pandemic on the mental health of the population around the globe is well documented. Social isolation, loss of job, financial crisis, and fear of infection due to the pandemic have widely affected people across countries, and the sexual and gender minority (SGM) group is no exception. However, the additional stressors like stigma, discrimination, rejection, non-acceptance, and violence associated with diverse sexual orientation complicated the situation for the SGM group in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic. Method: The present study conducted a systematic review of research (n = 16) investigating the impact of Covid-19 stress on the psychological health of SGM individuals. The review had two objectives: (a) to explore the effect of the stress associated with the pandemic on the psychological health of the SGM individuals; and (b) to identify potential stressors associated with the Covid-19 pandemic affecting the mental health of SGM individuals. Studies were selected following a PRISMA protocol and several inclusion criteria. Results: The review provided new insights into the mental health issues of the SGM individual in the Covid-19 context. The outcome of the review focused on five aspects: (a) depression and anxiety symptoms related to Covid-19 symptoms; (b) perceived social support and Covid-19 stress; (c) family support and psychological distress related to Covid-19; (d) Covid-19 stress and disordered eating, and (e) problem drinking and substance abuse associated with Covid-19 stress. Discussion: The present review indicated a negative association between Covid-19 stress and psychological distress among sexual and gender minority individuals. The findings have important implications for psychologists and social workers working with this population and policymakers around the globe.