Disparities in positive mental health of sexual and gender minority adults in Canada. / Disparités dans la santé mentale positive des adultes faisant partie d'une minorité sexuelle ou de genre au Canada.

INTRODUCTION: The goal of this study was to examine potential disparities in positive mental health (PMH) among adults in Canada by sexual orientation and gender modality. METHODS: Using 2019 Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) Annual Component data (N = 57 034), we compared mean life satisfaction and the prevalence of high self-rated mental health (SRMH), happiness and community belonging between heterosexual and sexual minority adults, and between cisgender and gender minority adults. We used 2019 CCHS Rapid Response on PMH data (N = 11 486) to compare the prevalence of high psychological well-being between heterosexual and sexual minority adults. Linear and logistic regression analyses examined the between-group differences in mean life satisfaction and the other PMH outcomes, respectively. RESULTS: Sexual minority (vs. heterosexual) adults reported lower mean life satisfaction (B = -0.7, 95% CI: -0.8, -0.5) and were less likely to report high SRMH (OR = 0.4, 95% CI: 0.3, 0.5), happiness (OR = 0.4, 95% CI: 0.3, 0.5), community belonging (OR = 0.6, 95% CI: 0.5, 0.7) and psychological well-being (OR = 0.4, 95% CI: 0.3, 0.6). Differences were not always significant for specific sexual minority groups in sexstratified analyses. Gender minority adults reported lower mean life satisfaction and were less likely to report high SRMH and happiness than cisgender adults. CONCLUSION: Future research could investigate how these PMH disparities arise, risk and protective factors in these populations, how other sociodemographic factors interact with sexual orientation and gender identity to influence PMH and changes in disparities over time.

Health care barriers and perceived mental health among adults in Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic: a population-based cross-sectional study. / Obstacles en matière de soins de santé et santé mentale perçue chez les adultes au Canada pendant la pandémie de COVID-19 : étude transversale fondée sur la population.

INTRODUCTION: The perceived mental health of individuals in Canada who faced health care barriers during the COVID-19 pandemic is underexplored. METHODS: We analyzed data collected March to June 2021 from adults who reported needing health care services within the past 12 months in the Survey on Access to Health Care and Pharmaceuticals during the Pandemic. Unadjusted and adjusted logistic regression analyses examined the associations between health care barriers (appointment scheduling problems, delaying contacting health care) and high self-rated mental health and perceived worsening mental health compared to before the pandemic, overall and stratified by gender, age group, number of chronic health conditions and household income tertile. RESULTS: Individuals who experienced pandemic-related appointment changes or had appointments not yet scheduled were less likely to have high self-rated mental health (aOR = 0.81 and 0.64, respectively) and more likely to have perceived worsening mental health (aOR = 1.50 and 1.94, respectively) than those with no scheduling problems. Adults who delayed contacting health care for pandemic-related reasons (e.g. fear of infection) or other reasons were less likely to have high self-rated mental health (aOR = 0.52 and 0.45, respectively) and more likely to have perceived worsening mental health (aOR = 2.31 and 2.43, respectively) than those who did not delay. Delaying contacting health care for pandemic-related reasons was associated with less favourable perceived mental health in all subgroups, while the association between perceived mental health and pandemic-related appointment changes was significant in some groups. CONCLUSION: Health care barriers during the pandemic were associated with less favourable perceived mental health. These findings could inform health care resource allocation and public health messaging.

Validating the Children's Intrinsic Needs Satisfaction Scale in the 2019 Canadian Health Survey on Children and Youth.

Background: The Public Health Agency of Canada monitors the psychological and social well-being of Canadian youth using the Children's Intrinsic Needs Satisfaction Scale (CINSS). Validation analyses of the CINSS have been conducted, but not in the 2019 Canadian Health Survey on Children and Youth (CHSCY), a more recent and representative national survey with a different sampling frame, collection method and other measured outcomes. This study tested the validity of the CINSS in the 2019 CHSCY. Data and methods: Data were collected in all provinces and territories from February 11 to August 2, 2019. The CINSS was administered to respondents aged 12 to 17 years and was designed to assess relatedness, autonomy and competence at home, at school and with friends. Descriptive statistics for CINSS items and subscales were obtained. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted to test how well a correlated traits correlated uniqueness (CTCU) model fit the CINSS data. Associations with mental health and other psychosocial variables were examined. Results: In general, items within the CINSS were correlated in expected ways, and support was found for a CTCU model in the CFA. While response distributions on the CINSS items were skewed, the CINSS subscales had acceptable internal consistency and were associated with self-rated mental health, happiness, life satisfaction, perceived stress, bullying victimization and behaviour problems in line with expectations. Interpretation: This study supports the validity of the CINSS. Inclusion of the CINSS in future youth health surveys would allow for continued public health surveillance of the psychological and social well-being of youth in Canada.

Associations of sleep duration and sleep quality with indicators of mental health among youth and adults: findings from the 2015 Canadian Community Health Survey. / Associations entre durée et qualité du sommeil et indicateurs de santé mentale chez les jeunes et les adultes : résultats de l'Enquête sur la santé dans les collectivités canadiennes de 2015.

INTRODUCTION: A growing number of Canadian studies have examined the link between sleep and mental health. This research builds upon that work by investigating associations of sleep duration and quality with positive mental health (PMH) and mental illness and suicidal ideation (MI/SI) outcomes among youth and adults from threeCanadian provinces (i.e. Ontario, Manitoba and Saskatchewan). METHODS: Using cross-sectional data from respondents 12 years and older (n = 18 683) who were asked questions on their sleep in the 2015 Canadian Community Health Survey - Annual Component, we conducted unadjusted and adjusted logistic regressionswith self-reported measures of sleep duration and sleep quality as independent variables and a range of PMH (e.g. high self-rated mental health) and MI/SI indicators (e.g. mood disorder diagnosis) as dependent variables. Analyses were conducted of allcomplete cases and also stratified by sex and age group. RESULTS: Good sleep quality was associated with higher odds of PMH indicators (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 1.52-4.24) and lower odds of MI/SI indicators (aOR: 0.23- 0.47); associations remained significant when analyses were stratified. Meeting sleep duration recommendations was positively associated with PMH indicators (aOR: 1.27- 1.56) and negatively associated with MI/SI indicators (aOR: 0.41-0.80), but some associations did not remain significant when stratified. CONCLUSION: This study provides support for associations between sleep duration and quality and indicators of PMH and MI/SI. Findings can inform future research and surveillance efforts that monitor sleep behaviours and indicators of PMH and MI/SI.

Social isolation, loneliness and positive mental health among older adults in Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic. / Isolement social, solitude et santé mentale positive chez les aînés au Canada pendant la pandémie de COVID-19.

INTRODUCTION: Social isolation and loneliness are associated with poorer mental health among older adults. However, less is known about how these experiences are independently associated with positive mental health (PMH) during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: We analyzed data from the 2020 and 2021 cycles of the Survey on COVID-19 and Mental Health to provide estimates of social isolation (i.e. living alone), loneliness and PMH outcomes (i.e. high self-rated mental health, high community belonging, mean life satisfaction) in the overall older adult population (i.e. 65+ years) and across sociodemographic groups. We also conducted logistic and linear regressions to separately and simultaneously examine how social isolation and loneliness are associated with PMH. RESULTS: Nearly 3 in 10 older adults reported living alone, and over a third reported feelings of loneliness due to the pandemic. When examined separately, living alone and loneliness were each associated with lower PMH. When assessed simultaneously, loneliness remained a significant independent factor associated with all three PMH outcomes (overall and across all sociodemographic groups), but living alone was only a significant factor for high community belonging in the overall population, for males and for those aged 65 to 74 years. CONCLUSION: Overall, social isolation and loneliness were associated with poorer wellbeing among older adults in Canada during the pandemic. Loneliness remained a significant factor related to all PMH outcomes after adjusting for social isolation, but not vice versa. The findings highlight the need to appropriately identify and support lonely older adults during (and beyond) the pandemic.

Investigating the association between sleep and aspects of mental health in children: findings from the Canadian Health Survey on Children and Youth. / Étude de l'association entre sommeil et composantes de la santé mentale des enfants : résultats de l'Enquête canadienne sur la santé des enfants et des jeunes.

INTRODUCTION: Sufficient sleep and good quality sleep are crucial aspects of children's healthy development. While previous research has suggested associations between sleep and positive mental health, few studies have been conducted in Canadian children. METHODS: This study used data from the 2019 Canadian Health Survey on Children and Youth. Parents of children aged 5 to 11 years (N = 16 170) reported on their children's sleep habits and mental health. Descriptive statistics were used to calculate means and percentages for sleep and mental health indicators. Logistic regression was used to compare mental health outcomes by meeting sleep duration recommendations (9-11 hours of sleep vs. < 9 or > 11 hours of sleep), sleep quality (difficulties getting to sleep) and having enforced rules for bedtime. RESULTS: Overall, 86.2% of children aged 5 to 11 years met sleep duration recommendations (9-11 hours of sleep), 90.0% had high sleep quality and 83.1% had enforced rules for bedtime. While 83.0% of children had high general mental health, mental health diagnoses were reported for 9.5% of children, and 15.8% of children required or received mental health care. High sleep quality was consistently associated with better mental health, enforced rules for bedtime were associated with some negative mental health outcomes and meeting sleep duration recommendations tended not to be associated with mental health outcomes. CONCLUSION: Sleep quality was strongly associated with mental health among children in this study. Future research should explore longitudinal associations between sleep and mental health in Canadian children.

INTRODUCTION: Un sommeil suffisant et un sommeil de bonne qualité sont des composantes cruciales du développement sain des enfants. Si des recherches antérieures laissent entrevoir des associations entre le sommeil et une bonne santé mentale, peu d'études ont été menées chez les enfants canadiens. MÉTHODOLOGIE: Cette étude se fonde sur les données de l'Enquête canadienne sur la santé des enfants et des jeunes de 2019. Des parents d'enfants âgés de 5 à 11 ans (N = 16 170) ont fait état des habitudes de sommeil et de la santé mentale de leurs enfants. Des statistiques descriptives ont servi à calculer les moyennes et les pourcentages des indicateurs du sommeil et de la santé mentale. Une régression logistique a été utilisée pour comparer les résultats en matière de santé mentale en fonction du respect des recommandations sur la durée du sommeil (9 à 11 heures de sommeil contre moins de 9 heures ou plus de 11 heures), la qualité du sommeil (difficulté à s'endormir) et l'application de règles relatives à l'heure du coucher. RÉSULTATS: Dans l'ensemble, 86,2 % des enfants de 5 à 11 ans respectaient les recommandations sur la durée du sommeil (9 à 11 heures de sommeil), 90,0 % avaient un sommeil de grande qualité et 83,1 % avaient des règles à respecter concernant l'heure du coucher. Si 83,0 % des enfants avaient un niveau élevé de santé mentale générale, des diagnostics en matière de santé mentale ont tout de même été déclarés pour 9,5 % des enfants, et 15,8 % ont eu besoin de soins de santé mentale ou en ont reçus. Un sommeil de grande qualité a été systématiquement associé à une meilleure santé mentale, l'application de règles relatives à l'heure du coucher a été associée à certains effets négatifs sur la santé mentale et le respect des recommandations sur la durée du sommeil ne semble pas avoir d'incidence sur la santé mentale. CONCLUSION: Cette étude révèle une forte association entre la qualité du sommeil et la santé mentale chez les enfants. Les recherches futures devraient se pencher sur les associations longitudinales entre le sommeil et la santé mentale des enfants canadiens.

Self-rated mental health, community belonging, life satisfaction and perceived change in mental health among adults during the second and third waves of the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada. / Santé mentale autoévaluée, sentiment d'appartenance à la communauté, satisfaction à l'égard de la vie et changement perçu en matière de santé mentale chez les adultes pendant la deuxième et la troisième vagues de la pandémie de COVID-19 au Canada.

Findings from the 2020 Survey on COVID-19 and Mental Health (SCMH) suggested that the positive mental health of adults in Canada was lower during the second wave of the pandemic (fall 2020) than in 2019. With 2021 SCMH data from winter/spring 2021, we find in the current study that average life satisfaction and the prevalence of high self-rated mental health, high community belonging and perceptions of stable/improved mental health were even lower during the third wave of the pandemic as compared to the second wave in the overall adult population and in most sociodemographic groups.

Fewer adults in Canada reported high self-rated mental health in winter/spring 2021 (51.5%) compared to fall 2020 (59.9%). Fewer adults reported high community belonging in winter/spring 2021 (57.3%) compared to fall 2020 (63.7%). Rated from 0 (very dissatisfied) to 10 (very satisfied), average life satisfaction was lower in winter/spring 2021 (6.9) compared to fall 2020 (7.2). Fewer adults in winter/spring 2021 (58.1%) compared to fall 2020 (66.5%) reported that their mental health was better or about the same compared to before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Le nombre d'adultes au Canada ayant fait état d'un niveau élevé de santé mentale autoévaluée s'est révélé moindre à l'hiver et au printemps 2021 (51,5 %) par rapport à l'automne 2020 (59,9 %). Le nombre d'adultes ayant fait état d'un fort sentiment d'appartenance à la communauté s'est révélé moindre à l'hiver et au printemps 2021 (57,3 %) par rapport à l'automne 2020 (63,7 %). Notée de 0 (très insatisfait) à 10 (très satisfait), la satisfaction moyenne à l'égard de la vie s'est révélée plus faible à l'hiver et au printemps 2021 (6,9) qu'elle ne l'était à l'automne 2020 (7,2). Le nombre d'adultes qui ont déclaré que leur santé mentale était meilleure ou à peu près la même qu'avant la pandémie de COVID-19 était moindre à l'hiver et au printemps 2021 (58,1 %) par rapport à l'automne 2020 (66,5 %).

Positive mental health and perceived change in mental health among adults in Canada during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. / Santé mentale positive et changement perçu de la santé mentale chez les adultes au Canada pendant la deuxième vague de la pandémie de COVID 19.

INTRODUCTION: Canadian surveys from spring/summer 2020 suggest the prevalence of some positive mental health (PMH) outcomes have declined compared to pre-pandemic levels. However, less is known about the state of PMH during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: We compared adults' self-rated mental health (SRMH), community belonging and life satisfaction in Fall 2020 versus 2019 in the overall population and across sociodemographic characteristics using cross-sectional data from the Survey on COVID-19 and Mental Health (September-December, 2020) and the 2019 Canadian Community Health Survey. We also conducted regression analyses to examine which sociodemographic factors were associated with reporting in Fall 2020 that one's mental health was about the same or better compared to before the pandemic. RESULTS: Fewer adults reported high SRMH in Fall 2020 (59.95%) than in 2019 (66.71%) and fewer reported high community belonging in Fall 2020 (63.64%) than in 2019 (68.42%). Rated from 0 (very dissatisfied) to 10 (very satisfied), average life satisfaction was lower in Fall 2020 (7.19) than in 2019 (8.08). Females, those aged under 65 years, those living in a population centre, and those absent from work due to COVID-19 had lower odds of reporting that their mental health was about the same or better in Fall 2020. CONCLUSION: The PMH of adults was lower during the pandemic's second wave. However, the majority of individuals still reported high SRMH and community belonging. The findings identify certain sociodemographic groups whose mental health appears to have been more negatively impacted by the pandemic. Continued surveillance is important in ensuring mental health builds back better and stronger in Canada after the pandemic.

Suicide ideation in Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic. / Idées suicidaires au Canada pendant la pandémie de COVID-19.

INTRODUCTION: Many Canadians report decreased mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic, and concerns have been raised about possible increases in suicide. This study investigates the pandemic's potential impact on adults' suicide ideation. METHODS: We compared self-reported suicide ideation in 2020 versus 2019 by analyzing data from the Survey on COVID-19 and Mental Health (11 September to 4 December 2020) and the 2019 Canadian Community Health Survey. Logistic regression was conducted to determine which populations were at higher risk of suicide ideation during the pandemic. RESULTS: The percentage of adults reporting suicide ideation since the pandemic began (2.44%) was not significantly different from the percentage reporting suicide ideation in the past 12 months in 2019 (2.73%). Significant differences in the prevalence of recent suicide ideation in 2020 versus 2019 also tended to be absent in the numerous sociodemographic groups we examined. Risk factors of reporting suicide ideation during the pandemic included being under 65 years, Canadian-born or a frontline worker; reporting pandemic-related income/job loss or loneliness/isolation; experiencing a lifetime highly stressful/traumatic event; and having lower household income and educational attainment. CONCLUSION: Evidence of changes in suicide ideation due to the pandemic were generally not observed in this research. Continued surveillance of suicide and risk/protective factors is needed to inform suicide prevention efforts.

Changes over time in means of suicide in Canada: an analysis of mortality data from 1981 to 2018.

BACKGROUND: Ongoing surveillance of the means of suicide is necessary for effective prevention. We examined how mortality rates owing to different means of suicide changed in Canada from 1981 to 2018. METHODS: We obtained data from 1981 to 2018 on suicide deaths of individuals aged 10 years and older, from the Canadian Vital Statistics Death Database. We used joinpoint regression analysis to examine changes over time in the suicide mortality rate for the 3 most common means of suicide. RESULTS: The age-standardized suicide mortality rate declined in earlier decades for both sexes, but did not significantly change in recent decades for either sex. The age-standardized rate of suicide by suffocation increased from 1993 for females (2.1% per year) and from 1996 for males (0.4% per year). The age-standardized rate of suicide by poisoning decreased for females (2.2% per year) and males (2.1% per year) from 1981 to 2018. The age-standardized rate of suicide by firearm decreased from 1981 to 2008 (7.4% per year) but did not significantly change there-after for females; for males, it decreased 2.1% per year from 1981 to 1993 and 5.7% per year from 1993 to 2007, but did not significantly change thereafter. INTERPRETATION: For both sexes, the rate of suicide by poisoning is decreasing, the rate of suicide by suffocation is increasing, and the rate of suicide by firearm has not significantly changed in the last decade. Given the high proportion of suicide deaths by suffocation, its increasing rate and the difficulty of restricting the means of suffocation, other approaches to suicide prevention are needed.

Determinants of psychological and social well-being among youth in Canada: investigating associations with sociodemographic factors, psychosocial context and substance use. / Facteurs déterminants du bien-être psychologique et social chez les jeunes au Canada : étude des associations avec les facteurs sociodémographiques, le contexte psychosocial et la consommation de substances.

INTRODUCTION: Positive mental health is an essential part of youth's healthy development. For instance, positive mental health is associated with greater self-reported physical health, closer relationships and fewer conduct problems in youth. As positive mental health promotion is a public health priority, examining its potential determinants is important. METHODS: We analyzed data from students in Grades 7-12 (secondary I-V in Quebec), from nine Canadian provinces, who participated in the 2016/2017 Canadian Student Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs Survey. Psychological and social well-being (PSWB) was assessed using the Children's Intrinsic Needs Satisfaction Scale (CINSS). We conducted linear regression analyses to determine associations of sociodemographic, psychosocial and substance use variables with overall CINSS scores (n = 37 897). RESULTS: In general, youth in Canada reported fairly high PSWB. After adjusting for all included variables, being in a higher grade, being bullied, bullying others, reporting more behavioural problems and using cigarettes, e-cigarettes or cannabis at least once in the past 30 days were associated with lower overall CINSS scores for both male and female students. Reporting more prosocial behaviours was associated with higher overall scores for both sexes. CONCLUSION: A number of sociodemographic, psychosocial and substance use factors are associated with PSWB among youth in Canada. Prospective longitudinal and intervention studies could examine whether changes in these potential risk/protective factors are accompanied by changes in positive mental health.

Catching up with wonderful women: The women-are-wonderful effect is smaller in more gender egalitarian societies.

Inequalities between men and women are common and well-documented. Objective indexes show that men are better positioned than women in societal hierarchies-there is no single country in the world without a gender gap. In contrast, researchers have found that the women-are-wonderful effect-that women are evaluated more positively than men overall-is also common. Cross-cultural studies on gender equality reveal that the more gender egalitarian the society is, the less prevalent explicit gender stereotypes are. Yet, because self-reported gender stereotypes may differ from implicit attitudes towards each gender, we reanalysed data collected across 44 cultures, and (a) confirmed that societal gender egalitarianism reduces the women-are-wonderful effect when it is measured more implicitly (i.e. rating the personality of men and women presented in images) and (b) documented that the social perception of men benefits more from gender egalitarianism than that of women.

Registered Replication Report: Strack, Martin, & Stepper (1988).

According to the facial feedback hypothesis, people's affective responses can be influenced by their own facial expression (e.g., smiling, pouting), even when their expression did not result from their emotional experiences. For example, Strack, Martin, and Stepper (1988) instructed participants to rate the funniness of cartoons using a pen that they held in their mouth. In line with the facial feedback hypothesis, when participants held the pen with their teeth (inducing a "smile"), they rated the cartoons as funnier than when they held the pen with their lips (inducing a "pout"). This seminal study of the facial feedback hypothesis has not been replicated directly. This Registered Replication Report describes the results of 17 independent direct replications of Study 1 from Strack et al. (1988), all of which followed the same vetted protocol. A meta-analysis of these studies examined the difference in funniness ratings between the "smile" and "pout" conditions. The original Strack et al. (1988) study reported a rating difference of 0.82 units on a 10-point Likert scale. Our meta-analysis revealed a rating difference of 0.03 units with a 95% confidence interval ranging from -0.11 to 0.16.

Be Careful Where You Smile: Culture Shapes Judgments of Intelligence and Honesty of Smiling Individuals.

Smiling individuals are usually perceived more favorably than non-smiling ones-they are judged as happier, more attractive, competent, and friendly. These seemingly clear and obvious consequences of smiling are assumed to be culturally universal, however most of the psychological research is carried out in WEIRD societies (Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic) and the influence of culture on social perception of nonverbal behavior is still understudied. Here we show that a smiling individual may be judged as less intelligent than the same non-smiling individual in cultures low on the GLOBE's uncertainty avoidance dimension. Furthermore, we show that corruption at the societal level may undermine the prosocial perception of smiling-in societies with high corruption indicators, trust toward smiling individuals is reduced. This research fosters understanding of the cultural framework surrounding nonverbal communication processes and reveals that in some cultures smiling may lead to negative attributions.

Seeing and Being Green? The Effect of Money Priming on Willingness to Perform Sustainable Actions, Social Connectedness, and Prosociality.

This investigation attempted to conceptually replicate/extend research that suggests that reminders of money can inhibit prosociality, promote self-sufficiency, and influence political beliefs. Based on these results, we hypothesized that money primes would decrease willingness to engage in sustainable actions. We also predicted that people would distribute points less prosocially and feel less socially connected when money was primed. Individuals were recruited from an undergraduate participant pool and MTurk. Meta-analytic results across the two samples revealed that money priming did not have a significant impact on willingness to act sustainably, but it did cause participants to distribute points less prosocially and report lower social connectedness than individuals in the control condition. While effects were smaller than those reported in Vohs, Mead, and Goode (2006), this study still offers support for the detrimental impact of reminders of money on interpersonal relations.

The relationship between nature connectedness and happiness: a meta-analysis.

Research suggests that contact with nature can be beneficial, for example leading to improvements in mood, cognition, and health. A distinct but related idea is the personality construct of subjective nature connectedness, a stable individual difference in cognitive, affective, and experiential connection with the natural environment. Subjective nature connectedness is a strong predictor of pro-environmental attitudes and behaviors that may also be positively associated with subjective well-being. This meta-analysis was conducted to examine the relationship between nature connectedness and happiness. Based on 30 samples (n = 8523), a fixed-effect meta-analysis found a small but significant effect size (r = 0.19). Those who are more connected to nature tended to experience more positive affect, vitality, and life satisfaction compared to those less connected to nature. Publication status, year, average age, and percentage of females in the sample were not significant moderators. Vitality had the strongest relationship with nature connectedness (r = 0.24), followed by positive affect (r = 0.22) and life satisfaction (r = 0.17). In terms of specific nature connectedness measures, associations were the strongest between happiness and inclusion of nature in self (r = 0.27), compared to nature relatedness (r = 0.18) and connectedness to nature (r = 0.18). This research highlights the importance of considering personality when examining the psychological benefits of nature. The results suggest that closer human-nature relationships do not have to come at the expense of happiness. Rather, this meta-analysis shows that being connected to nature and feeling happy are, in fact, connected.