The Mediating Role of Resilience in the Relationship Between Hope and Spiritual Well-being in Cancer Patients: A Study From Turkey.

BACKGROUND: Cancer is a significant public health concern in the healthcare landscape. Amidst this challenging journey, the levels of hope, spiritual well-being, and resilience in patients with cancer have emerged as pivotal factors influencing the healing process. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between hope and spiritual well-being in cancer patients and the mediating role of resilience in the relationship between hope and spiritual well-being levels. METHODS: This study is a descriptive, cross-sectional, correlational study. The study included 152 cancer patients undergoing treatment. A patient information form, the 12-item Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual Well-Being (FACIT-SP-12) Scale, the Dispositional Hope Scale, and the Brief Resilience Scale were used to collect study data. RESULTS: Positive and meaningful correlations were observed between the Dispositional Hope Scale and FACIT-SP-12, Brief Resilience Scale, and FACIT-SP-12 (r = 0.390, P < .05; r = 0.246, P < .05). Mediation analysis indicated that Brief Resilience Scale scores partially mediated the relationship between the Dispositional Hope Scale and FACIT-SP-12 Scale scores; the indirect effect of hope on spiritual well-being through resilience was 0.351 (P < .05). CONCLUSION: The study has indicated a direct relationship between hope and spiritual well-being, and resilience partially mediated the relationship between hope and spiritual well-being. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: It is significant to provide psychosocial care to cancer patients to increase their resilience levels and to support their hope and spiritual well-being.

Evaluation of the relationship between the fear of COVID-19 and mental status of female employees during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: The stress due to the COVID-19 pandemic has influenced the physical, mental, and social well-being of humans worldwide. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the relationship between the fear of COVID-19 and mental state of female employees during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 726 participants. Data was collected using the Personal Information Form, fear of COVID-19 scale, and brief symptom inventory. RESULTS: The fear experienced by women during the social isolation and quarantine period was associated with depression, anxiety, somatization, obsessive-compulsive disorder, interpersonal sensitivity, hostility, phobic anxiety and paranoid experiences. CONCLUSION: Women, young people, the elderly and single individuals were most likely affected psychologically during the pandemic. Thus, interventions and psychological evaluations are recommended at an early stage to minimize this effect. Such interventions must be implemented considering the strategic planning and coordination of risk groups.

Evaluation of the Situations of Coping With Mental Trauma and Trauma in Emergency Service Personnel Who Medically Intervened to Earthquake Affected People in the 2020 Izmir Earthquake.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the mental trauma and coping status of emergency health care workers who responded to the earthquake affected people in the October 2020 Izmir earthquake. METHODS: This was a descriptive and cross-sectional study. State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Posttraumatic Cognition Inventory, Strategies for Coping with Earthquake Stress Scale (SCESS), and Post-earthquake Trauma Level Determination Scale (PETLDS) were used. Independent t-test, analysis of variance, Tukey's test, and Pearson's correlation analysis were used for statistical analysis. Statistical significance was accepted as P ≤ 0.05. RESULTS: A total of 113 health-care professionals participated in the study. There is a positive and high degree of correlation between the religious coping sub-dimension of the SCESS and the PETLDS (P < 0.001). There was a moderate positive correlation between the religious coping sub-dimension of the SCESS and the state anxiety (P < 0.001) and trait anxiety (P < 0.001) subscales of the STAI. CONCLUSIONS: In our study, mental trauma and post-traumatic coping levels of health-care workers who were exposed to earthquakes differed according to age, gender, and educational status. We found that post-earthquake trauma levels were directly related to state and trait anxiety levels and religious coping levels. We found that, after the earthquake, social support seeking behavior, state and trait anxiety levels increased; negative cognitions about self, negative cognitions about the world, and self-blame increased.Practice implications: This study draws attention to the evaluation of emergency health workers who work at the forefront of disasters in terms of subsyndromal post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It is recommended to make plans for psychologically protective and preventive interventions for health-care workers especially after disasters.

Evaluation of Internet Addiction and Relational Variables Among Nursing Students in Turkey During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

It is known that individuals use the internet more to escape from the psychological problems they encounter in daily life during the pandemic. Besides, it is also known that individuals with personality traits such as neuroticism and extraversion might be prone to internet addiction due to poor communication skills. It is important to determine the relationship between the internet usage characteristics and the mental state of nursing students so that students can provide better quality health services in their education and professional processes. The present study aimed to determine the relationship between internet addiction and personality traits, stress, and obsessive-compulsive symptoms among nursing students during the pandemic. This study includes 528 nursing students. The Young's Internet Addiction Test (YIAT), the Vancouver Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory (VOCI), the Eysenck Personality Inventory (EPI), and the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) were used for data collection between August and October 2021. It was found that there was a statistically significant and positive correlation between the students' YIAT mean scores and the EPI neuroticism sub-dimension, VOCI all sub-dimensions, and PSS mean scores (p < .05). In addition, the mean scores of the PSS and EPI were predictors of the YIAT total score (R = .550, R2 = .233, p < .05). Considering these results, it is necessary to prevent the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the psychosocial health of individuals. Psychological counseling can be offered to provide protective factors during the pandemic period.

Spouses' coping with stress during the COVID-19 pandemic: is there a difference between male and female attitudes?

This descriptive study was conducted to determine the stress-coping status of spouses and the difference between male and female attitudes during the pandemic period. We collected data with the Personal Information Form and the Scale for Coping with Family Stressors from 533 participants. The mean age of women and men was 36.04 ± 10.04 and 37.13 ± 11.56, respectively. A significant difference in verbalizing with others, work - family segmentation, cognitive restructuring, changing behaviors, emotional disclosure, exercise, and spending more time with family was found between women and men (p < .05). A significant difference was also observed in coping mechanisms with family stressors between women and men, and thus, gender affects their coping attitudes. During crises such as pandemics, the community should be aware of the availability of mental health professionals, and spouses should also use effective coping methods with family stress at regular intervals.

The traumatic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic: the possible role of rumination and uncertainty.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused some traumatic injuries to individuals due to the isolation, loneliness, and uncertainty it has created. Ruminative thoughts and uncertain situations are known to affect trauma. It aimed to evaluate the traumatic effect of the pandemic based on the ruminative thoughts and intolerance of uncertainty in the study. The sample for the descriptive and cross-sectional study consisted of 402 participants. Data were collected by using the questionnaire form, the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Scale (PTSD), the Ruminative Reactions Scale (RRS), and the Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale (IUS). A positive correlation was discovered between the PTSD mean scores of the study participants and their RRS and IUS scores (p < .05). Furthermore, RRS (ß = 0.280) was identified as a variable that primarily affected PTSD (p < .05). It was concluded that both ruminative thoughts and intolerance of uncertainty were predictors of post-traumatic stress disorder in the COVID-19 pandemic. Considering the possible effects of the pandemic, it is recommended to reduce the intolerance to uncertainty, to rework the ruminative thought content with appropriate and effective methods, and to create some programs for gaining problem-solving skills.

Effects of Surgical and Natural Menopause on Body Image, Self-Esteem, and Dyadic Adjustment: A Descriptive and Comparative Study.

This study aimed to assess body image, self-esteem, and dyadic adjustment in surgically menopausal, naturally menopausal, and perimenopausal women. This descriptive and comparative study was conducted in the clinics and polyclinic of a university hospital with a total of 274 women: 91 in the surgical menopause, 91 in the natural menopause, and 92 in the perimenopause groups. An Individual Introduction Form, the Body Cathexis Scale (BCS), Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), and Dyadic Adjustment Scale (DAS) were used for data collection. The women in the surgical menopause group had significantly higher mean scores for RSES and BCS and lower mean scores for DAS than the women in the natural menopause and perimenopause groups, with the higher BCS and RSES scores indicating lower self-esteem and body satisfaction. A weak negative correlation was found among dyadic adjustment, self-esteem, and body image of women in the surgical menopause group. Results showed that body image, self-esteem, and dyadic adjustment in menopausal women were impaired. This impairment was greater in the surgical menopause group than in the natural menopause group. Additionally, the presence of comorbid chronic diseases, less education, and being overweight negatively affected dyadic adjustment in women. Clinicians' awareness of the importance of the psychological aspects of menopause and the difference in the effects of menopause transition on mental well-being (body image, self-esteem, and marital harmony) according to the occurrence of menopause will enable them to help patients cope more easily with this process.

The effect of hopelessness on the perceived partner behaviors during Covid-19 pandemic process.

PURPOSE: It is aimed to evaluate the effect of hopelessness on the perceived partner behaviors during Covid-19 pandemic process in Turkey. DESIGN: Descriptive. METHODS: Totally, 486 participants have been included in the study. FINDINGS: It has been found that there is a positive correlation between codependence, disconnection, controlling subdimension and hopelessness in both women and men (p < 0.05). PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: In the study, the women and men who evaluate their partners as dependent, disconnected and controlling are hopeless.

Resilience in patients with dialysis-dependent renal failure: Evaluation in terms of depression, anxiety, traumatic growths.

BACKGROUND: Dialysis treatment for kidney failure is a condition that can lead to long-term psychiatric problems. Resilience is the ability to adapt to stressful life events. High resilience can alleviate the stress caused by illness and dialysis treatment. AIMS: This study was conducted to determine the level of psychological resilience and ego resilience in patients with renal failure receiving dialysis treatment and to investigate the relationship between anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic growth. DESIGN: A correlational cross-sectional design. METHODS: A convenience sample of 75 patients who had been undergoing hemodialysis therapy participated in this study. Data were collected using the Resilience Scale for Adults (RSA) Posttraumatic growth inventory (PGI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Ego-resilience scale (ERS). Independent t-test and one-way analysis of variance were used. RESULTS: It was determined that patients with renal failure receiving dialysis treatment had moderate resilience and ego resilience, severe depressive symptoms, moderate anxiety, and post-traumatic growth scores. There was a negative correlation between RSA total score and trait anxiety scale and BDI score (r = 0.497 p = 0.001; r = 0.497 p = 0.001), while a positive correlation was found between RSA total score and ego resilience and post-traumatic growth score (r = 0.530 p = 0.001; r = 0.497 p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: It was found that state anxiety, post-traumatic growth, and age were found to be effective variables on resilience. Resilience increases as post-traumatic growth and ego resilience scores increase; decreases as depressive symptoms and anxiety increase.

Assessment of mental health issues in pregnant women with fetal complications: Relation to attachment and anxiety.

PURPOSE: Pregnancy period is important for all women. The aim of this study was to evaluate mental status, antenatal depression, attachment, and anxiety in pregnant women with fetal complications. DESIGN AND METHODS: Mothers who had been diagnosed with fetal complications during pregnancy were interviewed after the delivery of their babies. FINDINGS: The results showed that anxiety and depression scores were significantly higher in the mothers who had received psychiatric support treatment. Maternal attachment scores were found low, depression scores were found high in mothers of children with congenital anomalies. CONCLUSION: According to the results of the study, a maternal attachment was low and depression was high in mothers with congenital anomalies. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Possible psychological problems after birth can be prevented by psychotherapeutic nursing interventions during pregnancy to pregnant women who have babies with fetal anomalies.

The Effect of Early Traumatic Experiences on Attachment Styles in Sexual Gender Minority Individuals.

PURPOSE: This study was carried out to specify the attachment characteristics of sexual gender minority individuals and to determine the effects of childhood traumatic experiences on attachment styles. DESIGN AND METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 141 sexual gender minority individuals from 2016 to 2017. FINDINGS: The number of childhood physical and sexual trauma episodes was found to be high in sexual minorities; in particular, the traumatized narratives were found to be associated with an avoidant attachment style (p > 0.05). PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: The study results may contribute to healthcare professionals' understanding of childhood trauma as it relates to sexual identity development and attachment disorders sexual identity development and attachment disorders.

Investigation of the Relationship between Premenstrual Syndrome, and Childhood Trauma and Mental State in Adolescents with Premenstrual Syndrome.

PURPOSE: This study was aimed at investigating the relationship between premenstrual syndrome (PMS), and childhood trauma and mental state in adolescents with PMS. DESIGN AND METHODS: This descriptive study was conducted with 702 students between September 2020 and November 2020. An Information Form, the PMS Scale, the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) and Symptom Checklist (SCL)-90 were used as the data collection tools. RESULTS: The mean scores the participants with PMS obtained from the Symptom Checklist (SCL)-90 and Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) were higher than were those obtained by the participants without PMS. The Pearson correlation analysis revealed a positive and weak statistically significant relationship between the PMS Scale, and SCL-90 and CTQ. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the study demonstrated that adolescents with PMS suffered from childhood traumas and mental problems more.

Psychological problem areas of pregnant women diagnosed with abortus imminens as a result of assisted reproductive techniques: A comparative study.

PURPOSE: The study was to evaluate the anxiety, depressive symptoms, hopelessness, and perceived social support of women who became pregnant using assisted reproductive techniques and who were both diagnosed or not diagnosed with threatened miscarriage (TM). DESIGN AND METHODS: This comparative and descriptive study was carried out with 194 pregnant women with-TM (96) and non-TM (98). The study data were collected using the Pregnant-Women-Information-Form, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS) and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS). FINDINGS: Women in the TM group were found to have higher mean scores from the BDI, BAI, and BHS, and a lower mean score from the MSPSS compared to the non-TM group (The group with TM had higher levels of anxiety, depression, and hopelessness than the group without TM, and the level of perceived social support by this group was lower). It was found that there was a strongly significant positive correlation in both groups between the BDI and BAI, and between the BDI and BHS. A strongly significant negative correlation was found between the BDI, BAI, BHS, and MSPSS in the TM group, whereas there was a moderately significant negative correlation in the non-TM group. It was found that there was a statistically significant difference between the mean BDI, BAI, BHS, and MSPSS scores according to age group, educational status, number of interventional in vitro fertilization attempts, and history of depression. In addition, there was a statistically significant difference between the mean BDI, BAI, and BHS scores according to previous abortion and family history of depression in the TM group. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Monitoring symptoms of depression, anxiety, and hopelessness in women diagnosed with TM who have become pregnant after infertility treatment, intervening due to the risk factors involved, may prevent possible mental problems and have a positive impact on the healthy continuation of the pregnancy.

Assessment of coping with stress in patients with Schizophrenia in a Community Mental Health Centre, in Turkey.

OBJECTIVE: To assess schizophrenia patients' approach toward coping with stress in terms of demographic variables. METHODS: The cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted at the State Hospital Community Mental Health Centre, Turkey, from November 1, 2013, to April 30, 2014 and comprised patients diagnosed with schizophrenia. Data was collected using Sociodemographic Information Form and the Coping Assessment Questionnaire Inventory. It was analysed using SPSS 18. RESULTS: Of the 53 patients, 14(26.4%) were females and 39(73.5%) were males. The overall mean age was 38±10.66 years. Highest mean score was recorded for the emotion-focussed coping subscale which was 63.49±10.64. Female patients used emotional social support, focussing on problems and venting emotions techniques (p<0.05). Patients who did not use alcohol received higher scores from religious coping subscales, while patients who used alcohol scored higher from substance use and dysfunctional coping subscales (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Most schizophrenia patients were found to be using emotion-focussed coping methods.

Relationship between dysfunctional beliefs and stress coping methods in drug-addicted patients: A sample of Turkey.

BACKGROUND: Dysfunctional beliefs are believed to have an effect on substance abuse. Drug-addicted individuals experience difficulties with coping in stressful situations and therefore, start reusing these drugs. AIM: This study was conducted to determine the relationship between dysfunctional beliefs and stress coping methods in drug-addicted patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The population of this descriptive and cross-sectional research study comprised 51 patients who were admitted to the Alcohol and Drug Addiction Treatment Center of a state hospital, diagnosed with drug addiction, and consented to participate in our study. The data were collected by using the Sociodemographic Information Form, the Dysfunctional Attitude Scale (DAS), and the Coping Assessment Questionnaire (COPE). The data obtained were evaluated by percentage, correlation, one-way analysis of variance, Mann-Whitney U-test, and Kruskal-Wallis test. RESULTS: The average COPE score of the drug-addicted patients was found to be 171.60 ± 23.35. The average DAS score of the drug-addicted patients was determined to be 161.66 ± 36.94. A statistically significant difference was found between the DAS and COPE scores of the patients (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: It can be concluded that these patients have dysfunctional beliefs and exhibit emotion-focused coping attitudes. More comparative studies investigating the dysfunctional beliefs of alcohol- and drug-addicted people and coping methods should be conducted.

Sexual dysfunctions and related variables with sexual function in patients who undergo dialysis for chronic renal failure.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To evaluate personality characteristics and psychological symptoms believed to have an effect on the sexual functions and performances of patients undergoing dialysis treatment. BACKGROUND: Chronic renal failure is a life-threatening condition which can often have a poor prognosis. The loss of vital kidney function and other complications can affect almost all age groups. DESIGN: A quantitative descriptive study. METHODS: The study sample included 225 patients selected randomly from patients who have undergone dialysis treatment for at least 3 months at a dialysis centre in a university hospital. In this study, the Golombok Rust Inventory of Sexual Satisfaction (GRISS), the Eysenck Personality Inventory (EPI) and the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) were used. RESULTS: In the correlation test, made to investigate the relation between the patients' sexual satisfaction and their personalities, a significant positive relation was found between the communication subscale of the GRISS and the Lie dimension of the EPI, and a significant negative relation was found between the Communication subscale of the GRISS and the Lie dimension of the EPI, and between the Vaginismus and Orgasm subscales of the GRISS and the Extroversion dimension of the EPI. CONCLUSION: Results showed that sexual problems, in the areas of nonsensuality, anorgasmia, avoidance and communication, are associated with extroversion and psychological symptoms. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Sexual health and the psychological well-being of patients with renal failure is an important issue that should be considered in nursing practice. Nurses should take the psychological problems of patients and their relations with partners into account and consider these problems in a holistic manner within the framework of nursing practice. They would then be able to play an effective role in intervening at an early stage and would be better equipped to help and control the psychological and sexual problems that some patients may experience.

Approach to stress endocrine response: somatization in the context of gastroenterological symptoms: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Stress can be defined as an acute threat to the homeostasis of an organism, and in order to manage stress, and maintain stability, the allostatic systems activate an adaptive response. Stress has been shown to have both short - and long-term effects on the function of the gastrointestinal tract, but long-term exposure to stress is more likely to cause endocrine disorders. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the endocrine response to stress, and evaluate the relationship between somatization and gastrointestinal symptoms. METHODS: A systematic literature search was conducted on several academic databases, which included, Pubmed, EBSCO and Science Direct. The search was performed using the keywords, "endocrine response to stress", "somatization" and "gastrointestinal symptoms". RESULTS: The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is essential in controlling physiological stress responses. Dysfunction is related to several mental disorders, including anxiety and depression, or somatization. Symptoms associated with genetic, or other traumatic experiences of individuals under stress, can lead to a maladaptive response to stress. These stressful life events were found to be associated with digestive system-related chronic diseases. Gastrointestinal disorders significantly affect millions of people worldwide. CONCLUSION: This study examined how the endocrine system responds to stress, and the effect this has in causing stress-related gastrointestinal distresses. Our findings indicate that stress-related psychological disorders are strongly associated with the severity of gastrointestinal symptoms.

Quality of life, depression, and anxiety among hepatitis B patients.

This descriptive cross-sectional study was designed to determine the depression and anxiety levels, and their effects, on quality of life of patients with chronic Hepatitis B. Chronic infection with Hepatitis B virus has a profound effect on health-related quality of life. Medications, including interferon, that are commonly used to treat chronic viral Hepatitis B may cause depression as an adverse effect. However, little is known about the impact of depression and anxiety on quality of life in patients with Hepatitis B. A total of 96 patients aged between 15 and 61 years were included in the study. Slightly more than half of them (52%) were female. Three scales-the Beck Depression Inventory, Beck Anxiety Scale, and Short Form of the World Health Organization Quality of Life Questionnaire (WHOQOL-BREF)-were used in the study. The scores obtained from the BDS in 91.7% of the patients were above the cutoff value of 17. Moreover, 80 patients received interferon. There was a negative correlation between the physical, environmental, and cultural areas on the Beck Anxiety Scale and WHOQOL-BREF (Turkish) (p< .05). A high level of depressive symptoms was established in this study, and the physical, environmental, and cultural aspects of quality of life were determined to increase as the anxiety level increased.

Turkish hysterectomy and mastectomy patients - depression, body image, sexual problems and spouse relationships.

The aim of this study was to compare hysterectomy and mastectomy patients in terms of depression, body image, sexual problems and spouse relations. The study group comprised 94 patients being treated in Ege University Radiation Oncology Clinic, Tulay Aktas Oncology Hospital, Izmir Aegean Obstetrics and Gynecology Training and Research Hospital for breast and gynecological cancer (42 patients underwent mastectomy, 52 patient underwent hysterectomy). Five scales were used in the study: Sociodemographic Data Form, Beck Depression Scale, Body Image Scale, Dyadic Adjustment Scale, Golombok Rust Sexual Functions Scale. Mastectomy patients were more depressive than hysterectomy patients (t = 2.78, p < 0.01). Body image levels of the patients were bad but there was no significant difference between the two patient groups (p > 0.05). Hysterectomy patients had more problems in terms of vaginismus (t = 2.32, p < 0.05), avoidance of sexual intercourse (t = 2.31, p < 0.05), communication (t = 2.06, p < 0.05), and frequency of sexual intercourse than mastectomy patients (t = 2.10, p < 0.05). As compared with compliance levels between patients and spouses; hysterectomy patients had more problems related to expression of emotions than mastectomy patients (t = 2.12, p < 0.05). In conclusion, body image was negative, mastectomy was associated with more depression and hysterectomy with greater sexual problems and difficulties with spouse relationships.