Do coping responses predict better/poorer mental health in Portuguese adults during Portugal's national lockdown associated with the COVID-19?

Background: This study aimed at assessing the mental health status of adults living in Portugal during the national lockdown of March 2020 to May 2020, how study participants coped with stress during the national lockdown, as well as the association between coping responses and mental health status. Methods: 430 adults from the general population living in Portugal completed measures of mental health status and coping. Results: Participants reported a mental health status in the normal range. Most commonly used coping responses were acceptance, planning and active coping. The use of instrumental and emotional support, self-blame, venting, denial, behavioural disengagement, and substance use were associated with poorer mental health. Active coping, positive reframing, acceptance, and humour were associated with better mental health. However, only positive reframing and humour significantly predicted better mental health, while only substance use predicted poorer mental health. Conclusions: Findings suggest that there was not a significant negative impact of the Portuguese national lockdown in the adults living in Portugal. Findings supported positive reframing and humour as being adaptive coping responses in this context. These responses should be encouraged by healthcare professionals and targeted in the context of psychosocial intervention programs directed to most vulnerable populations.

Problematic internet use and feelings of loneliness.

Objectives: Internet addiction or problematic internet use (PIU) has been related to feelings of loneliness and social networking. Research suggests that online communication may cause loneliness. We examined if the association between PIU and loneliness is independent of lack of social support, as indicated by lack of a committed romantic relationship, poor family functioning, and lack of time to interact face-to-face due to time online. Methods: Portuguese adolescents and young adults (N = 548: 16-26 years) completed the Generalized Problematic Internet Use Scale-2, the UCLA Loneliness Scale, and the general functioning subscale of the McMaster Family Assessment Device. They also reported if they had a committed romantic relationship, and if being online did not leave them time to be with partner, spend with family and socialise face-to-face with friends. Results: Social networking was reported as among the main preferences by 90.6% of the females and 88.6% of the males. Perceived loneliness was associated with PIU independently of age and indicators of social support. Conclusions: Evolution created neurophysiological mechanisms to recognize satisfying social relationships based on sensory information and bodily feedback present in face-to-face interactions. These are greatly absent in online communication. Hence, online communication likely engenders feelings of loneliness. Keypoints Problematic internet use (PIU) has been related to loneliness and social networking. Online communication was shown to increase loneliness. Lack of romantic relationships did not explain the association of PIU with loneliness. Poorer family environment did not explain the association of PIU with loneliness. Lack of face-to-face interactions due to time online also did not explain it. Lack of adequate sensory cues and bodily feedback in online contacts might facilitate it.

Vivência psicossocial do cancro em pacientes sem fadiga oncológica - um estudo descritivo / Psychosocial experience of cancer in patients without cancer related fatigue - a descriptive study / Experiencia psicosocial del cáncer en pacientes sin fatiga-del-cáncer - un estudio descriptivo

Este estudo contribui para o conhecimento da vivência psicossocial de pacientes oncológicos sem fadiga oncológica, em radioterapia. Esses pacientes encaram o processo oncológico como um desafio e um meio de crescimento pessoal. É um estudo longitudinal descritivo, com uma amostra emparelhada (n=35), cujos sujeitos foram avaliados antes e após a radioterapia quanto a padrões de regulação emocional (Escala de ansiedade, depressão e stress), perceção e satisfação com o suporte social (Escala de satisfação com o suporte social), crenças (Questionário de pensamento e crenças, construído para o efeito), qualidade de vida (QLQ-C30) e resiliência (Escala de resiliência). O Teste de Wilcoxon para Amostras Emparelhadas (distribuição não normal) ou o Teste T para Amostras Emparelhadas (distribuição normal) permitiu perceber se as diferenças entre as médias obtidas em cada variável (entre antes e após a radioterapia) são ou não significativas (sendo p<.05 indicativo de diferenças significativas). Verifica-se que após o tratamento houve alteração na estabilidade emocional e social, com decréscimo da qualidade de vida e resiliência sem afetar significativamente o bem-estar global inicial. Conclui-se que indivíduos sem fadiga oncológica sofrem, durante o processo clínico, o impacto do processo oncológico mas conseguem manter níveis ótimos de bem-estar geral.

This study contributes to the knowledge about the psychosocial experience of be a cancer patient undergoing radiotherapy, but without cancer-fatigue. These patients face the oncological process as a challenge and a mean of personal growth. It is a longitudinal and descriptive study, with a paired sample (n=35) whose subjects were evaluated before and after radiotherapy for emotional regulation standards (Scale of anxiety, depression and stress), perception and satisfaction with social support (Scale of satisfaction with social support), beliefs (Questionnaire of thoughts and beliefs, built for this purpose), quality of life (QLQ-C30) and resilience (Resilience scale). The Wilcoxon Test for Paired Samples (normal distribution) or the T-Test for Paired Samples (normal distribution) enabled to realize if the differences between the means obtained in each variable (between before and after radiotherapy) are significant or not (being p

Este estudio contribuye al conocimiento psicosocial del pacientes oncológicos sin fatiga-del-cáncer en tratamiento radioterápico. Estos pacientes enfrentan el proceso oncológico como un desafío y un medio de crecimiento personal. Es un estudio descriptivo, longitudinal con una muestra pareada (n=35) cuyos temas fueron evaluados antes y después de la radioterapia para los estándares de regulación emocional (Escala de Ansiedad, Depresión y Estrés), percepción y satisfacción con apoyo social (Escala de Satisfacción Con Apoyo Social), creencias (Cuestionario de Pensamientos y Creencias, construido para ese propósito), calidad de vida (QLQ-C30) y resistencia (Escala de Resistencia). El Test de Wilcoxon para muestras emparejado (distribución normal) o la Prueba de T para muestras emparejado (distribución normal) habilitado para darse cuenta si las diferencias entre las medias obtenidas en cada variable (entre antes y después de la radioterapia) son significativas o no (siendo p

Portuguese validation of the Internet Addiction Test: An empirical study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Research into Internet addiction (IA) has increased greatly over the last decade. Despite its various definitions and general lack of consensus regarding its conceptualisation amongst researchers, instruments for measuring this phenomenon have proliferated in a number of countries. There has been little research on IA in Portugal and this may be partly due to the absence of standardised measurement tools for assessing IA. METHODS: This study attempted to address this issue by adapting a Portuguese version of the Internet Addiction Test (IAT) via a translation-back translation process and Confirmatory Factor Analysis in a sample of 593 Portuguese students that completed a Portuguese version of the IAT along with questions related to socio-demographic variables. RESULTS: The findings suggested that the IAT appears to be a valid and reliable instrument for measuring IA among Portuguese young adults as demonstrated by its satisfactory psychometric properties. However, the present findings also suggest the need to reword and update some of the IAT's items. Prevalence of IA found in the sample was 1.2% and is discussed alongside findings relating to socio-demographic correlates. Limitations and implications of the present study are also discussed. CONCLUSIONS: The present study calls for a reflection of the IAT while also contributing to a better understanding of the basic aspects of IA in the Portuguese community since many health practitioners are starting to realise that Internet use may pose a risk for some individuals.

Avaliação da intervenção cognitivo-comportamental em gestão do stress em pacientes com fadiga oncológica, em radioterapia / Evaluation of cognitive behavioral intervention on stress management in patients suffering from cancer-fatigue in radiotherapy

Apresentam-se os resultados relativos a padrões de regulação emocional, percepção e satisfação com o suporte social após intervenção cognitivo-comportamental em gestão do stress (IGSCC) em pacientes em radioterapia com fadiga oncológica. Compara-se o grupo de controlo (n=35 radioterapia sem IGSCC) e o grupo experimental (n=35 radioterapia com IGSCC) no início e fim do tratamento tendo em conta variáveis sociodemográficas, Escala de ansiedade, depressão e stress, Escala de perceção e satisfação com o suporte social e o Termómetro da emoção. No grupo experimental, após IGSCC, há descida significativa (p<.001) da ansiedade, depressão e stress e aumento da percepção e satisfação com o suporte social. No grupo de controlo há subida significativa (p<.001) da desregulação emocional (ansiedade, depressão e stress) e subida da insatisfação com o suporte social. Salienta-se a eficácia da IGSCC sobre estados emocionais e percepção e satisfação com o suporte social em pacientes em radioterapia e com fadiga oncológica...

This article presents the results for patterns of emotional regulation, perception and satisfaction with social support after a Cognitive-behavioral stress management intervention (IGSCC) in patients with oncologic fatigue, undergoing radiation therapy. A comparison was established between the control group (n = 35 without radiotherapy, IGSCC) and the experimental group (n = 35 radiotherapy, IGSCC) at the beginning and end of treatment, considering socio-demographic variables; the Anxiety, Depression and Stress Scale; the Perception and Satisfaction with Social Support Scale and the Emotion Thermometer. In the experimental group, after the IGSCC, there was a significant decrease (p< .001) in anxiety, depression and stress and an increase in the perception and satisfaction with social support. In the control group, there is a significant increase (p < .001) in emotional deregulation (anxiety, depression and stress) and dissatisfaction with social support. We highlight the effectiveness of IGSCC on emotional states, perception and satisfaction with social support in patients with oncologic fatigue undergoing radiation therapy...