scholarly journals Gene-by-Crisis Interaction for Optimism and Meaning in Life: The Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lianne P. de Vries ◽  
Margot P. van de Weijer ◽  
Dirk H. M. Pelt ◽  
Lannie Ligthart ◽  
Gonneke Willemsen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Meaning In Life ◽  
Virus Disease ◽  
Genetic Correlations ◽  
Covariance Structure ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Specific Response ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Genetic Covariance ◽  
The Individual

AbstractThe corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and the restrictions to reduce the spread of the virus has had a large impact on daily life. We investigated the individual differences in the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic and first lockdown on optimism and meaning in life in a sample from the Netherlands Twin Register. Participants completed surveys before (N = 9964, Mean age: 48.2, SD = 14.4) and during the first months of the pandemic (i.e. April–May 2020, N = 17,464, Mean age: 44.6 SD = 14.8), with a subsample completing both surveys (N = 6461, Mean age T1: 48.8, SD = 14.5). We applied genetic covariance structure models to twin data to investigate changes in the genetic architecture of the outcome traits due to the pandemic and the interaction of genes with the environmental exposure. Although 56% and 35% of the sample was negatively affected by the pandemic in their optimism and meaning in life, many participants were stable (32% and 43%) or even showed increased optimism and meaning in life (11% and 22%). Subgroups, specifically women, higher educated people, and people with poorer health, experienced larger negative effects. During the first months of the pandemic, slightly lower heritability estimates for optimism and meaning in life (respectively 20% and 25%) were obtained compared to pre-pandemic (respectively 26% and 32%), although confidence intervals overlap. The lower than unity genetic correlations across time (.75 and .63) suggest gene-environment interactions, where the expression of genes that influence optimism and meaning in life differs before and during the pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic is a strong exposure that leads to imbalanced effects on the well-being of individuals. Some people decrease in well-being, while others get more optimistic and consider their lives as more meaningful during the pandemic. These differences are partly explained by individual differences in genetic sensitivity to extreme environmental change. More knowledge on the person-specific response to specific environmental variables underlying these individual differences is urgently needed to prevent further inequality.

Individual differences in the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on optimism and meaning in life

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lianne de Vries ◽  
Margot Van de Weijer ◽  
Dirk Pelt ◽  
Lannie Ligthart ◽  
Gonneke WIllemsen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Meaning In Life ◽  
Genetic Architecture ◽  
Genetic Variance ◽  
Genetic Correlations ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Environmental Variance ◽  
Gene Environment ◽  
Twin Models

We investigated the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown on optimism and meaning in life in a sample of the Netherlands Twin Register. Participants completed questions before (N=9964) and during the pandemic (N= 17464). A subsample completed both (N=6461). We applied twin models to investigate changes in the genetic architecture due to the pandemic.Around 15-20% of the sample was negatively affected by the pandemic, but the majority was stable (64-68%) or increased (15%) in optimism and meaning in life. Especially women, higher educated people, and people with poorer health experienced negative effects. Twin modelling indicated stable genetic variance and increasing person-specific environmental variance. The lower than unity genetic correlations across time (.75 and .63) suggest gene-environment interactions.Some people decrease in well-being, while others get more optimistic and consider their lives as more meaningful during the pandemic. These differences are partly explained by individual differences in genetic sensitivity.

scholarly journals Sensul în viață la vârsta a treia. Stadiu de dezvoltare a personalitatii umane

2021 ◽  
Vol 62 (1) ◽  
pp. 46-53
Author(s):  
Florin Marius Voicu
Keyword(s):  
Old Age ◽  
Meaning In Life ◽  
Factor Model ◽  
Meaning Of Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Risky Behaviors ◽  
Special Importance ◽  
Erik Erikson ◽  
Psychological Mechanisms ◽  
The Individual

Austrian psychiatrist Viktor Frankl is among the first researchers of the meaning of life. His studies demonstrate the importance of living a meaningful life (Frankl, 1963). Meaning in life has become an important psychological concept in the research of emotional balance throughout life and decisive for the feeling of a fulfilled life in old age. Michael F. Steger's research shows that people who have a meaning in life, sense, and purpose generally feel happier and more satisfied daily, less depressed, anxious, and less likely to engage in risky behaviors. The six-factor model of psychological well-being is a theory developed by Carol Ryff (Carol Ryff, 1989). The meaning of life is studied according to age, age dynamics. The stages of development highlighted by Erik Erikson attach special importance to the meaning given to life lived in the developmental stage suggestively called "Integrity vs. Despair". Theories on aging highlight the terms "salutogenesis” and “pathogenesis”(Antonovsky, 1979) that imply different perspectives on life. Theories agree that meaning in life is an important concept in the ontogenesis of the human personality, necessary for the general well-being of the individual (Carol Ryff) being reflected in the state of physical health and the present emotional disposition (status). What is important, as a conclusion, is that all psychological factors are involved in the meaning of this life. To the extent that man has a meaning, his entire psychic structure participates in its realization. The current study highlights the changes that occur in the personality of the individual in old age and the psychological mechanisms with an adaptive role in this regard.

scholarly journals Nutraceutical Boom in Cancer: Inside the Labyrinth of Reactive Oxygen Species

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (6) ◽  
pp. 1936 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maura Calvani ◽  
Amada Pasha ◽  
Claudio Favre
Keyword(s):  
Well Being ◽  
Epidemiological Studies ◽  
Long Term Results ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Cell Growth Arrest ◽  
Host Interactions ◽  
Health And Disease ◽  
Pros And Cons ◽  
The Individual

In recent years, epidemiological studies have shown that food is a very powerful means for maintaining a state of well-being and for health prevention. Many degenerative, autoimmune and neoplastic diseases are related to nutrition and the nutrient–organism interaction could define the balance between health and disease. Nutrients and dietary components influence epigenetic phenomena and modify drugs response; therefore, these food–host interactions can influence the individual predisposition to disease and its potential therapeutic response. Do nutraceuticals have positive or negative effects during chemotherapy? The use of nutraceutical supplements in cancer patients is a controversial debate without a definitive conclusion to date. During cancer treatment, patients take nutraceuticals to alleviate drug toxicity and improve long-term results. Some nutraceuticals may potentiate the effect of cytotoxic chemotherapy by inducing cell growth arrest, cell differentiation, and alteration of the redox state of cells, but in some cases, high levels of them may interfere with the effectiveness of chemotherapy, making cancer cells less reactive to chemotherapy. In this review, we highlighted the emerging opinions and data on the pros and cons on the use of nutraceutical supplements during chemotherapy.

scholarly journals Alienation

2014 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 301-316 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wayne O’Donohue ◽  
Lindsay Nelson
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Performance ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Existential Psychology ◽  
Work Experiences ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Negative Work ◽  
State Of Mind ◽  
Psychology Literature ◽  
The Individual

Purpose – This study aims to re-examine the concept of alienation, particularly from the perspective of existential psychology. While research interest continues to centre on links between human resource management (HRM) and organizational performance, such as in studies by Beer et al. (1984), Huselid (1995), Becker and Gerhart (1996) and Guest (2011), there is a growing interest in individual attributes such as employee well-being in addition to organizational performance, as mentioned in studies by Macky and Boxall (2007), Wood and de Menezes (2011) and Guest and Conway (2011). In this paper, we focus on issues related to the individual, and in doing so we suggest that HRM theory needs further development, as pointed out by Guest (2011). Design/methodology/approach – This is a paper in the tradition of critical theory that draws on both classical and modern research in the business and psychology literature. It outlines the development of the concept of alienation from its classic articulation by Marx through to the perspective offered by existential psychologists such as Blauner (1964). How alienation, thus, defined might manifest in the workplace is then discussed, as are its links to other concepts associated in the literature with positive and negative work experiences is presented. Findings – We argue that alienation needs to be addressed at two levels, namely, at the systemic level, in terms of factors external to the individual such as work and organizational systems and processes, and in terms of factors internal to the individual’s “state of mind”. We offer strategies for management to consider counterbalancing the negative effects of residual feelings of powerlessness, meaninglessness, isolation and self-estrangement that systemic change is unable to eliminate. Originality/value – The paper refocuses attention on the individual within the context of HRM, the effects of alienation and other outcomes of positive and negative work experiences such as work engagement and job burnout.

scholarly journals Let the team fix it?—Performance and mood of depressed workers and coworkers in different work contexts

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (10) ◽  
pp. e0256553
Author(s):  
Martin Vollmann ◽  
Christiane Schwieren ◽  
Margarete Mattern ◽  
Knut Schnell
Keyword(s):  
Major Depression ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Entire Group ◽  
Healthy Controls ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Control Groups ◽  
Significant Burden ◽  
Clinically Depressed ◽  
It Performance ◽  
The Individual

Depression in the workplace is a significant factor for reduced personal well-being and productivity. Consequently, this has negative effects on the economic success of the companies in which depressed people are employed. In addition, the economy has to deal with the significant burden of this illness on the health system. In this paper, we investigated how different working contexts—working in a group or individually—influenced depressed individuals towards higher or lower well-being and productivity. We examined this using a laboratory experiment. In this setting, we were also able to analyze how, in turn, a depressive individual impacted the productivity and affective situation of their workgroup, reflecting the company perspective. The experimental design mimicked the very basic processes of a workplace in a stylized way. We used two distinct samples: subclinically and clinically depressed, both working in a group with healthy controls. As expected, we found generally lower performance in the clinically depressed sample, but in the subclinically depressed sample, we only found this in the individual work context. In contrast to our expectations, the performance of subclinically depressed individuals working in groups with healthy controls was even higher than that of healthy controls in homogenously healthy groups. The performance of the entire group with a depressed member was lower for the sample with clinically manifested depression, while the performance of groups with a subclinically depressed participant was significantly higher than the performance of homogeneously non-depressed control groups. We discuss our results with a focus on the design of workplaces to both re-integrate clinically depressed employees and prevent subclinically depressed employees from developing major depression.

scholarly journals Meaning-in-Life: A Vital Salutogenic Resource for Health

2021 ◽  
pp. 85-101
Author(s):  
Gørill Haugan ◽  
Jessie Dezutter
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Meaning In Life ◽  
Meaning Making ◽  
Human Life ◽  
Science Research ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Search For Meaning ◽  
Health Science Research ◽  
The Individual

AbstractBased on evidence and theory, we state that facilitating and supporting people’s meaning-making processes are health promoting. Hence, meaning-in-life is a salutogenic concept.Authors from various disciplines such as nursing, medicine, psychology, philosophy, religion, and arts argue that the human search for meaning is a primary force in life and one of the most fundamental challenges an individual faces. Research demonstrates that meaning is of great importance for mental as well as physical well-being and crucial for health and quality of life. Studies have shown significant correlations between meaning-in-life and physical health measured by lower mortality for all causes of death; meaning is correlated with less cardiovascular disease, less hypertension, better immune function, less depression, and better coping and recovery from illness. Studies have shown that cancer patients who experience a high degree of meaning have a greater ability to tolerate bodily ailments than those who do not find meaning-in-life. Those who, despite pain and fatigue, experience meaning report better quality-of-life than those with low meaning. Hence, if the individual finds meaning despite illness, ailments, and imminent death, well-being, health, and quality-of-life will increase in the current situation. However, when affected by illness and reduced functionality, finding meaning-in-life might prove more difficult. A will to search for meaning is required, as well as health professionals who help patients and their families not only to cope with illness and suffering but also to find meaning amid these experiences. Accordingly, meaning-in-life is considered a vital salutogenic resource and concept.The psychiatrist Viktor Emil Frankl’s theory of “Will to Meaning” forms the basis for modern health science research on meaning; Frankl’s premise was that man has enough to live by, but too little to live for. According to Frankl, logotherapy ventures into the spiritual dimension of human life. The Greek word “logos” means not only meaning but also spirit. However, Frankl highlighted that in a logotherapeutic context, spirituality is not primarily about religiosity—although religiosity can be a part of it—but refers to a specific human dimension that makes us human. Frankl based his theory on three concepts: meaning, freedom to choose and suffering, stating that the latter has no point. People should not look for an inherent meaning in the negative events happening to them, or in their suffering, because the meaning is not there. The meaning is in the attitude people choose while suffering from illness, crises, etc.

scholarly journals Risks and Opportunities for Youth in the Digital Era

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vasileios Stavropoulos ◽  
Frosso Motti-Stefanidi ◽  
Mark D. Griffiths
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Digital Media ◽  
Internet Use ◽  
Media Use ◽  
Developmental Trajectories ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Heated Debate ◽  
Use Of The Internet ◽  
The Individual

Abstract. Due to continued groundbreaking digital advancements, Internet use has increased significantly. This has led to a heated debate in relation to weighing the many advantages of the technology against its potentially deleterious effects. To address such questions, experts converge on the need for greater knowledge around the way individual differences, partly shaped by an individual’s unique experiences of engaging with the medium, and partly by other real-life experiences, lead to different developmental trajectories. Consequently, the goals of the present review are to (i) broadly describe differences in digital media applications, users, and usage; (ii) introduce the Cyber-Developmental Framework (CDF), as an overarching framework for understanding individual differences in adaptive and maladaptive digital media use among youth; (iii) delineate the cyber-component of this framework in relation to users’ experience of the digital context, their activity within it, as well as their digital self-presence, which may have an impact on their digital media use; and (iv) summarize priorities and future directions through the lens of this CDF. Within this context, this review particularly emphasizes the effect of digital media use on youth’s psychological well-being. It is argued that the trajectory youth will follow in their use of the Internet is a function of the interplay between their characteristics, their proximate and distal contexts, and the particular features of the digital application(s) that the individual is engaged in. The review points to the need to conduct research focusing on better understanding the developmental and digital-context-related influences on youth’s trajectories of Internet use.

scholarly journals The sweet peace of perfect assurance: On well-being in the hymns texts of Fanny Crosby

2014 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Daleen Kruger
Keyword(s):  
Everyday Life ◽  
Meaning In Life ◽  
Satisfaction With Life ◽  
Religious Life ◽  
Religious Involvement ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The World ◽  
Positive Sense ◽  
To Come ◽  
The Individual

Well-being is often described as a state of happiness or satisfaction with life, but it is so much more. The influence of religious involvement on a positive sense of well-being of the individual has been well documented. One aspect of religious involvement comprises the singing of hymns. Through the texts and the power of music, the well-being of the singer/believer can be positively influenced. Fanny Crosby (1820- 1915) wrote more than 8 000 hymn texts on various aspects of religious life such as assurance, salvation, redemption, worship and witness. Many of the hymns deal with the difficulties of everyday life, which is juxtaposed to the better life in the world to come. This paper is concerned with the portrayal of aspects of assurance in some of Fanny Crosby’s hymns texts. It is also shown how her hymns touch on aspects of well-being in the way that they stress the importance of having meaning in life and point towards the fact that the believer’s life can be worthwhile.

scholarly journals Coronavirus Stress and Resilience: Exploring the Role of Hope and Meaning in in Life Undergraduate Students

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 129-138
Author(s):  
Abdullah MERT ◽  
Gökmen ARSLAN ◽  
Özlem TAGAY
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Young Adults ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Meaning In Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Public University ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
High Motivation ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Health And Well Being

The aim of the present study was to investigate whether meaning in life and hope mediate the association between coronavirus stress and resilience in university students. The participants were 376 (68% female) undergraduate students attending a public university in Turkey. The age of the students ranged from 18 to 38 years (Mage = 20.67, SD = 3.62). The results of the present study suggest that the meaning of life and hope attenuate the negative effects of stress on hope and resilience. Specifically, hope emerged as an important mechanism for the relationship between meaning in life and resilience. These findings provide insights into the relationships between coronavirus stress, hope, sense of life, and resilience in young adults during the period COVID -19. Hope and sense of life may function as protective factors to promote mental health and well-being by increasing an individual's ability to recover from stressful situations with high motivation and in creative ways. The purpose of the present study was to examine whether meaning in life and hope mediate the relationship between coronavirus stress and resilience in university students. The participants were 376 (68% female) students attending a public university in Turkey. The age of the students ranged from 18 to 38 years (Mage = 20.67, SD = 3.62). The results of the study showed that the meaning of life and hope mitigated the negative effects of stress on hope and resilience. Specifically, hope was found to be an important mechanism for the relationship between meaning in life and resilience. These findings shed light on the relationships between coronavirus stress, hope, sense of life, and resilience in young adults during COVID -19. Hope and sense of life may act as protective factors to promote mental health and well-being by increasing individuals' ability to recover from stressful situations with high motivation and in creative ways.

scholarly journals Genetic variation, brain, and intelligence differences

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ian J. Deary ◽  
Simon R. Cox ◽  
W. David Hill
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Brain Imaging ◽  
Test Scores ◽  
Molecular Genetic ◽  
Genetic Correlations ◽  
Covariance Structure ◽  
Integrated Systems ◽  
Cognitive Test ◽  
Regional Brain ◽  
The Life Course

AbstractIndividual differences in human intelligence, as assessed using cognitive test scores, have a well-replicated, hierarchical phenotypic covariance structure. They are substantially stable across the life course, and are predictive of educational, social, and health outcomes. From this solid phenotypic foundation and importance for life, comes an interest in the environmental, social, and genetic aetiologies of intelligence, and in the foundations of intelligence differences in brain structure and functioning. Here, we summarise and critique the last 10 years or so of molecular genetic (DNA-based) research on intelligence, including the discovery of genetic loci associated with intelligence, DNA-based heritability, and intelligence’s genetic correlations with other traits. We summarise new brain imaging-intelligence findings, including whole-brain associations and grey and white matter associations. We summarise regional brain imaging associations with intelligence and interpret these with respect to theoretical accounts. We address research that combines genetics and brain imaging in studying intelligence differences. There are new, though modest, associations in all these areas, and mechanistic accounts are lacking. We attempt to identify growing points that might contribute toward a more integrated ‘systems biology’ account of some of the between-individual differences in intelligence.

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