Psychological Distress

1998 ◽  
Vol 118 (6) ◽  
pp. 790-796 ◽  
Author(s):  
JESSIE M. VanSWEARINGEN ◽  
JEFFREY F. COHN ◽  
JOANNE TURNBULL ◽  
TODD MRZAI ◽  
PETER JOHNSON

The relationship between facial neuromotor system impairment, disability, and psychological adjustment is not well understood. This study was designed to explore the relation between impairment and disability and the impact of psychological adjustment on the relation for individuals with disorders of the facial neuromotor system. We studied outpatients ( n = 48; mean age, 49.0; SD = 16.3; range, 18 to 84 years) with a facial neuromotor disorder and acute or chronic facial paralysis. Measures of impairment (Facial Motion Assay, House-Brackmann scale, and Facial Grading System), disability (Facial Disability Index, physical and social well-being subscales), and psychological adjustment (Beck Anxiety Inventory, Beck Depression Inventory) were administered. Bivariate correlations between impairment and disability measures indicated impairment was positively correlated with physical and social disability (r = 0.44, p < 0.01; r = 0.39, p < 0.05, respectively). Stepwise regression analysis to predict disability indicated physical disability was predicted by impairment and the interaction of impairment and psychological distress (R 2 = 0.425; F = 12.57; df = 2, 34; p = 0.002). Psychological distress, and not impairment and the interaction of impairment and distress, was the single predictor of social disability (R 2 = 0.274; F = 13.23; df = 1, 35; p = 0.001). Psychological distress was a moderator of the relation between impairment and physical disability and a mediator of the relation between impairment and social disability for individuals with facial neuromotor disorders. Assessment and interventions targeted for psychological distress in addition to interventions targeted for impairments appear warranted to effectively reduce the disability associated with facial neuromotor disorders. (Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 1998;118:790–6.)

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S711-S712
Author(s):  
Shayla Thompson ◽  
Broderick Sawyer ◽  
Suzanne Meeks

Abstract Racial microaggressions are a common form of racial discrimination consisting of subtle or interpersonal slights. Racial microaggressions are linked to various kinds of psychological distress in younger adults, but have not been studied across the lifespan. We examined the relationship of racial microaggressions with psychological distress and anger rumination among younger and older adults identified as racial or ethnic minorities. We hypothesized that age would moderate the relationship between racial microaggressions and psychological distress and anger rumination, that is, the relationship would be weaker for older than for younger adults. Participants were recruited from Amazon Mechanical Turk and were compensated $1 for their participation. Preliminary tests of the hypotheses (N=220), using multiple regression analyses to test for moderation, failed to support the hypothesis that age would mitigate the impact of microaggressions on symptom severity. Both age and microaggressions were related to psychological distress and anger rumination, but contrary to prediction, older adults showed more exacerbation of distress in the face of microaggressions than younger adults. The results also differed by gender and ethnic groups, suggesting the importance of examining intersectional experiences of race, gender, and age in response to discrimination. These cross-sectional findings lend support to the importance of considering both subtle and overt discriminatory experiences in understanding the mental health challenges for minority groups in the U.S., but more work is needed to examine the intersection of ethnicity with other demographic variables, and to understand how the lifelong experiences of discrimination may shape older adults’ vulnerability, well-being, and resilience.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniela Marchetti ◽  
Lilybeth Fontanesi ◽  
Serena Di Giandomenico ◽  
Cristina Mazza ◽  
Paolo Roma ◽  
...  

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) health crisis is strongly affecting the psychological well-being of the general population. According to a very recent literature, the imposed lockdown and social distancing measures have generated a series of negative outcomes, including fear of the future, anxiety, and somatization symptoms. Few studies have investigated the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the well-being of parents and children, and still fewer studies have assessed the relationship between the psychological health of parents and children. The present study aimed at understanding the effect of parents’ psychological distress and verbal aggression on behavioral and emotional symptoms of children during the COVID-19 lockdown. Using an online survey administered in the first weeks of the lockdown in Italy, we explored the mediating effects of parent verbal hostility and child emotional symptoms on the relationship between parent distress and child hyperactivity/inattention in a sample of 878 Italian parents (87.4% mothers; meanage = 40.58). Two hypotheses were proposed: (1) parent distress would significantly predict child hyperactivity/inattention, and (2) parent verbal hostility and child emotional symptoms would mediate the association between parent distress and child hyperactivity/inattention. The serial mediated model confirmed both hypotheses, suggesting that higher rates of psychological distress in parents were associated with higher levels of hyperactivity/inattention in children. Parent verbal hostility and child emotional problems were also found to positively mediate this relation. Our results may be used to improve sociopsychological interventions in the general population in the near future. They may also contribute to the clinical definition of therapeutic paths for parents and families.


2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S530-S530
Author(s):  
Yang Fang ◽  
Anson Chau ◽  
Helene H Fung ◽  
Jean Woo

Abstract Background: Given findings that generally support the benefits of information and communication technology (ICT) for older adults’ psychosocial adjustment, one might surmise that lonely older adults, who have a stronger need for psychological support, would reap more psychosocial benefits from ICT use. However, scant research has examined this view, much less the likelihood that ICT use might worsen the psychological well-being of lonely older adults, as has been shown to be the case in younger adults. Objective: To examine whether the association between ICT use and psychological adjustment (i.e., psychological distress and sense of community [SOC]) among older adults depends on their loneliness levels. Methods: A representative sample of 738 Hong Kong SAR Chinese older adults aged 60 years or older (56% female) was interviewed in 2017 on loneliness, frequency of ICT use (i.e., Internet and smart devices), psychological distress (6-item Kessler scale; K6), and SOC. Results: Regression analyses showed that loneliness significantly moderated the relationship between ICT use frequency and psychological adjustment (psychological distress and SOC); more frequent ICT use was associated with more psychological distress and less SOC, with higher levels of loneliness. Conclusion: These findings suggest that ICT use may be a mixed blessing for older adults, i.e., using more ICT might predict worse psychological adjustment among lonelier older adults. Efforts that promote ICT use among older adults should take their loneliness levels into account.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 57-70
Author(s):  
Kate Shostak ◽  
Allyson Hadwin ◽  
Paweena Sukhawathanakul

The COVID-19 pandemic has introduced significant disruptions in the learning environment for many post-secondary students with many shifting entirely to remote online learning, which can compound existing academic challenges. While emerging evidence has suggested that COVID-19 impacts students’ well-being and stress, little is known about how the pandemic has affected students academically. This study investigates how different types of academic challenges mediate the relationship between students’ COVID-19 psychological distress and their academic performance. Participants (n=496) completed an online survey that measured COVID-19 psychological distress, self-reported grade point average (GPA), and academic challenges. Mediational analyses estimating indirect pathways were conducted using structural equation modelling on Mplus. Our results showed that all challenges increased along with COVID-19 distress, but specific challenges had a significant relationship with the expected GPA. We found that out of the five academic challenge areas, metacognitive, motivational, and social and emotional challenges emerged as the salient challenge areas that fully mediated the relationship between COVID-19 distress and GPA. Contrary to our prediction, while more significant COVID-19 distress predicted more social and emotional challenges, these challenges were associated to higher GPA. Future research is invited to help students manage and cope with their academic challenges.


2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 109
Author(s):  
Massoomeh Hedayati ◽  
Aldrin Abdullah ◽  
Mohammad Javad Maghsoodi Tilaki

There is continuous debate on the impact of house quality on residents’ health and well-being. Good living environment improves health, and fear of crime is recognised as a mediator in the relationship between physical environment and health. Since minimal studies have investigated the relationship, this study aims to examine the impact of the house quality on fear of crime and health. A total of 230 households from a residential neighbourhood in Malaysia participated in the study. Using structural equation modelling, the findings indicate that housing quality and fear of crime can account for a proportion of the variance in residents’ self-rated health. However, there is no significant relationship between housing quality and fear of crime. Results also show that fear of crime does not mediate the relationship between housing quality and health. This study suggests that the environment-fear relationship should be re-examined theoretically.  


2021 ◽  
pp. 105477382110032
Author(s):  
Nurul Huda ◽  
Yun-Yen ◽  
Hellena Deli ◽  
Malissa Kay Shaw ◽  
Tsai-Wei Huang ◽  
...  

The purpose of this study was to test the mediating effects of coping on relationships of psychological distress and stress with anxiety, depression, and quality of life. A cross-sectional and correlational research study was used to recruit a sample of 440 patients with advanced cancer in Indonesia. A bootstrap resampling procedure was used to test the significance of the total and specific indirect effects of coping. Data analysis showed that problem-focused coping (PFC) mediated relationships of psychological distress and stress on depression, anxiety and functional well-being. PFC also mediated the relationship between stress and social well-being. Emotional-focused coping (EFC) mediated the relationship of stress with physical and emotional well-being. EFC also mediated the relationships between psychological distress and physical well-being. Thus, proper assessments and interventions should be tailored and implemented for patients in order to facilitate their use of coping strategies when needed in stressful situations.


Author(s):  
Germina-Alina Cosma ◽  
Alina Chiracu ◽  
Amalia Raluca Stepan ◽  
Marian Alexandru Cosma ◽  
Marian Costin Nanu ◽  
...  

The aim of this study was to analyze athletes’ quality of life during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study involved 249 athletes between 15 and 35 of age, M = 21.22, SD = 5.12. The sample was composed of eight Olympic Games medalists, three European medalists, 67 international medalists, and 63 national medalists. The instruments used were: (1) COVID-19 Anxiety Scale, (2) Athlete Quality of Life Scale, (3) Impact of Pandemic on Athletes Questionnaire, and (4) International Personality Item Pool (IPIP Anxiety, Depression, and Vulnerability Scales). The results indicate significant differences in COVID-19 anxiety depending on the sport practiced, F (9239) = 3.81, p < 0.01, showing that there were significant differences between sports. The negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic mediates the relationship between trait anxiety and the athletes’ quality of life. The percentage of mediation was 33.9%, and the indirect effect was −0.11, CI 95% (−0.18, −0.03), Z = −2.82, p < 0.01. Trait anxiety has an increasing effect on the intensity of the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, 0.23, CI 95% (.10, 0.35), Z = 3.56, p < 0.01, and the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has a decreasing effect on quality of life, −0.47, CI 95% (−0.67, −0.27), Z = −4.62, p < 0.01. Gender and age did not moderate the relationship between the negative impact of COVID-19 and athletes’ quality of life. The results of the study highlighted the impact that social isolation and quarantine have on athletes’ affective well-being.


BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. e047650
Author(s):  
Wiraporn Pothisiri ◽  
Paolo Miguel Manalang Vicerra

ObjectiveThe COVID-19 situation in Thailand was controlled with various social measures. Much of the information covered in the media and in studies focused on the public health and economic aspects of the pandemic. This study aimed to explore the psychological well-being of older people, which is important especially in an ageing society categorised as low income or middle income due to the limits of economic and healthcare resources.SettingThe impact of COVID-19 on older persons in Thailand, an online survey, taken across nine provinces within the five regions of the country.ParticipantsInformation was collected from 1230 adults aged at least 60 years old.If an older person was illiterate, unable to access the internet or had a disability preventing them from responding to the survey, an intermediary residing in the community conducted the survey interview.Primary and secondary outcome measuresThe analysis focused on the worries of older adults and the factors associated with psychological distress experienced during the pandemic using logistic regression analysis.ResultsThe majority of people aged at least 60 years old experienced psychological distress during COVID-19. Employment loss (OR 1.08, 95% CI 0.78 to 1.38), inadequate income (OR 1.77, 95% CI 1.28 to 2.44) and debt incursion (OR 2.74, 95% CI 1.57 to 4.80) were detrimental to psychological well-being. The negative changes in the perception of their health status (OR 1.92, 95% CI 1.23 to 2.99) and decreased life satisfaction (OR 1.49, 95% CI 0.45 to 1.87) also weighed on older Thais. The protective factors for psychological well-being were residing in rural areas (OR 0.46, 95% CI 0.35 to 0.61) and being married (OR 0.75, 95% CI 0.55 to 1.01).ConclusionObserving the concerns of the older population is important for introducing policies that can alleviate their precarious financial and health statuses.


2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S71-S71
Author(s):  
Eleanor S McConnell ◽  
Kirsten Corazzini ◽  
T Robert Konrad

Abstract Although the impact of dementia on the health and well-being of those living with Alzheimer’s Disease and related Disorders (ADRD) and their care partners has been widely studied, less attention has been paid to how the disease impacts individuals within the context of their larger social networks. This symposium presents findings from a series of integrated studies aimed at strengthening measurement of health and well-being among older adults with living with dementia and well-being among members of their social networks. Findings will be presented from five studies: (1) a scoping review of social network measurement in older adults in chronic illness, including dementia, that emphasizes the use of technology in measuring older adults’ social networks; (2) a simulation study to evaluate the feasibility and reliability of sensor technology to measure social interaction among a person living with dementia and others in their immediate surroundings; (3) development of a web-based application that allows older adults to map and activate their social networks; (4) a qualitative analysis of interviews from persons living with dementia, their unpaid caregivers, and paid caregivers from an adult day health program concerning well-being focused outcomes; and (5) a mixed methods analysis of the feasibility of using both traditional and novel measures of health and well-being deployed among networks of people living with dementia. Emerging technologies for measuring social networks health and well-being hold promise for advancing the study of the relationship-based nature of care for people living with dementia.


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