scholarly journals COVID-19 Bereavement: Considerations for Families, Psychologists, and Student Trainees

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 938-938
Author(s):  
Jacqueline Hogan ◽  
Lisa Richards
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Practice Research ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
School Closures ◽  
Psychology Programs ◽  
Loved One ◽  
Racial Tension ◽  
Family Discord ◽  
Aging Adults ◽  
The Impact

Abstract During the peak of COVID-19, inflicted individuals died unexpectedly and in isolation. These circumstances deprived families of opportunities to say goodbye or memorialize the death of their loved one in alignment with their values and cultural heritage (e.g., wakes/vigils, funerals, shiva, washing, shrouding, military honors). Unable to hold hands, have final conversations, or develop treatment plans with providers, bereaved families experienced compounded losses. Concurrent quarantine hindered their engagement in coping strategies. COVID-19 bereavement increases the risk for complicated grief, which escalates the risk of physical and mental health problems, suicide, drug abuse, and family discord (Shear, 2015, 2020). While death, grief, and mourning are normal life experiences, traumatic and sudden death during a global pandemic is a new domain and the voices of those left behind are under-represented in social discourse. Simultaneously, psychologists and trainees quickly became last responders. COVID-19 presented a constellation of clinical challenges. Practitioners provided care during a time of political and racial tension, civil unrest, school closures, health and financial insecurity, and a collective loss of normalcy. Additionally, COVID-19 cast a spotlight on ageist attitudes and critical need for increased representation of older adults in training curricula. These issues echo the call to embrace aging as a valued aspect of diversity, and to strengthen psychology’s workforce in the areas of training, practice, research and advocacy for aging adults (Hoge, et al., 2015). This poster will explore the impact of COVID-19 bereavement on families and practitioners, promote advocacy efforts, and offer tangible training recommendations for psychology programs.

Psychosocial Impacts of COVID-19 among University Students in Uruguay

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tianna Loose ◽  
Alejandro Vásquez-Echeverría
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
University Students ◽  
Sleep Disturbances ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
School Closures ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
Negative Impacts ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
The University ◽  
The Impact

The novel coronavirus has taken a catastrophic toll worldwide on physical and mental health. We focused on the psychosocial impact among students in Uruguay, a country relatively protected from the pandemic. Our study had three main aims : 1) describe in detail the impact among university students, 2) identify relationships between different dimensions and 3) highlight the factors determinant of mental distress. We designed a multi-dimensional questionnaire to investigate the perceived impact on the lives of students. The questionnaire was administered to 144 undergraduates in Uruguay online while the university was closed. 38-66% of students indicated increases in signs of anxiety, depression or sleep disturbances. Independently of other related factors, increases in substance use, impairments in social relationships, negative impacts of school closures, and personal economic worries explained 41% of variance in psychological distress. Findings are discussed in terms of policies for public health and future directions for research on mental health.

Key expressions of trauma-related distress in Cambodian children: A step toward culturally sensitive trauma assessment and intervention

2020 ◽  
pp. 136346152090600 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caleb J Figge ◽  
Cecilia Martinez-Torteya ◽  
Sopheap Taing ◽  
Sotheara Chhim ◽  
Devon E Hinton
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Treatment Effectiveness ◽  
Intervention Development ◽  
Severe Trauma ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Culturally Specific ◽  
Trauma Assessment ◽  
Stress Symptoms ◽  
The Impact

More than half of all children in Cambodia experience direct abuse and over 70% experience other traumatic events, which significantly increase their risks for a range of physical and mental health problems. Additionally, Cambodian children face longstanding sociopolitical, intergenerational, and cultural factors that compound the impact of other trauma. As a result, rates of posttraumatic stress symptoms among Cambodian youth are high. However, care providers often rely on Western-based nosology that does not account for culturally specific expressions of trauma. A greater understanding of culturally-salient expressions of distress can help inform diagnostic assessment accuracy and treatment effectiveness and monitoring. The current study utilized a qualitative design to interview 30 Cambodian caregivers of children with trauma experiences and 30 Cambodian children (ages 10–13 years) with trauma experiences to identify key local expressions of trauma. Findings reveal certain PTSD symptoms and culturally-specific frequent and severe trauma-related problems for Cambodian children and domains of functioning impacted by trauma. Certain symptoms seem particularly important to evaluate in this group, such as anger, physical complaints (e.g., headache and palpitations), and cognitive-focused complaints (in particular, “thinking too much”). All caregivers and children reported physical health as impacted by trauma-related problems, highlighting a particularly salient domain of functioning for this population. Expressions of distress explored in the current study are discussed in the context of assessment and intervention development to inform diagnostic and clinical efforts for those working with trauma-exposed Cambodian children.

scholarly journals Impact of COVID-19 Lockdown on Physical and Mental Health of 5-12 Years Old Children from Parents’ Perspective: A cross-sectional Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 92-102
Author(s):  
Isha Tajane ◽  
Aamena Golwala ◽  
Devanshi Nangia ◽  
Isha Chavan
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Recovery Period ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Psychosocial Wellbeing ◽  
Crisis Recovery ◽  
The Impact

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced children to spend increased amounts of time at home resulting in adverse effects on their physical and psychosocial wellbeing. Parents need to be aware about the changes in the mental and physical health of the children. Objectives: To identify the physical and mental health problems the children are facing because of the lockdown and to assess the awareness of such problems amongst the parents. Design: A cross sectional online survey was conducted to assess the impact of COVID-19 on physical and mental health of the children from parents' perspectives. Setting: Mumbai, Maharashtra, India Main Outcome Measure: Parent reported questionnaire. Results and conclusion: There were a significant increase in the number of hours spent on mobile phones, sitting, and sleeping during the lockdown as compared to before the lockdown whereas the number of hours spent on physical activity significantly decreased and also impacted their mental health. By taking part in the survey, the parents of the children became aware of the changes occurring in their child. These findings can guide immediate programmatic and policy efforts to preserve and promote child health during the COVID-19 outbreak and crisis recovery period, and to inform strategies to mitigate potential harm during future pandemics.

scholarly journals Persistent Suffering: The Serious Consequences of Sexual Violence against Women and Girls, Their Search for Inner Healing and the Significance of the #MeToo Movement

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 1849
Author(s):  
Sigrun Sigurdardottir ◽  
Sigridur Halldorsdottir
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Violence ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Childhood And Adolescence ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Inner Healing ◽  
Sleeping Problems ◽  
Women And Girls ◽  
Tract Infections ◽  
The Impact

This paper uses the method of theory synthesis, primarily from our own previous studies and psychoneuroimmunology research, with the aim of exploring and better understanding the consequences of sexual violence for women and their search for inner healing. The impact of the #MeToo movement is also examined. The main finding is that sexual violence causes persistent suffering for women and girls. In childhood and adolescence, the main consequences include a feeling of unbearable secrecy, threat and humiliation; disconnection of body and soul; great fear and constant insecurity; damaged self-image, self-accusation and guilt; experiencing being compelled to take full responsibility for the crime; as well as various physical and mental health problems, e.g., suicidal thoughts. In adulthood, the consequences are also multifaceted and varied, including vaginal problems, recurrent urinary tract infections, widespread and chronic pain, sleeping problems, chronic back problems, and fibromyalgia, eating disorders, social anxiety, severe depression, and chronic fatigue. In conclusion, sexual violence has these extremely negative and long-term consequences because of the interconnectedness of body, mind, and soul. The seriousness of the consequences makes a trauma-informed approach to services essential to support the healing and improved health and well-being of survivors.

scholarly journals Factors influencing willingness to use fitness apps during COVID-19 pandemic: evidence from China

2022 ◽  
Vol 355 ◽  
pp. 02053
Author(s):  
Jingyu Liu
Keyword(s):  
Risk Perception ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Performance Expectation ◽  
Factors Influencing ◽  
Use Of Technology ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Willingness To Use ◽  
The Impact

During the novel coronavirus pandemic, many people stopped going to the gym, and lack of exercise is likely to cause physical and mental health problems such as decreased immunity, in turn making them vulnerable to infection. Fitness apps can help people exercise at home by providing online professional guidance and supervision. This study explored the factors influencing fitness the intention to use apps during the epidemic in China. A new variable named epidemic crisis risk perception was added to the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology model to reflect the impact of the epidemic. Performance expectation has the greatest impact on the willingness to use fitness apps. Therefore, developers must pay close attention to the needs of the public and improve the functions of apps to improve their satisfaction. In addition, the risk perception of epidemic crisis positively correlates with the willingness to use such apps, indicating that the novel coronavirus pandemic indeed affected public psychology and behavioural intention.

Exploring the impact of gender-specific challenges during and after military service on female UK Veterans

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia Baumann ◽  
Charlotte Williamson ◽  
Dominic Murphy
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Military Service ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Armed Forces ◽  
Female Veterans ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Difficulties ◽  
Gender Based ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Impact

LAY SUMMARY Currently, research on the experiences and challenges of being female in the UK Armed Forces is lacking. The current study aimed to explore some of the challenges and obstacles women have experienced both during their military service and as Veterans. In total, 750 female Veterans from the army were surveyed on their experiences during their military service and as Veterans and on their current physical and mental health problems. The results indicate that women experience several gender-based challenges, such as sexism and discrimination, during military service and as Veterans, and these challenges are linked to current physical and mental health difficulties.

scholarly journals Psychosocial impact of early onset dementia among caregivers

2015 ◽  
Vol 37 (4) ◽  
pp. 213-219 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nathália R. S. Kimura ◽  
Virgínia L. R. Maffioletti ◽  
Raquel L. Santos ◽  
Maria Alice Tourinho Baptista ◽  
Marcia C. N. Dourado
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Early Onset ◽  
Social Impact ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Psychosocial Impact ◽  
Emotional Impact ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Early Onset Dementia ◽  
People With Dementia ◽  
The Impact

Introduction: There is growing recognition of early onset dementia (EOD) as a significant clinical and social problem because of its effects on physical and mental health of people with dementia (PWD) and their caregivers. Objective: To analyze the psychosocial impact of EOD in family caregivers. Methods: The study design was qualitative. Nine EOD caregivers (7 women) were recruited at a service for Alzheimer's disease and assessed using semi-structured interviews. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was used to analyze caregivers' reports. Results: Five themes emerged from the narratives: psychological and emotional impact; physical impact; financial and professional impact; social impact and need for support services. The majority of the caregivers of people with EOD perceived their emotional wellbeing as poor or extremely poor. Carers reported poor physical health, which tends to be longer-lasting than mental health problems. Two caregivers had to retire after the disclosure of the dementia diagnosis, and seven reduced their work loads because they had to look after PWD. Preserving the abilities of PWD is essential to maintain their self-esteem, dignity and sense of utility. For the caregivers, interventions and stimulating activities make PWD feel worthwhile and contribute to improving life. Conclusion: The caregivers of people with EOD assume the role of caregiver prematurely and need to balance this activity with other responsibilities. There is a need for more studies of EOD in order to improve understanding of the impact of this disease and to enable development of adequate services for PWD and their caregivers.

scholarly journals Service evaluation of a sole-session psychoeducational intervention to improve caregivers’ key illness beliefs after first episode psychosis (FEP)

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cassie M. Hazell ◽  
Natasha Lyons ◽  
Juliana Onwumere ◽  
Joerg Schulz ◽  
Naomi Glover ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Service Evaluation ◽  
First Episode ◽  
List Type ◽  
Illness Beliefs ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Carers of people experiencing a first episode of psychosis are at an increased risk of developing their own physical and mental health problems. Psychoeducation has been found to improve carer wellbeing and reduce distress. However, few psychoeducation interventions have considered the resource constraints on mental health services and the impact that these can have on the implementation of any such interventions. The present service evaluation aimed to evaluate an abbreviated version (sole session) of a previously tested psychoeducation intervention (three sessions) that targets less adaptive illness beliefs (n = 17). Pre–post effect sizes reveal that all of the carers’ illness beliefs changed in the desired direction, with four out of the 10 illness beliefs associated with large to moderate improvements. When compared with the outcomes obtained in our evaluation of the more intensive, three-session version of the intervention, the between-group effects largely favoured the three-session version but were mostly small. Moderate to large effects in favour of the three-session version were found for two of the 10 illness beliefs. These findings support the further investigation of the sole session psychoeducation intervention as part of a randomised controlled trial. Key learning aims (1) To evaluate the impact of a sole-session psychoeducation intervention on illness beliefs. (2) To compare the outcomes of the sole-session psychoeducation intervention to the previous, more intensive (three-session) version of the same intervention. (3) To consider the value of research approaches to evaluating psychoeducation interventions for carers of people with psychosis.

scholarly journals LOSS NEGATIVELY IMPACTS A HEALTHY LIFE IN US ADULTS: FINDINGS FROM THE HEALTH AND RETIREMENT STUDY

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S918-S918
Author(s):  
Justin B Ingels ◽  
Toni Miles
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Census Data ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Public Health Issue ◽  
Health And Retirement Study ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Healthy Life ◽  
Loved One ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Retirement Study

Abstract Previous research reports that the loss of a loved one increases the risk of mortality and physical and mental health problems. Using data from the 2004 to 2014 waves of the Health and Retirement Study, we estimate the years of healthy life (YHL) from 2004 to death for each respondent. YHL is based on the combination of years lived between 2004 and 2014, a projection of years beyond 2014, and self-rated health. Regression models stratified by age and gender were developed with the loss of a parent or spouse as the primary exposure and YHL as the dependent variable. Annual estimates of the total YHL lost associated with bereavement were based on these regression analyses and US Census data. Models reveal a strong dose-relationship between YHL lost and the number of losses. In total, the annual YHL lost associated with loss in US adults between 50 and 84 years of age is estimated at 2.0 and 1.6 million for men and women, respectively. Nearly three-fourths of the annual YHL lost are associated with adults younger than 65. Interaction analyses suggest that increasing physical activity has the greatest impact on reducing YHL lost in those with the greatest number of losses, one to two YHL per person. Understanding the full impact of loss on the lives of adults is an important step toward framing loss as a public health issue, especially for middle-aged adults. Results suggest that physical activity should be an important aspect of bereavement interventions.

scholarly journals The Trouble With Fathers: The Impact of Time and Gendered-Thinking on Working Relationships Between Fathers and Social Workers in Child Protection Practice in England

2018 ◽  
Vol 40 (16) ◽  
pp. 2288-2309 ◽  
Author(s):  
Georgia Philip ◽  
John Clifton ◽  
Marian Brandon
Keyword(s):  
Social Workers ◽  
Child Protection ◽  
Substance Misuse ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Work Practice ◽  
Social Work Practice ◽  
Working Relationships ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Time Perspectives ◽  
The Impact

The lives of families entering the child protection arena may be shaped by a range of troubles, including material deprivation, physical and mental health problems, and substance misuse or domestic abuse. Despite the interest in whole family approaches, the issue of how professionals fail to work effectively with fathers is long-standing and resistant to change. This article illustrates challenges in building working relationships with men, including the challenge of avoiding binary thinking in the assessment of fathers as “risk” or “resource.” Drawing on our qualitative longitudinal study of men’s experiences of child protection in England, we highlight how both organizational (clashing time perspectives) and cultural (gendered-thinking) factors can trouble the potential relationship between social workers and fathers. We argue for a more gender sensitive approach to social work practice, which can respond more fully and effectively to the experiences of fathers and mothers.

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