scholarly journals Caregiving, Loneliness, and Stress: The Role of COVID-19

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 1036-1036
Author(s):  
Sumaiyah Syed ◽  
Iris Yang ◽  
Stephanie Wilson
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Perceived Stress ◽  
Family Members ◽  
The Other ◽  
Daily Care ◽  
Gender And Health ◽  
New Challenges ◽  
General Concern ◽  
Retirement Study

Abstract According to many prior studies, informal caregivers are at risk for heightened loneliness and distress. Moreover, the COVID-19 pandemic has introduced new challenges that may be accentuated among caregivers. This study examined caregiving frequency and its relation to loneliness, perceived stress, and negative affect during the COVID-19 pandemic. We then investigated the moderating roles of COVID-19 concerns and impacts, anticipating magnified effects among caregivers. Participants included respondents from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) COVID-19 project sample (n=2108, mean age=69) who reported their caregiving frequency, general concern about COVID-19, related concerns about family members’ health, and social disruptions caused by the pandemic. Controlling for age, gender, and health status, daily caregivers reported significantly greater distress during COVID-19 compared to non-caregivers (p=.036). Higher levels of concern about family members’ health during COVID-19 was significantly associated with greater loneliness among daily caregivers (p = .009), but not among non-caregivers, such that daily caregivers with greater concerns had the highest levels of loneliness. On the other hand, unexpectedly, daily caregivers who experienced fewer social disruptions due to the pandemic reported higher levels of loneliness (p = .002); however, the association was null for non-caregivers. Findings suggest that daily caregivers may be particularly vulnerable to greater loneliness and stress during the COVID-19 pandemic. These experiences may exacerbate existing mental health disparities for those providing daily care.

scholarly journals Addressing Depression Symptoms among University Students under COVID-19 Restrictions—The Mediating Role of Stress and the Moderating Role of Resilience

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (23) ◽  
pp. 12752
Author(s):  
Chang Liu ◽  
Melinda McCabe ◽  
Sebastian Kellett-Renzella ◽  
Shruthi Shankar ◽  
Nardin Gerges ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
University Students ◽  
Social Isolation ◽  
Perceived Stress ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Depression Symptoms ◽  
Targeted Interventions ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
Moderating Role

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has contributed to a decline in mental health globally. Compared to the general population, university students have been identified as a group vulnerable to developing depression symptoms during the pandemic. Social isolation, a signature mental health consequence under physical-distancing regulations, is a known predictor of depression symptoms during the pandemic. Yet, more research is required to understand the mechanism that underpins the isolation–depression association and identify psychological factors that may attenuate the association. The current study aimed to understand the role of stress and resilience in the isolation–depression association among university students. Methods: Data were collected from 1718 university students between 28 and 31 May 2020. Partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) was used to examine the mediating role of perceived stress and the moderating role of resilience in the isolation–depression association. Results: We found that perceived stress partially mediated the association between social isolation and depression symptoms. Both the direct and indirect effects were moderated by participants’ resilience levels. Conclusions: Social isolation during the pandemic may contribute to depression symptoms both directly and through elevated stress levels. As an internal strength, resilience may buffer the adverse effects of isolation and stress on depression symptoms. Targeted interventions including mindfulness and physical exercise training may provide promising results in reducing depression symptoms among university students and should be considered by university administrators particularly during times of imposed physical-distancing measures.

scholarly journals The protective role of life satisfaction, coping strategies and defense mechanisms on perceived stress due to COVID-19 emergency: A chained mediation model

PLoS ONE ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (11) ◽  
pp. e0242402
Author(s):  
Alessio Gori ◽  
Eleonora Topino ◽  
Annamaria Di Fabio
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Life Satisfaction ◽  
Coping Strategies ◽  
Perceived Stress ◽  
Defense Mechanisms ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Satisfaction With Life ◽  
Satisfaction With Life Scale ◽  
Mediation Model

The coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic represents a worldwide emergency, which may have harmful consequences on people’s mental health. Parallel to research focused on risk factors, it could be useful to investigate the factors that help to cope with such crises at an emotional level. Therefore, this study aimed to strengthen the role of variables that protect from subjective distress during the COVID-19 pandemic, explore the pathways between satisfaction with life and perceived stress, and consider the role of coping strategies and defense mechanisms in this relationship. A sample of 1102 Italian participants who were experiencing the COVID-19 lockdown measures (Mage = 34.91, SD = 11.91) completed an online survey in which the Ten Item Perceived Stress Scale, Satisfaction with Life Scale, Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced Inventory and Forty-Item Defense Style Questionnaire were included. The data were analyzed using Pearson’s r correlations and moderation analysis. A chained-mediation model showed that the relationship between life satisfaction and perceived stress is partially mediated by approach coping, positive attitude and mature defenses. This study contributes toward gaining a better understanding of a protective pathway for mental health outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings could be useful from both a preventive and an intervention perspective.

scholarly journals Self-blame regret, fear of COVID-19 and mental health during post-peak pandemic

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hacer Belen
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Perceived Stress ◽  
Community Sample ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Multiple Mediation ◽  
Mediation Analyses ◽  
Self Blame ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract The novel Coronavirus pandemic caused strong negative emotions including fear, and stress and impacted in mental health of individuals worldwide. One of the emotions linked with mental health and infectious disease is self-blame regret. Thus, current study investigated the role of fear of COVID-19 and perceived stress in the relationship between self-blame regret and depression. A community sample of 352 individuals in Turkey (71 % female and 29 % males), ranged between in age18 and 63 (M= 28.90±8.90), completed fear of COVID-19 (FCV-19S), perceived stress (PSS-10), DASS-21 scales and responded to one item concerning the self-blame regret. Results demonstrated that self-blame regret is positively correlated with fear of COVID-19, perceived stress and depressive symptoms. Moreover, serial multiple mediation analyses demonstrated that both fear of COVID-19 and perceived stress mediated in the relationship between self-blame regret and depression. Findings and implications are discussed.

The role of the medical director in mental health

2009 ◽  
Vol 15 (6) ◽  
pp. 404-410
Author(s):  
Neil Deuchar ◽  
Elizabeth Atkinson
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Medical Director ◽  
The Other ◽  
Current Contribution ◽  
History Of ◽  
Medical Directors ◽  
The Uk

SummaryThis article sets out the history of medical directorship, outlines the authors' view of the current contribution that medical directors can and should be making to the mental health arena and looks forward to the possibilities of this evolving role. The focus of the article is mainly on English policy and healthcare structures, recognising that these vary in the other jurisdictions of the UK. However, certain principles should be of wider interest and application.

scholarly journals Evaluation of Perceived Stress in Family Members of Stroke Patients

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 131-136
Author(s):  
Gayatri T. Batkulwar ◽  
Gaurav C. Mhaske
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Mental Health ◽  
Perceived Stress ◽  
Stroke Patient ◽  
Chronic Condition ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Family Members ◽  
High Morbidity ◽  
Stroke Patients

Background - Family members play important role in recovery of stroke patient. As stroke is a common, chronic condition with high morbidity, mortality and disability. The aim of study was to estimate stress level in family members of stroke patients. Method - It was an observational study, done on 100 caregivers of stroke patients, by using PSS-10 scale to assess level of stress in family members. Online survey was done by making Google forms. Result - 57% of family members of stroke patient perceived moderate level of stress, this affects the mental health and quality of life of caregivers. Conclusion - This study concludes that the stress was more in wives, sons, daughters in first relation whereas in second relation stress was more in daughter in law. Some interventions should be structured to reduce the level of stress in family members. Key words: Stress, stroke, caregivers, perceived, PSS.

scholarly journals Positive Changes in Life Outcomes over the Pandemic in Chinese Adolescents: The Role of Resilience and Relation to Mental Health

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jian-Bin Li ◽  
Kai Dou ◽  
Zi-Hao Liu
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Adolescent Development ◽  
Latent Profile Analysis ◽  
Profile Analysis ◽  
Chinese Adolescents ◽  
The Other ◽  
Life Outcomes ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Person Centered Approach

Abstract Background Although the existing literature has well documented the negative effects of COVID-19 on multiple life outcomes in adolescents, some research has also revealed that some life outcomes have become better during COVID-19. Scant research has specifically examined to what extent and in what aspects COVID-19 is beneficial to adolescent development so far. With person-centered approach, this research addressed this gap by: (1) exploring different profiles of positive changes in life outcomes in Chinese adolescents since the outbreak of COVID-19; (2) examining the role of resilience in relation to different profiles; (3) comparing mental health across adolescents categorized into different profiles. Method Participants were 2,567 Chinese adolescents aged 12 to 24. They rated how much their lives of different domains had experienced positive changes since the outbreak of the pandemic. They also answered the questionnaires that measured their resilience and mental health. Results Results of latent profile analysis revealed three different profiles: limited positive changes (33.3%), partial positive changes (49.5%), and overall strong positive changes (17.2%). Moreover, adolescents with a higher level of resilience were more likely to be categorized into the partial positive changes profile compared to the limited positive changes profile and into the overall strong positive changes profile compared to the other two profiles, after controlling for the covariates. Finally, adolescents in the overall strong positive changes profile had better mental health than their counterparts in the other two profiles. Conclusion COVID-19 might be helpful to adolescent development to some extent, especially for those with higher resilience.

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