scholarly journals Mechanisms of parental distress during and after the first COVID-19 lockdown phase: A two-wave longitudinal study

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. e0253087
Author(s):  
Miriam S. Johnson ◽  
Nora Skjerdingstad ◽  
Omid V. Ebrahimi ◽  
Asle Hoffart ◽  
Sverre Urnes Johnson
Keyword(s):  
Relationship Quality ◽  
Parental Stress ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Anxiety And Depression ◽  
Parental Distress ◽  
Depression And Anxiety ◽  
Time Points ◽  
Number Of Children ◽  
Cumulative Stress ◽  
Health And Well Being

Background In these unpredictable times of the global coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, parents worldwide are affected by the stress and strain caused by the physical distancing protocols that have been put in place. Objective In a two‐wave longitudinal survey, we investigated the levels of parental stress and symptoms of anxiety and depression in a sample of parents at two time points; during the implementation of the strictest physical distancing protocols following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic (T1, N = 2,868) and three months after the discontinuation of the protocols (T2, N = 1,489). Further, we investigated the relationships between parental stress and anxiety and depression relative to relationship quality and anger toward their children at the two aforementioned time points, including subgroups based on age, parental role, cultural background, relationship status, education level, number of children, employment status and pre-existing psychiatric diagnosis. Methods and findings Parents were asked to fill out a set of validated questionnaires on the two measurement points. Parental stress significantly decreased from T1 to T2, indicating that the cumulative stress that parents experienced during the implementation of the distancing protocols declined when the protocols were phased out. The decrease of perceived parental stress was accompanied by a significant decrease in the symptoms of both depression and anxiety among the participating parents. Symptoms meeting the clinical cut-offs for depression (23.0%) and generalized anxiety disorder (23.3%) were reported among participating parents at T1, compared to 16.8% and 13.8% at T2, respectively. The reduction in depression and anger toward their child(ren) from T1 to T2 was associated with a reduction of parental stress. Relationship quality and anger toward their child(ren) at T1 further predicted a change in the level of parental stress from T1 to T2. Conclusions The study underlines the negative psychological impacts of the implementation of the distancing protocols on parents’ health and well-being. Uncovering the nature of how these constructs are associated with parents and families facing a social crisis such as the ongoing pandemic may contribute to the design of relevant interventions to reduce parental distress and strengthen parental coping and resilience.

scholarly journals Mechanisms of Parental Stress During and After the COVID-19 Lockdown: A two-wave longitudinal study

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miriam S. Johnson ◽  
Nora Skjerdingstad ◽  
Omid V. Ebrahimi ◽  
Asle Hoffart ◽  
Sverre Urnes Johnson
Keyword(s):  
Relationship Quality ◽  
Parental Stress ◽  
Psychological Impact ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Anxiety And Depression ◽  
Time Points ◽  
Number Of Children ◽  
Civil Status ◽  
The Government ◽  
Anxiety Depression

Background: In the unpredictable times of the ongoing global coronavirus disease (COVID-19), parents worldwide are affected by stressors and strains that follow in the wake of the government-initiated distancing protocols.Objective: In a two‐wave longitudinal survey, we examined levels of parental perceived stress and symptoms of anxiety and depression among a sample of parents at two time points; in the midst of the strictest government-initiated physical distancing protocols following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic (T1, N = 2868) and three months after the protocols discontinued (T2, n = 1489). Further, we investigated the levels of parental stress, anxiety, and depression relative to perceived relationship quality and anger aimed at child(ren) at the two time points, including subgroups based on age, sex, cultural background, civil status, education level, number of children in household, employment status, and pre-existing psychiatric diagnosis.Methods and findings:Parents were asked to fill out a set of validated questionnaires on the two measurement occasions. As expected, the findings indicate that the high levels of parental stress significantly decreased from T1 to T2, indicating that the cumulative stressors that parent’s experiences during distancing protocols declined as a function of the phaseout of the protocols. The decrease of perceived parental stress at the two time points, was accompanied by a significant decrease in symptoms of both depression and anxiety among the participating parents. Symptoms meeting the clinical cut-off for depression (23.0%) and generalized anxiety disorder (23.3%) were reported among participating parents at T1, compared to 16.8% and 13.8% respectively at T2. Reduction in depression and angry at child(ren) from T1 to T2 were further associated with a reduction in perceived parental stress. In addition, relationship quality and angry at child(ren) at T1 predicted change in parental stress. Conclusions: The findings underline some of the negative psychological impact of physical distancing protocols on parent’s health and well-being. Parents who are facing physical distancing and remaining at home with their children may be particularly vulnerable to parental stress, anxiety and depression. Uncovering the nature of how these constructs are associated to parents and families facing social crisis, such as the ongoing pandemic, can contribute to design relevant interventions to reduce parental stress and strengthen parental coping and resilience.Keywords: COVID-19 lockdown, parental stress, anxiety, depression, social distancing.

Symptoms of Anxiety and Depression Among Teens and Adults in the Thalassemia Longitudinal Cohort Study.

Blood ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 114 (22) ◽  
pp. 555-555
Author(s):  
Lauren Mednick ◽  
Shuli Yu ◽  
Felicia Trachtenberg ◽  
Dorothy A. Kleinert ◽  
Patricia J Giardina ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Research Funding ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Functional Health ◽  
Anxiety And Depression ◽  
Depression Symptoms ◽  
Chronic Medical Conditions ◽  
Depression And Anxiety ◽  
Medical Conditions ◽  
Symptoms Of Depression ◽  
Health And Well Being

Abstract Abstract 555 Background and Significance: Individuals with chronic medical conditions are vulnerable to symptoms of anxiety and depression. Promoting healthy emotional functioning is important not only to psychological well-being, but also to physical health as it has been shown to impact adherence to medical regimens. Thalassemia is an inherited blood disorder which requires lifelong intervention and may be associated with treatment and disease-related complications that impact both the length and quality of life for most who are affected. While several studies have examined the prevalence of anxiety and depressive symptoms in patients with thalassemia, most have been conducted with small, homogeneous samples of children. In addition, the one study which examined psychological adjustment in adults included patients from only one medical center (Messina et al.; Intern Emerg Med, 3:339, 2008). Further, few studies have examined demographic, medical, and psychosocial variables possibly correlated with the occurrence of these symptoms. Understanding the factors that are related to the experience of depressive and anxiety symptoms may help us to identity individuals at risk and help in developing targeted interventions. The current study aimed to (1) determine the prevalence of depressive and anxiety symptoms in adolescent and adult patients with thalassemia; and (2) explore possible demographic, medical, and psychosocial correlates of these symptoms. Specifically, we hypothesized that (1) anxiety and depressive symptoms in this sample would be similar to the rates of these symptoms in individuals diagnosed with other chronic medical conditions and higher than in individuals without chronic medical conditions; (2) symptoms of depression and anxiety would be inversely correlated with measures of adherence (i.e., subjective report, ferritin); and (3) symptoms of depression and anxiety would be inversely correlated with functional health and well-being. Method: Data on quality of life and mental health self assessments were collected as part of the Thalassemia Longitudinal Cohort (TLC), a multi-center multinational study conducted by the NHLBI-sponsored Thalassemia Clinical Research Network. The current analysis included 281 participants (14-58 years old, M age=27.83; 52% female) who completed the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), a 14-item questionnaire examining presence of anxiety and depression symptoms. Participants also completed a measure of functional health and well-being (SF-36), as well as questions related to adherence to their medical regimen. In addition, as part of the larger TLC study, medical data such as ferritin and method of chelation was collected. Results: 32% of participants indicated experiencing at least mild symptoms of anxiety and 11% at least mild symptoms of depression. While these rates are higher than rates of symptoms of depression and anxiety found in the general population, they are similar to rates found in other groups with chronic illness (e.g., diabetes). Older age, female gender, and chelation with deferoxamine (as compared to deferasirox) were factors that were significantly associated with anxiety and/or depression and were statistically controlled for in subsequent analyses. Symptoms of depression, but not anxiety, were inversely correlated with subjective reports of adherence (p<.05), although not with ferritin levels. However, a significant correlation in the expected direction between subjective report of adherence and ferritin was found (p<.01). Finally, as hypothesized, both symptoms of depression and anxiety were significantly and negatively correlated with functional health and well-being (p<.0001). Conclusion: While the majority of patients with thalassemia do not report significant symptoms of anxiety and depression, the rates are higher than in the general population. Given that symptoms of anxiety and depression were associated with poor adherence and lower functional health and well-being, regular screening for anxiety and depression symptoms could help to identify at risk individuals in order to provide them with appropriate psychological support with the goal of improving both emotional and physical health. Disclosures: Porter: Novartis: Research Funding. Thompson:Novartis: Research Funding. Neufeld:Novartis: Research Funding.

Companion animals

Anthrozoology ◽  
2018 ◽  
pp. 17-31
Author(s):  
James A. Serpell
Keyword(s):  
Relationship Quality ◽  
Companion Animals ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Environmental Damage ◽  
Pet Ownership ◽  
Support Providers ◽  
Positive Balance ◽  
Human Animal ◽  
Health And Well Being ◽  
Damage Risk

Companion animals (or pets) form a distinctive category of domestic animals defined by their primary use as nonhuman social support providers. Companion animals have an ancient history that may precede and anticipate the original domestication of animals. Currently, more than 60% of European and American households keep pets, and their numbers are increasing rapidly in several emerging economies. The results of research over the past four decades suggest that relationships with companion animals may be beneficial to human health and well-being, though the extent of the benefits will likely depend on relationship quality. Exposure to positive relationships with pets in childhood may also predispose people to develop more empathic responses to animals later in life. In spite of these benefits, pet ownership also imposes costs, particularly in terms of environmental damage, risk to public health and threat to animal welfare. The future of these exceptional human–animal relationships will depend on striking a positive balance between the benefits and the costs.

scholarly journals 42 Training Forgiveness – A Novel Approach to Reducing Physician Burnout

CNS Spectrums ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 198-199 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lidia Firulescu ◽  
Ross W. May ◽  
Frank D. Fincham ◽  
Emelina A. Arocha ◽  
Marcos A. Sanchez-Gonzalez
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Physical Health ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Anxiety And Depression ◽  
P Value ◽  
Depression And Anxiety ◽  
Physician Burnout ◽  
Study Objective ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Mental And Physical Health

AbstractStudy ObjectivePsychological risk factors that lead to impaired work performance, negatively impacting mental and physical health, have emerged as a concern across clinical settings. Although depression and anxiety are linked to poor physician mental health, physician burnout characterized by work related stress due to chronic exhaustion from clinical work, cynicism toward meaning of the medical profession, and feelings of inadequacy toward work related accomplishments, may be an even stronger indicator of well-being. Literature suggests that work satisfaction among physicians is rapidly deteriorating owing to high rates of burn out and poor mental health. Although the relationship between work burnout (WB) and negative affectivity has been well documented, the association with positive affect, such as trait forgiveness (TF) has been overlooked. On that note, research shows that lifetime stress severity and lower levels of forgiveness predict worse mental and physical health. Since TF has been linked strongly with healthy workplace relationships, positive occupational outcomes and general well-being, its association with WB remains to be investigated. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to explore the link between TF and WB among physicians. We hypothesized that TF would be associated with reduced levels of burnout.MethodA total of 62 (F=23) medical residents at a Teaching Hospital consented for the study. Residents were administered surveys on WB (Maslach BurnoutInventory), workplace bullying, personal bullying (PB), interpersonal rejection sensitivity (IRS), perceived stress scale (PSS), TF, anxiety, and depression, all of which were anonymously submitted via electronically. Hierarchical multiple regression (HMR) models were used to determine the associations between WB, work environment social factors and TF. A p-value of <0.05 was considered significant.ResultsThe mean age 33.1±SD 4.2 years. HMR analysis using WB as main outcome contained 6 predictors: Model 1 contained depression and anxiety, Model 2 added PB, Model 3 added IRS and PSS, Model 4 added TF. Anxiety and TF were the only significant predictors (p= >0.05) accounting for 10.4% and 17.5% of the variance in WB scores, respectively.ConclusionsThe novel finding of the present study is that TF was associated with low levels of burnout. Additionally, WB was found to be linked to anxiety and depression which is in line with previous research. These data suggest that TF could be a potential resolution to the deleterious influence of burnout. Further exploration is needed in order to understand the psychology of forgiveness as a potential adjuvant and/or therapeutic intervention for physicians’ burnout. These results suggest that strategies including forgiveness training aimed at decreasing WB while increasing job satisfaction among physicians warrant further exploration.Funding Acknowledgements: no funding

scholarly journals The Role of Gender in the Association Among the Emotional Intelligence, Anxiety and Depression

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Rita Sergi ◽  
Laura Picconi ◽  
Marco Tommasi ◽  
Aristide Saggino ◽  
Sjoerd J. H. Ebisch ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gender Differences ◽  
Emotional Intelligence ◽  
Premature Death ◽  
Epidemiological Data ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Anxiety And Depression ◽  
Negative Events ◽  
Depression And Anxiety ◽  
Psychological Well Being

Recent epidemiological data show an increase of depression and anxiety that cause a loss of about 3–4% of the gross domestic product in Europe, as a consequence of a reduced productivity and a premature death of people. Gender differences in both psychopathologies were found from mid-to-late adolescence until 55 years, and data indicate an increase of depression in women. Considering these data, new interventions focused on promoting psychological well-being were designed. A predictive factor of psychological disorders is Emotional Intelligence (EI), the ability to understand and regulate our own emotions, as well as those of others. EI is associated with psychological well-being, as well as with the treatment of mental illness, but gender differences in the association among EI, anxiety and depression remains unclear. The present study aims at analyzing the nomological associations among EI, anxiety and depression. Furthermore, the possible moderating role of gender in the relation between EI, depression and anxiety is investigated in a sample of 1725 healthy participants. Our results show that the ability to recognize and to control emotions in the social context helps us to reduce the risk to be affected by depression and anxiety. Moreover, our study shows that the association of EI with anxiety and depression wasn’t gender moderated. In conclusion, the findings highlight that EI can help people to manage emotions linked to negative events and to successfully understand emotions in others. In addition, we found no moderation role of gender in the association between EI, anxiety and depression.

Relation of depressive and anxious symptoms to overall distress and mortality in patients undergoing radiation therapy.

2017 ◽  
Vol 35 (15_suppl) ◽  
pp. e21567-e21567
Author(s):  
Christopher Brett ◽  
Gerald Strong ◽  
Lauren L. Hintenlang ◽  
Dale Alan Whitaker ◽  
Niveditha Jagadesh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Radiation Therapy ◽  
Final Analysis ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Anxiety And Depression ◽  
Separate Analysis ◽  
Depression And Anxiety ◽  
Distress Screening ◽  
Patient Reported ◽  
Significant Burden ◽  
Level Of Concern

e21567 Background: For patients diagnosed with cancer, depression and anxiety represent a common and significant burden, which has been proposed to not only affect quality of life but to potentially shorten duration of life as well. This study examines the influence of patient reported symptoms of anxiety and depression on overall distress and mortality in patients undergoing radiation therapy. Methods: As part of their intake paperwork, patients undergoing radiation therapy completed distress screening that included 29 questions regarding their level of concern with various factors related to their care as well as their overall distress level. This information and other parameters including demographics, site of primary disease, use of chemotherapy, presence of metastasis, and last known status were recorded for analysis. Answers regarding degree of concern for “feeling down or depressed”, “loss of interest in my usual activities”, and “feeling nervous or anxious” were examined for influence on study endpoints. Results: Results for final analysis were available from 519 patients undergoing therapy from April 2010 to May 2016. The cohort’s average age was 66yrs, 71% were treated curatively, and 29% were treated palliatively. The most common treatment sites were breast (27%), thorax (16%), H&N (12%), GU (12%), GI (10%), and CNS (7%). Significant correlation was found between level of concern with symptoms of anxiety and depression and level of overall distress (P < 0.001, Kruskal-Wallis Rank Sum Test). Significance remained on separate analysis of curative and palliative subgroups. No significant correlation was found for 1 or 2 year survival on either single or multivariate analysis of curative or palliative patients. Conclusions: Depression and anxiety are common conditions among cancer patients, and can contribute significantly to their overall distress. Although no effects on mortality were demonstrated on initial follow-up of this cohort, it remains evident that attention to emotional well-being is critical in the care of such patients. Additional investigations can be pursued regarding ideal interventions for patients identified by such screening.

A Review and Response to the Early Mental Health and Neurological Consequences of the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lara Beth Aknin ◽  
Jan Emmanuel De Neve ◽  
Elizabeth Warren Dunn ◽  
Daisy Fancourt ◽  
Elkhonon Goldberg ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Anxiety And Depression ◽  
Social Connection ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Neurological Sequelae ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Health And Well Being

COVID-19 has infected millions of people and upended the lives of most humans on the planet. Researchers from across the psychological sciences have sought to document and investigate the impact of COVID-19 in myriad ways, causing an explosion of research that is broad in scope, varied in methods, and challenging to consolidate. Because policy and practice aimed at helping people live healthier and happier lives requires insight from robust patterns of evidence, this paper provides a rapid and thorough summary of high-quality studies published in 2020 addressing two overarching questions. First, what are the mental health consequences of living through the COVID-19 pandemic? Second, what are the neurological sequelae of contracting COVID-19? Our review of the evidence indicates that some facets of mental health suffered greatly during the early months of the pandemic (e.g., anxiety and depression increased), while other facets (life satisfaction) and correlates (social connection, loneliness) notably displayed resilience. In addition, early neurological data indicate several consequences of contracting COVID-19, both during infection and after recovery. In response to these insights, we present seven recommendations (1 urgent, 2 short-term, 4 ongoing) to support mental health and well-being during the pandemic and beyond.

scholarly journals Self-reported symptoms of depression and anxiety among informal caregivers of persons with dementia: a cross-sectional comparative study between Sweden and Italy

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseba Wulff ◽  
Agneta Malmgren Fänge ◽  
Connie Lethin ◽  
Carlos Chiatti
Keyword(s):  
Informal Caregivers ◽  
Depression Scale ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Anxiety Symptoms ◽  
Anxiety And Depression ◽  
Depression Symptoms ◽  
Depression And Anxiety ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Symptoms Of Depression ◽  
People With Dementia

Abstract Background Around 50 million people worldwide are diagnosed with dementia and this number is due to triple by 2050. The majority of persons with dementia receive care and support from their family, friends or neighbours, who are generally known as informal caregivers. These might experience symptoms of depression and anxiety as a consequence of caregiving activities. Due to the different welfare system across European countries, this study aimed to investigate factors associated with self-reported depression and anxiety among informal dementia caregivers both in Sweden and Italy, to ultimately improve their health and well-being. Methods This comparative cross-sectional study used baseline data from the Italian UP-TECH (n = 317) and the Swedish TECH@HOME (n = 89) studies. Main outcome variables were the severity of self-reported anxiety and depression symptoms, as measured by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). HADS scores were investigated using descriptive and bivariate statistics to compare means and standard deviations. Linear regressions were used to test for associations between potential factors and self-reported symptoms of depression and anxiety. Results Italian informal caregivers reported more severe symptoms of depression and anxiety than Swedish caregivers. In Italy, a higher number of hours of caregiving was associated with anxiety symptoms (β = − 1.205; p = 0.029), being 40–54 years-old with depression symptoms (β = − 1.739; p = 0.003), and being female with symptoms of both depression (β = − 1.793; p < 0.001) and anxiety (β = 1.474; p = 0.005). In Sweden, a higher number of hours of caregiving and being < 39 years-old were associated with depression symptoms (β = 0.286; p < 0.000; β = 3.945; p = 0.014) and a higher number of hours of caregiving, the lack of additional informal caregivers and dementia severity were associated with anxiety symptoms (β = 0.164; p = 0.010; β = − 1.133; p = 0.033; β = − 1.181; p = 0.031). Conclusion Multiple factors are associated with self-reported symptoms of depression and anxiety among informal caregivers in Sweden and Italy. Factors found in this study partly differ between the two countries, suggesting the important role of cultural and social factors affecting the experience of caregiving. A deeper knowledge of these factors may increase the knowledge on potential protective and risk factors, provide information to policymakers and ultimately improve the psychological well-being of informal caregivers to people with dementia across Europe.

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