scholarly journals A moderated-mediation model of fear of illness and subjective psychological well-being during COVID-19 pandemic

Author(s):  
Sarita Sood ◽  
Ananya Sharma

Abstract A sudden outbreak of diseases poses a serious threat to mental health. Relying on strengths might mitigate negative mental health outcomes and promote positive mental health. Prior research suggests a potential moderated mediation effect between fear of illness and subjective psychological well-being. Based on the Complete State Model and the Competence-Based Model of mental health, this study examined the relationship between fear of illness and subjective psychological well-being through perceived distress moderated by resilience in the context of COVID-19 pandemic. A cross-sectional survey using questionnaires was employed. Data were collected online from 384 participants ( 270 females and 114 males, age range= 15 to 29 years). The participants had indirect exposure to COVID-19 through information from the media. Results demonstrated that fear of illness significantly predicts subjective psychological well-being both directly and indirectly. In addition, the moderated mediation effect of resilience was confirmed. Resilience moderated the indirect effect between fear of illness and subjective psychological well-being through perceived distress. The magnitude of the indirect effect was contingent on resilience. Further, the effect of perceived distress on subjective psychological well-being is weakened as the level of resilience increases. This study contributes theoretically to a better understanding of the salutogenic effect of resilience on positive mental health during a pandemic. Based on the findings, implications and future directions are discussed.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarita Sood ◽  
Ananya Sharma

Abstract A sudden outbreak of diseases poses a serious threat to mental health. Relying on strengths might mitigate negative mental health outcomes and promote positive mental health. Prior research suggests a potential moderated mediation effect between fear of illness and subjective psychological well-being. Based on the Complete State Model and the Competence-Based Model of mental health, this study examined the relationship between fear of illness and subjective psychological well-being through perceived distress moderated by resilience in the context of COVID-19 pandemic. A cross-sectional survey using questionnaires was employed. Data were collected online from 384 participants ( 270 females and 114 males, age range= 15 to 29 years). The participants had indirect exposure to COVID-19 through information from the media. Results demonstrated that fear of illness significantly predicts subjective psychological well-being both directly and indirectly. In addition, the moderated mediation effect of resilience was confirmed. Resilience moderated the indirect effect between fear of illness and subjective psychological well-being through perceived distress. The magnitude of the indirect effect was contingent on resilience. Further, the effect of perceived distress on subjective psychological well-being is weakened as the level of resilience increases. This study contributes theoretically to a better understanding of the salutogenic effect of resilience on positive mental health during a pandemic. Based on the findings, implications and future directions are discussed.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qaisar Khalid Mahmood ◽  
Malik Muhammad Sohail ◽  
Waheed Ahmad Qureshi ◽  
Rubeena Zakar ◽  
Florian Fischer

Abstract Background: The outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has posed multiple challenges to healthcare systems. Evidence suggests that mental well-being is badly affected due to compliance with preventative measures in containing the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aims to explore the role of positive mental health (subjective sense of wellbeing) to cope with fears related to COVID-19 and general anxiety disorder in the Pashtun community in Pakistan. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 501 respondents from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa participating in an online-based study. We performed correlational analysis, hierarchical linear regression and structural equational modeling (SEM) to analyze the role of mental health in reducing fears and general anxiety disorder. Results: The results of the SEM show that positive mental health has direct effects in reducing the fear related to COVID-19 (β=-0.244, p<0.001) and general anxiety (β= -0.210, p<0.001). Fears of COVID-19 has a direct effect on increasing general anxiety (β=0.480). In addition, positive mental health also has an indirect effect (β=-0.117, p<0.001) on general anxiety (R2=0.32, p<0.001) through reducing fear of coronavirus. Conclusion: Based on these findings, there is a need to develop community health policies emphasizing on promotive and preventive mental health strategies for people practicing social/physical distancing.


Author(s):  
Marié P. Wissing ◽  
Lusilda Schutte ◽  
Christelle Liversage ◽  
Brenda Entwisle ◽  
Marianne Gericke ◽  
...  

Abstract Qualitative studies of lay people’s perspectives on facets of well-being are scarce, and it is not known how the perspectives of people with high and low levels of well-being dovetail or differ. This research explored the experiences of people with high/flourishing versus low/languishing levels of positive mental health in three cross-sectional survey design studies. Languishing and flourishing participants were selected in each study based on quantitative data from the Mental Health Continuum - Short Form as reported by Keyes et al. (Journal of Health and Social Behavior 43:207–222, 2002). Qualitative content analyses were conducted on written responses to semistructured open-ended questions on the what and why of important meaningful things (study 1, n = 42), goals (study 2, n = 30), and relationships (study 3, n = 50). Results indicated that well-being is not only a matter of degree—manifestations differ qualitatively in flourishing and languishing states. Similar categories emerged for what flourishing and languishing people found important with regard to meaning, goals, and relationships, but the reasons for the importance thereof differed prominently. Languishing people manifested a self-focus and often motivated responses in terms of own needs and hedonic values such as own happiness, whereas flourishers were more other-focused and motivated responses in terms of eudaimonic values focusing on a greater good. We propose that positive mental health can be conceptualized in terms of dynamic quantitative and qualitative patterns of well-being. Interventions to promote well-being may need to take into account the patterns of well-being reflecting what people on various levels of well-being experience and value.


2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Leonardo Villani ◽  
Roberta Pastorino ◽  
Enrico Molinari ◽  
Franco Anelli ◽  
Walter Ricciardi ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Italy was the first European country to implement a national lockdown because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Worldwide, this pandemic had a huge impact on the mental health of people in many countries causing similar reaction in terms of emotions and concerns at the population level. Our study investigated the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on psychological well-being in a cohort of Italian university students. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional survey in the period immediately after the first lockdown through the administration of a questionnaire on the personal websites of students attending their undergraduate courses at the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore. We used the Patient-Health-Engagement-Scale, Self-Rating-Anxiety-Scale, and Self-Rating-Depression-Scale to assess engagement, anxiety symptoms, and depression symptoms of our sample. Results The sample size was 501 subjects, of which 35.33% were classified as anxious and 72.93% as depressed. Over 90% of respondents had good understanding of the preventive measures despite over 70% suffered from the impossibility of physically seeing friends and partners. Around 55% of students would have been willing to contribute much more to face the pandemic. An increase in the occurrences of anxiety was associated with being female, being student of the Rome campus, suffering from the impossibility of attending university, being distant from colleagues, and being unable of physically seeing one’s partner. Performing physical activity reduced this likelihood. Conclusion University students are at risk of psychological distress in the case of traumatic events. The evolution of the pandemic is uncertain and may have long-term effects on mental health. Therefore, it is crucial to study the most effective interventions to identify vulnerable subgroups and to plan for acute and long-term psychological services to control and reduce the burden of psychological problems.


2021 ◽  
pp. 097206342098311
Author(s):  
Sarita Sood ◽  
Ananya Sharma

The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has created a crisis with a severe effect on the masses, particularly the young students across the world. Framed by the transactional theory of stress and coping, this study investigates the factors influencing psychological well-being (PWB) of the students in higher education during the peri-traumatic phase of COVID-19. A cross-sectional survey using a questionnaire was employed. The study aimed at prediction and theory building and was carried out in India. Data were collected online from 173 higher education students. Partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) was used to test the hypothesised relationships among the constructs. Results indicated resilience significantly predicts PWB both directly and indirectly. Further, the study revealed perceived distress and PWB are not on the same continuum. This study has a contribution to theory and health promotion. Furthermore, the findings have several practical implications for counselling psychologists, academicians, and mental health workers associated with the higher education sector. These findings will put them in a better position to design interventions to enhance resilience in students in the backdrop of the relevance of both positive and negative mental health during the outbreak of diseases. Based on the findings, future directions were discussed.


2021 ◽  
Vol 74 (7) ◽  
pp. 1687-1694
Author(s):  
Viktor V. Vus ◽  
Elena V. Syurina ◽  
Tanya Brückner ◽  
Evangelos C. Fradelos ◽  
Ioanna V. Papathanasiou ◽  
...  

The aim: Youth are important societal actors. This is especially relevant when considering countries in transition such as Ukraine. This study examines well-being and societal participation – both key signifiers of mental health – of youth in Ukraine. Materials and methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional survey with open and closed questions was utilized (n= 1562). Participants were asked to reflect on social concerns and to evaluate their well-being in different life spheres and their own mental health through activities such as interpersonal communication, self-perception and relaxation. Results: Students showed positive mental health through their daily activities, but mental health indicated by life satisfaction ranged according to activities, age, gender and environment. Willingness to volunteer and connection to life can be attributed to feelings of learned helplessness in the face of problems deemed too complex, and participation in volunteering was linked to positive mental health and feelings of empowerment. Conclusions: The study contributes to understanding the status of Ukrainian youth’s mental health and the ways in which mental health is expressed. The results of the research assist in identifying avenues to reduce the impact of social frustration, improve mental health of citizens of transitional countries, and encourage social stability.


Nursing Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ni’matuzahroh ◽  
Valendriyani Ningrum ◽  
Widayat ◽  
Myrtati Dyah Artaria ◽  
Mein‐Woei Suen

2017 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 270-274 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kaori Ishii ◽  
Ai Shibata ◽  
Minoru Adachi ◽  
Yoshiyuki Mano ◽  
Koichiro Oka

Background:Sedentary behaviors (SB) are associated with health indicators; however, there are currently very few studies that have examined these associations, especially in conjunction with psychological factors, in children. The current study examined the independent relationship between objectively assessed SB, and indicators of obesity and psychological well-being, among Japanese children.Methods:A total of 967 elementary-school children completed a cross-sectional survey. SB was measured with accelerometers for 7 consecutive days. Psychological well-being data (eg, anxiety and behavior problems) were collected via a self-report questionnaire. To determine the relationship of SB with degree of obesity and psychological well-being, linear regression analyses were conducted to relate the indicators of obesity and psychological well-being on SB, adjusted by gender, grade, percentage of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per day, duration spent wearing the accelerometer, and degree of obesity.Results:SB was significantly related to behavioral/emotional problems (β = .280, P = .010, R2 = .015). There was a statistically significant relationship between SB and anxiety (β = .206, P = .059, R2 = .007). No significant association with degree of obesity was found.Conclusions:Excess SB relates higher levels of behavioral/emotional problems and anxiety. These results can inspire the development of interventions that promote well-being and enhance psychological health, by focusing on SB in Japanese children.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 117
Author(s):  
Syeda Rubab Aftab ◽  
Jamil Ahmad Malik

Background/Aims: When people hone their emotional skills, they become better at manipulating others. They use their emotional skills for coping with the demands of life. This study investigated the mediating role of moral disengagement between emotional manipulation and psychological well-being. Further, the moderating role of age is tested for the mediation model of the study. Methods: This study has a cross-sectional design. Participants included students from private and public institutions (n = 542; Mean age = 18.59 years, SD = 2.10 years; gender = 46% males). Responses were collected on emotional manipulation, moral disengagement, and psychological well-being questionnaires. Analyses were conducted using SPSS 21 and PROCESS 3.1. Results: The correlation analysis showed that both in late adolescents and young adults, moral disengagement negatively correlated with psychological well-being. However, the correlation is much stronger for young adults as compared to late adolescents. Similarly, emotional manipulation has a stronger positive correlation with moral disengagement in young adults compared to late adolescents. Results also showed that moral disengagement and emotional manipulation is higher in males than females, and psychological well-being is higher in females than males. Moral disengagement appeared to be a negative mediator for the relationship between emotional manipulation and psychological well-being. Further, age moderated the indirect effect of emotional manipulation on psychological well-being through moral disengagement. The moderation of age suggests that young adults are more inclined toward moral disengagement behaviors for manipulating emotions in comparison to late adolescents. Conclusions: It is concluded that use of emotional manipulation is associated with a direct increase in psychological well-being; however, indirect emotional manipulation decreases psychological well-being, with an increased use of moral disengagement. Moreover, this indirect effect is stronger in young adults compared to late adolescents, as young adults are more inclined toward moral disengagement.


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