Reducing Loneliness with an Interactive Live Video Intervention: Experiment (Preprint)

BACKGROUND Loneliness, especially when chronic, can substantially reduce one’s quality of life. Positive social experiences might help to break cycles of loneliness by promoting more prosocial cognitions and behaviors. Internet-mediated live video communication platforms (eg, Zoom and Twitch) may offer an engaging and accessible medium to deliver such positive social experiences to people at scale. Despite their widespread use, there is a lack of research into how these newer platforms’ socially interactive elements affect loneliness-related aspects of users’ psychosocial well-being. OBJECTIVE We aimed to experimentally evaluate whether a socially interactive live video experience improved loneliness-related outcomes to a greater extent than a non-interactive control experience. METHODS We recruited participants from an online survey recruitment platform and assigned half to participate in a socially interactive live video experience with strangers and the other half to a non-interactive control experience that was designed to be identical in all other regards. Participants completed several baseline measures of psychosocial wellbeing, participated in an hour-long live video experience, and then completed some of the baseline measures again. Four weeks later, we followed up with participants to evaluate their change in trait loneliness since baseline. We pre-registered our hypotheses and analysis plan and provide our data, analysis code, and study materials online. RESULTS 249 participants completed the initial study and met inclusion criteria, 199 of whom also completed the 4-week follow-up. Consistent with our predictions, we found that directly after the more socially interactive experience, participants’ feelings of connectedness increased more (p<.001), positive affect increased more (p=.002), feelings of loneliness decreased more (p<.001), social threat decreased more (p=.006), and negative affect decreased more (p=.003) than they did after the less interactive experience. However, the extent of change in trait loneliness between baseline and 4 weeks later did not differ between conditions (p=.853). Future research is needed to examine how these effects might generalize across different contexts and populations, particularly in instances where participants have an expectation of future interaction. CONCLUSIONS Including socially interactive components in live video experiences can improve loneliness-related psychosocial outcomes for a short time. Future work should explore how these benefits can be leveraged towards longer-term prosociality.

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The Work-Life Balancing Act

International Journal of Human Capital and Information Technology Professionals ◽

10.4018/ijhcitp.2021070101 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (3) ◽

pp. 1-20

Author(s):

Dhruva Pathak ◽

Vijayakumar Bharathi S. ◽

Padma Mala E.

Keyword(s):

Online Survey ◽

Healthy Lifestyle ◽

Work Productivity ◽

Well Being ◽

Personal Life ◽

Future Research ◽

New Ways Of Working ◽

Professional Attitude ◽

Work From Home ◽

The Impact

The study investigated the impact of mandatory work from home due COVID-19 on personal and professional lives of people with different demographics. Statistical analysis of an online survey data (N=237) reveals that the impact on personal life dimensions—healthy lifestyle, family bonding, and physical stress—does not differ across people within different demographics. However, impact on emotional well-being is sensitive to gender and industry groups. Family size is also an important demographic factor impacted upon personal life dimensions. Professional dimensions related to work productivity and adopting new ways of working does not differ across demographics except for occupational role. Dimensions related to new skill development and change in professional attitude does differ across occupational roles. The study concludes by stating future research directions for mandatory work from home situation, and prescription to post-COVID-19 strategies for organizations.

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Economic Perspective on the Value of Cats and Dogs

Society and Animals ◽

10.1163/15685306-12341494 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 27 (5-6) ◽

pp. 595-613

Author(s):

Ruben Hoffmann ◽

Carl-Johan Lagerkvist ◽

Malin Hagberg Gustavsson ◽

Bodil Ström Holst

Keyword(s):

Online Survey ◽

Economic Value ◽

Well Being ◽

Future Research ◽

Subjective Well Being ◽

Economic Values ◽

Proposed Model ◽

Starting Point ◽

Use Values ◽

Good Starting Point

AbstractAlthough various benefits of cats and dogs have been extensively studied, their fundamental economic value is poorly understood. Economic values are, in contrast to monetary values, determined subjectively and guide individuals in their decisions. This study presents a conceptual economic model of the value of cats and dogs which provides a basis for future research. Benefits of cats and dogs identified in the literature are categorized in relation to the model. The multidimensional value of these nonhuman animals includes different use and non-use values, for caretakers and other humans. Data from an online survey on the salience (importance of attributes in memory) of cats and dogs in Sweden provide support for the proposed model. It is argued that the subjective well-being approach developed in psychology provides a good starting point for estimating many of the economic values of these animals, but that different types of values may require different approaches.

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The experience of distress during the COVID-19 outbreak: a cross-country examination on the fear of COVID-19 and the sense of loneliness

10.1101/2020.11.24.20237586 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Gianluca Lo Coco ◽

Ambra Gentile ◽

Ksenija Bosnar ◽

Ivana Milovanovic ◽

Antonino Bianco ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Online Survey ◽

Age Groups ◽

Well Being ◽

High Rate ◽

Future Research ◽

Strong Impact ◽

Cross Country ◽

And Gender ◽

Gender Groups ◽

Spread Of Infection

AbstractObjectivesTo examine gender, age and cross-country differences in fear of COVID-19 and sense of loneliness during the lockdown, by comparing people from countries with a high rate of infections and deaths (i.e. Spain and Italy) and from countries with a mild spread of infection (i.e. Croatia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina).MethodsA total of 3876 participants (63% female) completed an online survey on “Everyday life practices in COVID-19 time” in April 2020, including measures of fear of COVID-19 and loneliness.ResultsMales and females of all age groups in countries suffering from a strong impact of the COVID-19 pandemic reported higher fear of COVID-19 and sense of loneliness. In less endangered countries females and elder stated more symptoms than males and younger; in Spanish and Italian sample the pattern of differences is considerably more complex.ConclusionFuture research should thoroughly examine different age and gender groups. The analysis of emotional well-being in groups at risk of mental health issues can help to lessen the long term social and economic costs due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

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Appreciation (Including Gratitude) and Affective Well-Being: Appreciation Predicts Positive and Negative Affect Above the Big Five Personality Factors and Demographics

SAGE Open ◽

10.1177/2158244018818621 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 8 (4) ◽

pp. 215824401881862 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

N. S. Fagley

Keyword(s):

Negative Affect ◽

Big Five ◽

Online Survey ◽

Well Being ◽

Future Research ◽

Personality Factors ◽

Big Five Personality ◽

Positive And Negative Affect ◽

Big Five Traits ◽

Big Five Personality Factors

This study investigated the relation between appreciation and positive and negative affect, controlling for gender, age, ethnicity, and Big Five personality factors. Appreciation consists of several aspects, including a focus on what one has (“have” focus), awe, gratitude, and interpersonal appreciation. Undergraduates ( N = 236) completed an online survey containing the Appreciation Scale, Positive and Negative Affect Scale (PANAS), and Big Five Inventory (BFI). The Big Five traits accounted for 38% and 43% of the variance in positive and negative affect, respectively, beyond demographics. Appreciation accounted for 9% ( p < .001) and 4.6% ( p < .05) of the variance in positive and negative affect, respectively, beyond demographics and the Big Five. The “have” focus aspect of appreciation, which represents noticing, focusing on, and valuing what one has, accounted for significant unique variance in both positive and negative affect. Gratitude did not. Future research is needed to determine how broadly these results generalize.

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Identifying policies and strategies for general practitioner retention in direct patient care in the United Kingdom: a RAND/UCLA appropriateness method panel study

BMC Family Practice ◽

10.1186/s12875-019-1020-x ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 20 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Rupa Chilvers ◽

Suzanne H. Richards ◽

Emily Fletcher ◽

Alex Aylward ◽

Sarah Dean ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Job Satisfaction ◽

United Kingdom ◽

General Practitioner ◽

Online Survey ◽

Panel Study ◽

Well Being ◽

Direct Patient Care ◽

Future Research ◽

The United Kingdom ◽

The Impact

Abstract Background The United Kingdom (UK) is experiencing a general practitioner (GP) workforce retention crisis. Research has focused on investigating why GPs intend to quit, but less is known about the acceptability and effectiveness of policies and strategies to improve GP retention. Using evidence from research and key stakeholder organisations, we generated a set of potential policies and strategies aimed at maximising GP retention and tested their appropriateness for implementation by systematically consulting with GPs. Methods 28 GP Partners and GPs working in national stakeholder organisations from South West England and London were purposively sampled, and asked to take part in a RAND/UCLA Appropriateness Method panel. Panellists were asked to read an evidence briefing summary, and then complete an online survey on two occasions. During each round, participants rated the appropriateness of policies and strategies aimed at improving GP retention using a nine point scale (1 ‘extremely inappropriate’ to 9 ‘extremely appropriate’). Fifty-four potential policies and strategies (equating to 100 statements) were tested, focusing on factors influencing job satisfaction (e.g. well-being, workload, incentives and remuneration, flexible working, human resources systems). Ratings were analysed for panel consensus and categorised based on appropriateness (‘appropriate’, ‘uncertain’, ‘inappropriate’). Results 12/28 GPs approached agreed to take part, 9/28 completed two rounds of the online survey between February and June 2018. Panellists identified 24/54 policy and strategy areas (41/100 statements) as ‘appropriate’. Examples included providing GP practices ‘at risk’ of experiencing GP shortages with a toolkit for managing recruitment and retention, and interventions to facilitate peer support to enhance health and wellbeing, or support portfolio careers. Strategies to limit GP workload, and manage patient demand were also endorsed. Conclusions The panel of experienced GPs identified a number of practical ways to improve GP retention through interventions that might enhance job satisfaction and work-life balance. Future research should evaluate the impact of implementing these recommendations.

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Diffusion of the Digital Health Self-Tracking Movement in Canada: Results of a National Survey (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.9388 ◽

2017 ◽

Author(s):

Guy Paré ◽

Chad Leaver ◽

Claire Bourget

Keyword(s):

Medical Devices ◽

Online Survey ◽

Family Income ◽

Mobile Apps ◽

Digital Health ◽

Well Being ◽

Future Research ◽

The Future ◽

Tracking Devices ◽

Tracking Movement

BACKGROUND With the ever-increasing availability of mobile apps, consumer wearables, and smart medical devices, more and more individuals are self-tracking and managing their personal health data. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to investigate the diffusion of the digital self-tracking movement in Canada. It provides a comprehensive, yet detailed account of this phenomenon. It examines the profile of digital self-trackers, traditional self-trackers, and nontrackers, further investigating the primary motivations for self-tracking and reasons for nontracking; barriers to adoption of connected care technologies; users’ appreciation of their self-tracking devices, including what they perceive to be the main benefits; factors that influence people’s intention to continue using connected care technologies in the future; and the reasons for usage discontinuance. METHODS We conducted an online survey with a sample of 4109 Canadian adults, one of the largest ever. To ensure a representative sample, quota method was used (gender, age), following stratification by region. The maximum margin of error is estimated at 1.6%, 19 times out of 20. RESULTS Our findings reveal that 66.20% (2720/4109) of our respondents regularly self-track one or more aspects of their health. About one in 4 respondents (1014/4109, 24.68%) currently owns a wearable or smart medical device, and 57.20% (580/1014) use their devices on a regular basis for self-tracking purposes. Digital self-trackers are typically young or mature adults, healthy, employed, university educated, with an annual family income of over $80,000 CAD. The most popular reported device is the fitness tracker or smartwatch that can capture a range of parameters. Currently, mobile apps and digital self-tracking devices are mainly used to monitor physical activity (856/1669, 51.13%), nutrition (545/1669, 32.65%), sleep patterns (482/1669, 28.88%) and, to a much lesser extent, cardiovascular and pulmonary biomarkers (215/1669, 12.88%), medication intake (126/1669, 7.55%), and glucose level (79/1669, 4.73%). Most users of connected care technologies (481/580, 83.0%) are highly satisfied and 88.2% (511/580) intend to continue using their apps and devices in the future. A majority said smart digital devices have allowed them to maintain or improve their health condition (398/580, 68.5%) and to be better informed about their health in general (387/580, 66.6%). About 33.80% of our sample (1389/4109) is composed of people who do not monitor their health or well-being on a regular basis. CONCLUSIONS Our study shows an opportunity to advance the health of Canadians through connected care technologies. Our findings can be used to set baseline information for future research on the rise of digital health self-tracking and its impacts. Although the use of mobile apps, consumer wearables, and smart medical devices could potentially benefit the growing population of patients with chronic conditions, the question remains as to whether it will diffuse broadly beyond early adopters and across cost inequities.

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Telephone Crisis Support Workers' Intentions to Use Recommended Skills While Experiencing Functional Impairment

Crisis ◽

10.1027/0227-5910/a000490 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 39 (3) ◽

pp. 218-223 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Taneile A. Kitchingman ◽

Coralie J. Wilson ◽

Alan Woodward ◽

Peter Caputi ◽

Ian Wilson

Keyword(s):

Functional Impairment ◽

Online Survey ◽

Well Being ◽

National Sample ◽

Future Research ◽

Symptoms Of Depression ◽

Crisis Support ◽

Support Skills ◽

Representative National Sample ◽

Telephone Crisis

Abstract. Background: Empathic engagement with distressed others can lead to elevated symptoms of psychological distress and functional impairment, which preclude helping professionals' delivery of optimal patient care. Whether telephone crisis support workers are impacted in a similar way is not currently reported in the literature. Aims: This study examined the relationship between functional impairment and intentions to use recommended support skills in a representative national sample of 210 telephone crisis support workers. Method: Participants completed an online survey including measures of functional impairment and intentions to use recommended telephone crisis support skills with callers reporting suicidal ideation, symptoms of depression, and anxiety. Results: As a group, participants who experienced greater functional impairment during the past month reported significantly lower intentions to use recommended support skills with callers than those who reported lower functional impairment. Limitations: Future research is needed to clarify the extent to which results generalize to telephone crisis support workers from other organizations. Conclusion: Results warrant further research to (a) identify determinants of telephone crisis support workers' functional impairment, and (b) for the deliberate management of telephone crisis support workers' functional impairment through developing and/or modifying existing service strategies to optimize workers' psychological well-being and delivery of support to callers.

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An audit of the well-being of staff working in intellectual disability settings in Ireland during the COVID-19 pandemic

Tizard Learning Disability Review ◽

10.1108/tldr-09-2020-0027 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 25 (4) ◽

pp. 237-246

Author(s):

Martin McMahon ◽

Chris Hatton ◽

Julie Stansfield ◽

Gaynor Cockayne

Keyword(s):

Intellectual Disability ◽

Independent Living ◽

Online Survey ◽

Well Being ◽

Anxiety And Depression ◽

Future Research ◽

Challenging Behaviour ◽

Content Type ◽

General Anxiety Disorder ◽

Work Related

Purpose The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has infected millions of people worldwide. Individuals with intellectual disability are at a disproportionate risk of mortality, given the health inequalities they experience. This puts a significant burden of responsibility on staff who support these individuals. Consequently, this study aims to establish a baseline of the well-being of staff working in intellectual disability services in Ireland during the COVID-19 pandemic. Design/methodology/approach An online survey was carried out using the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory, a brief measure of depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-9) and a brief measure of anxiety (General Anxiety Disorder-7). Findings In total, 285 staff in the Republic of Ireland completed the survey. These staff reported moderate levels of personal and work-related burnout and mild levels of anxiety and depression. Higher mean scores were recorded across scales from staff who worked in independent living settings and from staff who supported individuals with challenging behaviour. Originality/value This study, an audit, provides initial data on the well-being of staff working with individuals with intellectual disability in Ireland during the COVID-19 pandemic. It highlights that employers need to consider staff well-being, given the levels of personal and work-related burnout, and anxiety and depression that were found. This is particularly true for staff who work in independent living settings and with adults with challenging behaviour. Future research should focus on proactive strategies for improving staff well-being in the short term, given the current resurgence of COVID-19 in Ireland.

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The Impact of an Online Happiness Course on Subjective Happiness Among College Students

Building Healthy Academic Communities Journal ◽

10.18061/bhac.v4i1.7086 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (1) ◽

pp. 69

Author(s):

Casey Murdoch Rodowicz ◽

Laura Morris ◽

Cara L. Sidman ◽

Kelsey Beyer

Keyword(s):

College Students ◽

Online Survey ◽

Survey Methodology ◽

Well Being ◽

Future Research ◽

Subjective Happiness ◽

Face To Face ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Beneficial Impact ◽

The Impact

Background: This research examined the subjective happiness of students enrolled in either a 5-week happiness or a 5-week recreational course, both administered online. Studies have shown improvements in college students’ well-being after teaching them behavior modification strategies, in a face-to-face setting, similar to those implemented in the present study. In addition, the past three decades of research on positive psychology has provided extensive evidence of the beneficial impact of happiness, or positive psychological interventions (PPIs), on various aspects of well-being. These include emotional variables related to stress.Aim: The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of an evidence-based online happiness course on subjective happiness among college students. Methods: Participants (N = 74) were self-selected based on course enrollment. The population of interest was college students (18 – 22 years of age). An online survey methodology was utilized for data collection of pretest/posttest measures of subjective happiness.Results: Participants in both the happiness and recreational courses reported increased measures of subjective happiness, although there was no significant difference between group meansConclusion: Future research investigating university-based happiness courses and other interventions, using a variety of delivery formats, is recommended to determine the most effective ways to improve overall happiness in student populations.

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Preprint

10.31219/osf.io/bsfqz ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Marco Schlosser

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Online Survey ◽

Positive Association ◽

Well Being ◽

Total Sample ◽

Future Research ◽

Meditation Practice ◽

Repetitive Negative Thinking ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Negative Thinking

So far, the large and expanding body of research on meditation has mostly focussed on the putative benefits of meditation on health and well-being. However, a growing number of reports indicate that psychologically distressing and difficult experiences can occur in the context of meditation practice. Very little is known about the prevalence and potential causes of these experiences. The aim of this study was to report the prevalence of distressing meditation-related experiences in a large international sample of regular meditators, and to explore the association of distressing meditation-related experiences with demographic characteristics, meditation practice, and mental health variables (here measured by repetitive negative thinking, mindfulness, and self-compassion). Using a cross-sectional online survey, 1,264 regular meditators (mean age = 44.7 years, SD = 13.9, 53.8% female) responded to one question about distressing meditation-related experiences (98.7% of the total sample). A total of 321 participants (25.4%, 95% CI: 23.0 to 27.8) reported distressing meditation-related experiences. Logistic regression models indicated a positive association between distressing meditation-related experiences and having meditation retreat experience (odds ratio = 1.65, p < 0.001) and higher levels of repetitive negative thinking (OR = 1.17, p = 0.015). A negative association was found between distressing meditation-related experiences and identifying as religious (OR = 0.64, p = 0.001) and being female (OR) = 0.77, p = 0.045). The high prevalence of distressing meditation-related experiences reported here points to the importance of expanding the scientific conception of meditation beyond that of a (mental) health-promoting and self-regulating technique. We conclude with an overview of methodological and conceptual considerations that could be used to inform future research on distressing meditation-related experiences.

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