scholarly journals Employment changes during the COVID-19-pandemic and mental health: Evidence from a longitudinal study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bjørn-Atle Reme ◽  
Jonathan Wörn ◽  
Vegard Skirbekk
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Socioeconomic Status ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Longitudinal Study ◽  
Job Loss ◽  
Full Sample ◽  
Present Evidence ◽  
Modest Increase ◽  
Highly Educated ◽  
Symptoms Of Depression

We report on how changes in employment during the COVID-19 pandemic affected mental health using a large Norwegian longitudinal study. In addition to showing a modest increase in symptoms of depression in the full sample, we find a substantially stronger increase in depressive symptoms among those experiencing job loss. We also present evidence on the heterogeneity of the effect across socioeconomic status, and find that while the highest educated men had the lowest risk of job loss, highly educated women experienced the strongest deterioration of mental health following job loss. Last, we investigate the mechanism and find suggestive evidence that economic worries play an important role.

scholarly journals The Relationship between Personal Resources and Depression in a Sample of Victims of Cyberbullying: Comparison of Groups with and without Symptoms of Depression

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (24) ◽  
pp. 9307
Author(s):  
Lourdes Rey ◽  
Cirenia Quintana-Orts ◽  
Sergio Mérida-López ◽  
Natalio Extremera
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Emotional Intelligence ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Clinical Symptoms ◽  
Personal Resources ◽  
Symptoms Of Depression ◽  
And Function ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Adolescent Victims

Previous research has highlighted the relationship between being cybervictimised and the presence of clinical symptoms, such as depression. To date, however, there has been no comparative analysis of the personal resources profiles of adolescent victims of cyberbullying with and without depressive symptoms. The current study analysed the relationship between positive personal resources and clinical symptoms in 251 adolescent victims of cyberbullying at several Spanish high schools. It examined how several positive personal resources varied in adolescent victims of cyberbullying who displayed symptoms of depression (n = 89) or did not (n = 162). Victims of cyberbullying who displayed depressive symptoms reported lower levels of personal resources (emotional intelligence, gratitude, optimism, and forgiveness) than those who did not. Logistic regression provided evidence that gratitude was the strongest predictor of depressive symptoms in victims of cyberbullying, followed by emotional intelligence and optimism. These findings expand the existing literature on the role of personal resources in mental health and highlight the need for their development in youths to help them cope more effectively and function better after being cyberbullied.

Does Social Support Mediate the Association Between Maltreatment Experiences and Depressive Symptoms in Adolescence

2018 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 203-212 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sonya Negriff ◽  
Julie A. Cederbaum ◽  
Daniel S. Lee
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Support ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Longitudinal Study ◽  
Family Support ◽  
Adolescent Development ◽  
Perceived Social Support ◽  
Time Points ◽  
Family Social Support ◽  
Path Models

The current study examined social support as a mediator between maltreatment experiences (number of victimizations, maltreatment types) and depressive symptoms in adolescence. The data came from the first two time points of a longitudinal study of the effects of maltreatment on adolescent development. The enrolled sample were 454 male and females ( n = 303 maltreated, n = 151 comparison) between 9 and 13 years ( M age = 10.82); Time 2 (T2) occurred approximately 1 year after baseline. Maltreatment data came from case records; participants reported on perceived social support and depressive symptoms. Results from path models indicated that depressive symptoms mediated the association between maltreatment experiences (i.e., physical abuse, neglect, and number of maltreatment victimizations) and family social support. There was no evidence that social support functioned as a mediator. This is the first study to find support for depressive symptoms as a mechanism linking maltreatment with decreased perceived family support. These findings point to the importance of assessing mental health and social support simultaneously to understand the functioning of youth with maltreatment histories.

scholarly journals Association of dietary phytochemical index and mental health in women: a cross-sectional study

2019 ◽  
Vol 121 (09) ◽  
pp. 1049-1056 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manije Darooghegi Mofrad ◽  
Fereydoun Siassi ◽  
Bijan Guilani ◽  
Nick Bellissimo ◽  
Leila Azadbakht
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Dietary Assessment ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Symptoms Of Depression ◽  
Daily Energy ◽  
Study Participants

AbstractPrevious studies have shown that unhealthy dietary patterns are among the most important modifiable risk factors in the development of mental health disorders. We examined the association of dietary phytochemical index (DPI) with symptoms of depression, anxiety and psychological distress in Iranian women. In this cross-sectional study, a total of 488 women aged 20–50 years old attending health centres in the south of Tehran in 2018 were included. A validated and reliable FFQ was used for dietary assessment. Symptoms of depression, anxiety and psychological distress were assessed using a validated depression, anxiety, stress scales questionnaires with twenty-one-items. DPI was estimated using the following formula: (daily energy derived from phytochemical-rich foods (kJ)/total daily energy intake (kJ))×100. The mean age of the study participants was 31·9 (sd7·7) years. The prevalence of depressive symptoms, anxiety and psychological distress among study participants was 34·6, 40·6 and 42·4 %, respectively. After controlling for potential confounders, women in the highest tertile of DPI had a lower prevalence of depressive symptoms (OR 0·22; 95 % CI 0·12, 0·38) and anxiety (OR 0·33; 95 % CI 0·20, 0·55), as well as psychological distress (OR 0·30; 95 % CI 0·18, 0·49) compared with those in the lowest tertile. In conclusion, we found a significant association between DPI and mental health in women. Prospective studies are needed to confirm these findings.

An overview of trends in depressive symptoms in South Africa

2019 ◽  
Vol 49 (4) ◽  
pp. 518-535
Author(s):  
Kinyanjui Mungai ◽  
Amiena Bayat
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
South Africa ◽  
Socioeconomic Status ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
South African ◽  
Emotional Health ◽  
National Income ◽  
South African Context ◽  
Income Dynamics ◽  
African Context

The relationship between mental health and socioeconomic status is well established in the literature. The socioeconomic standing of a number of South Africans remains poor and slow changing, while the mental health of the most vulnerable remains both an economic and health problem for government. There is, however, a lack of studies that assess depressive symptoms using panel data. There is also a lack of studies that consider factors that influence transitions of adults into and out of Significant Depressive Symptoms, particularly in the South African context. Panel data from the National Income Dynamics Study were used for this study to assess these transitions. The data included information on various socioeconomic and health variables, as well as a section that assesses the emotional health of adults in South Africa. This emotional health section in National Income Dynamics Study was essentially a 10-item version of the Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression scale. The study aimed to investigate how socioeconomic status is associated with the risk of adults transitioning into and out of Significant Depressive Symptoms in the South African context. The study found that the prevalence of adults who exhibited Significant Depressive Symptoms declined significantly in South Africa, despite the recent increase. Moreover, adults with a lower socioeconomic standing were identified as being particularly vulnerable to depression and struggled to transition out of Significant Depressive Symptoms.

scholarly journals Associations between self-reported changes in physical activities and sedentary behaviors and changes in mental health during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic: findings from The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA)

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. 103
Author(s):  
Cillian McDowell ◽  
Mark Ward ◽  
Christine McGarrigle ◽  
Aisling O'Halloran ◽  
Sarah Gibney ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Longitudinal Study ◽  
Perceived Stress ◽  
Depression Scale ◽  
Epidemiological Studies ◽  
Physical Activities ◽  
Sedentary Behaviors ◽  
Sedentary Behaviours ◽  
Do It Yourself

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and containment strategies employed to limit its spread have profoundly impacted daily life. Emerging evidence shows that mental health worsened compared to pre-pandemic trends. In this study, we examine associations of self-reported changes in physical activities and sedentary behaviors with mental health changes during the COVID-19 pandemic among older Irish adults. Methods: This study used data from Wave 5 (2018) and the COVID-19 study (July–November 2020) of the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA). Depressive symptoms were measured using the 8-item Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale; Perceived stress, using the 4‐item Perceived Stress Scale. Participants reported perceived changes in participation in physical activities and sedentary behaviours before and after the outbreak of COVID-19. Linear regressions examined separate associations between changes in physical activities and sedentary behaviours and changes in perceived stress/depressive symptoms. Adjustment included demographics, body mass index, smoking, alcohol, chronic diseases and stress/depressive symptoms at Wave 5. Results: Among 2,645 participants (mean age, 68.2yrs; 56% female), 19.5% (95%CI: 18.2–20.9) reported clinically significant depressive symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic. Compared to before the pandemic, reduced and no exercise at home and walking were associated with increased depressive symptoms and stress. A reduction in home DIY (do it yourself) was also associated with both depression and stress while doing no DIY at all was associated with increased stress but not depressive symptoms (all p<.05). Reduced hobbies and reading were associated with higher depressive symptoms, and both reduced and increased screen time were associated with increased depressive symptoms. Conclusions: Greater decreases in mental health were seen among those who reported negative changes in their physical and sedentary activities. These findings have important implications for mental health care both as we transition back to normal life and for responses to future pandemics.

scholarly journals Psychometric properties of the S-Scale: Assessing a psychological mindset that mediates the relationship between socioeconomic status and depression

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (10) ◽  
pp. e0258333
Author(s):  
Julia Velten ◽  
Saskia Scholten ◽  
Julia Brailovskaia ◽  
Jürgen Margraf
Keyword(s):  
Socioeconomic Status ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Mediation Effect ◽  
Low Ses ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Student Sample ◽  
Symptoms Of Depression ◽  
Life Years ◽  
The Relationship

Individuals with low socioeconomic status (SES) are disproportionally affected by depressive disorders which are among the main causes for loss in healthy life years in adults worldwide. The main objective of the research presented here was to identify a psychological mindset of individuals with low SES and to investigate whether this mindset mediates the relationship between low SES and symptoms of depression. Towards these goals, a series of four studies was conducted: Study 1 identified a set of ten statements reflecting a psychological mindset associated with low SES using a population-based sample from Germany (N = 1,969). Study 2 cross-validated a psychometric scale (S-Scale) that was created based on these statements in a population-based sample from Germany (N = 3,907). Study 3 introduced a longitudinal perspective and showed that the S-Scale mediated the relationship between low SES and symptoms of depression assessed one year later in a German student sample (N = 1,275). Study 4 supported unidimensionality and construct validity of a unified version of the S-Scale and confirmed the mediation effect of the S-Scale for SES and depression while controlling for confounding variables (e.g., socially desirable responding) in a U.S. American convenience sample (N = 1,000). Evidence from four studies supported the reliability and validity of the S-Scale. Controlling for a psychological mindset as measured with this scale, low SES was no longer a predictor of depressive symptoms. The S-Scale can be used in clinical and research settings to assess a psychological mindset that puts individuals at risk for depression. Overall strengths of this series of studies include the use of population-based and longitudinal datasets and the application of findings to different operationalizations of SES. Future studies should investigate whether this mindset can be modified by psychological interventions and whether changes in this mindset predict improvements in depressive symptoms.

scholarly journals Mental Health Consequences of Adversity in Australia: National Bushfires Associated With Increased Depressive Symptoms, While COVID-19 Pandemic Associated With Increased Symptoms of Anxiety

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hussain-Abdulah Arjmand ◽  
Elizabeth Seabrook ◽  
David Bakker ◽  
Nikki Rickard
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Social Connectedness ◽  
Extended Period ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Emotional Valence ◽  
Cumulative Impact ◽  
Symptoms Of Depression ◽  
And Control ◽  
Health And Well Being

High quality monitoring of mental health and well-being over an extended period is essential to understand how communities respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and how to best tailor interventions. Multiple community threats may also have cumulative impact on mental health, so examination across several contexts is important. The objective of this study is to report on changes in mental health and well-being in response to the Australian bushfires and COVID-19 pandemic. This study utilized an Experience-Sampling-Method (ESM), using the smartphone-based mood monitoring application, MoodPrism. Participants were prompted once a day to complete a brief survey inquiring about symptoms of depression and anxiety, and several well-being indices, including arousal, emotional valence, self-esteem, motivation, social connectedness, meaning and purpose, and control. Participants were N = 755 Australians (aged 13 years and above) who downloaded and used MoodPrism, between 2018 and 2020. Results showed that anxiety symptoms significantly increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, but not during the bushfires. This may be explained by concurrent feelings of social connectedness maintained during the bushfires but not during the pandemic. In contrast, depressive symptoms increased significantly during the bushfires, which maintained during the pandemic. Most indices of well-being decreased significantly during the bushfires, and further again during the pandemic. Study findings highlight the unique responses to the bushfire and COVID-19 crises, revealing specific areas of resilience and vulnerability. Such information can help inform the development of public health interventions or individual clinical treatment, to improve treatment approaches and preparedness for potential future community disasters.

scholarly journals The Association between Age and Depressive Symptoms among Older Men and Women in Europe. Findings from SHARE

2011 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Isabella Buber ◽  
Henriette Engelhardt
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Negative Binomial ◽  
Explanatory Power ◽  
Negative Binomial Regression ◽  
Negative Binomial Regression Model ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Symptoms Of Depression ◽  
Binomial Regression ◽  
Older Men And Women

Empirical evidence of the effects of age on depressive symptoms is mixed, ranging from positive to zero to negative effects, depending on the modelling of the age-depression profile. This paper uses internationally comparative data to analyse the association between age and the prevalence of symptoms of depression, controlling for well-known determinants of mental health. Based on the first wave of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE), depressive symptoms of 28,538 persons aged 50 to 89 from eleven European countries and Israel are analysed using a negative binomial regression model. The results indicate that the number of depressive symptoms measured by EURO-D scores increase with age and are higher among women than among men. When including socio-demographic characteristics, health conditions and economic strains, the association between depressive symptoms and age vanishes for men, and even reverses for women. Thus, the association between age and mental health is mediated by the health and living conditions of older persons; age by itself has no explanatory power.

scholarly journals Associations Between Symptoms of Depression and Air Pollutant Exposure Among Older Adults: Results From the Taiwan Longitudinal Study on Aging (TLSA)

2022 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kuan-Chin Wang ◽  
Yuan-Ting C. Lo ◽  
Chun-Cheng Liao ◽  
Yann-Yuh Jou ◽  
Han-Bin Huang
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Longitudinal Study ◽  
Air Pollutants ◽  
Ambient Air ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Air Pollutant ◽  
Moving Averages ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Symptoms Of Depression

Background: Little epidemiological research has investigated the associations of air pollutant exposure over various time windows with older adults' symptoms of depression. This study aimed to analyze the relationships of long- and short-term ambient air pollution exposure (to coarse particulate matter, O3, SO2, CO, and NOx) with depressive symptoms in a sample of community-dwelling older adults.Methods: A sample of older adults (n = 1,956) was recruited from a nationally representative multiple-wave study (Taiwan Longitudinal Study on Aging). Between 1996 and 2007, four waves of surveys investigated depressive symptoms by using the 10-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression questionnaire. We approximated air pollutant concentrations from 1995 to 2007 by using daily concentration data for five air pollutants at air quality monitoring stations in the administrative zone of participants' residences. after adjusting for covariates, we applied generalized linear mixed models to analyze associations for different exposure windows (7-, 14-, 21-, 30-, 60-, 90-, and 180-day and 1-year moving averages).Results: In a one-pollutant model, long- and short-term exposure to CO and NOx was associated with heightened risks of depressive symptoms; the odds ratio and corresponding 95% confidence interval for each interquartile range (IQR) increment in CO at 7-, 14-, 21-, 30-, 60-, 90-, and 180-day and 1-year moving averages were 1.232 (1.116, 1.361), 1.237 (1.136, 1.348), 1.216 (1.128, 1.311), 1.231 (1.133, 1.338), 1.224 (1.124, 1.332), 1.192 (1.106, 1.285), 1.228 (1.122, 1.344), and 1.180 (1.102, 1.265), respectively. Those for each IQR increment in NOx were 1.312 (1.158, 1.488), 1.274 (1.162, 1.398), 1.295 (1.178, 1.432), 1.310 (1.186, 1.447), 1.345 (1.209, 1.496), 1.348 (1.210, 1.501), 1.324 (1.192, 1.471), and 1.219 (1.130, 1.314), respectively. The exposure to PM10, O3, and SO2 over various windows were not significant. In the two-pollutant model, only the associations of NOx exposure with depressive symptoms remained robust after adjustment for any other pollutant.Conclusions: Exposure to traffic-associated air pollutants could increase depression risks among older adults.

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