scholarly journals Stress, functioning, and coping during the COVID-19 pandemic: Results from an online convenience sample

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alayna Park ◽  
Clarissa V. Velez ◽  
Kamini Kannan ◽  
Bruce F. Chorpita
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Coping Strategies ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Behavioral Activation ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Health Impact ◽  
The United States ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Managing Stress ◽  
And Coping

This study explored how individuals living in the United States were experiencing and responding to stress related to the COVID-19 pandemic in May 2020. Participants (N = 408; 60% non-Hispanic White) completed an online survey regarding traumatic stress, functional impairment, and use of and perceived helpfulness of various coping strategies. Results showed that 37% of participants endorsed clinically-elevated PTSD symptoms. Approximately half of participants reported changes in their daily functioning from before the pandemic to present, most notably in their number of social interactions, physical activity, and time spent working. To cope, participants reported engaging in safety planning and behavioral activation, which they also perceived to be helpful in managing stress. Avoidance coping strategies involving use of alcohol, tobacco products, or recreational substances were infrequently endorsed and perceived to be minimally helpful. These findings offer an initial, data-based glimpse into the mental health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and shed light onto opportunities for promoting mental health and well-being during this unprecedented and multifaceted crisis.

scholarly journals COVID-19 as a Stressor: Pandemic Expectations, Perceived Stress, and Negative Affect in Older Adults

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brenda R Whitehead
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Negative Affect ◽  
Perceived Stress ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
Stress And Coping ◽  
Regression Analyses ◽  
And Coping

Abstract Objectives The extent to which the COVID-19 pandemic is appraised as a stressor influences perceived stress (PS) and psychological well-being during the event. Here, the association of older adults’ expectations concerning the pandemic’s duration and impact with PS and negative affect (NA) is investigated. Based on the stress and coping framework, PS is expected to mediate the association between COVID-19 expectations and NA. Methods Seven hundred fourteen residents of the United States and aged 60 and older completed an anonymous online survey in late March 2020 reporting PS, NA, and expectations regarding the pandemic. Results Regression analyses controlling for demographic factors revealed that more dire pandemic expectations significantly predicted PS and NA directly, and the effects on NA were significantly mediated by PS. Discussion Findings provide evidence that expectations about a pandemic influence the extent to which older adults experience stress and NA in the midst of a pandemic event. Implications for mental health are discussed.

scholarly journals Stress-related emotional and behavioural impact following the first COVID-19 outbreak peak

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Asaf Benjamin ◽  
Yael Kuperman ◽  
Noa Eren ◽  
Ron Rotkopf ◽  
Maya Amitai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Health Impact ◽  
Anxiety And Depression ◽  
Distress Symptoms ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Physiological Symptoms ◽  
Individual Ability ◽  
And Coping

AbstractThe COVID-19 pandemic poses multiple psychologically stressful challenges and is associated with an increased risk for mental illness. Previous studies have focused on the psychopathological symptoms associated with the outbreak peak. Here, we examined the behavioural and mental-health impact of the pandemic in Israel using an online survey, during the six weeks encompassing the end of the first outbreak and the beginning of the second. We used clinically validated instruments to assess anxiety- and depression-related emotional distress, symptoms, and coping strategies, as well as questions designed to specifically assess COVID-19-related concerns. Higher emotional burden was associated with being female, younger, unemployed, living in high socioeconomic status localities, having prior medical conditions, encountering more people, and experiencing physiological symptoms. Our findings highlight the environmental context and its importance in understanding individual ability to cope with the long-term stressful challenges of the pandemic.

scholarly journals Dealing With the Pandemic of COVID-19 in Portugal: On the Important Role of Positivity, Experiential Avoidance, and Coping Strategies

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria José Ferreira ◽  
Rui Sofia ◽  
David F. Carreno ◽  
Nikolett Eisenbeck ◽  
Inês Jongenelen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Coping Strategies ◽  
Experiential Avoidance ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Coping With Stress ◽  
Self Blame ◽  
And Coping

The global COVID-19 pandemic crisis has caused an unprecedented impact on most areas of people’s lives. Thus, framed within the scope of Existential Positive Psychology (PP2.0), this study aimed at assessing the psychological distress of adults living in Portugal during the first national lockdown, how they are coping with stress, as well to contribute to a deeper understanding about the role that positivity, experiential avoidance, and coping strategies have in psychological distress and well-being. For this purpose, 586 Portuguese adults (73% females) ranging between 18 and 78 years old (M = 38.96, SD = 12.20) completed an online survey during the initial phase of the pandemic crisis in Portugal. Findings suggest that experiential avoidance was the strongest predictor of a negative response (depression, anxiety, stress, loneliness, and negative emotions), whereas positivity was a better predictor of psychological well-being and lower levels of depression. Additionally, self-blame, behavioral disengagement, and emotional venting were strong risk factors for psychological distress, whereas positive reframing, planning, and acceptance were associated with more positive outcomes. These findings highlight the critical role of experiential avoidance on individuals’ psychological distress and the essential contribution of positive life orientation in promoting flourishing. By offering a better understanding of the complex navigation through the dialectics between positive and negative life features, this study provides important and useful cues for psychological interventions directed at promoting a more positive and adaptive human functioning even through such potential adverse and painful life events.

scholarly journals Psychological Distress Among the U.S. General Population During the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christi J. Guerrini ◽  
Sophie C. Schneider ◽  
Andrew G. Guzick ◽  
Gifty N. Amos Nwankwo ◽  
Isabel Canfield ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
Healthy Behaviors ◽  
Factors Associated ◽  
Clinically Significant ◽  
Amazon's Mechanical Turk

The COVID-19 pandemic is taking a significant global toll on emotional well-being, but evidence of mental health impacts in the United States remains limited. In April 2020, we conducted an exploratory survey of U.S. residents to understand prevalence of and factors associated with psychological distress during the pandemic. Data collection was conducted using Qualtrics, an online survey platform, and U.S. adult respondents were recruited via Amazon's Mechanical Turk platform. Among 1,366 respondents, 42% (n = 571) reported clinically significant anxiety and 38% (n = 519) reported clinically significant depression. Factors associated with anxiety and depressive symptoms included Hispanic/Latino ethnicity; younger age; lower income; employment as or living with a health care worker-first responder; caregiver status; SARS-CoV-2 infection status; decreased frequency of engagement in healthy behaviors; and changed frequency of engagement in unhealthy behaviors. That some of these factors are associated with elevated distress during the pandemic is not yet widely appreciated and might be useful in informing management of mental health care resources.

scholarly journals 204 - Psychological distress and support needs of community residing older adults in urban India – An exploratory study

2021 ◽  
Vol 33 (S1) ◽  
pp. 8-9
Author(s):  
Jayashree Dasgupta ◽  
Meenakshi Chopra
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Coping Strategies ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Public Awareness ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Support Needs ◽  
Urban India ◽  
And Coping

Background:COVID pandemic in India, lockdowns and an unprepared health system has affected wellbeing of older adults. Low public awareness about mental health issues and stigma also contribute to low help seeking. Exploring impact of COVID on mental health of older adults and understanding support needs is essential.Research Objective:To examine mental wellbeing and coping strategies used by urban community residing older adults during the pandemic in India.Method:As part of an ongoing community engagement initiative with older adults and their families, an online survey was conducted during the first wave of the pandemic in April/May 2020. Sociodemographic details and information on coping strategies were gathered. The five-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) was used to screen for psychological distress and data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Respondents were contacted again in May 2021 during the second COVID wave for a telephonic interview to understand current levels of distress and coping strategies. Consent was taken for audio recording and interviews were conducted using a semi-structured interview guide. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed using thematic analysis.Preliminary results of the ongoing study:Respondents (N=54) aged between 40-86 years (Mn = 60; SD = 18.9). Majority were male (61%), retired or homemakers (57%) and widowed/unmarried (52%). Of the sample 70% had one or more pre-existing medical conditions. A score of ≥ 2 on GHQ in 66% respondents indicates psychological distress. Stressors included health and well-being of family (62%), difficulty managing household work (42%) and increase in family conflicts (17%). Although 72% discussed their worries with family/friends, only 25% considered speaking with a mental health professional indicating low help seeking. Of respondents contacted again, 40% citied ill health or being busy as reasons for refusal to participate. Of those who agreed, 33% reported psychological distress. In-depth interviews, showed use of online mental wellness sessions and yoga/meditation to be beneficial coping strategies. Need for more online support groups was also highlighted.Conclusion:Psychological distress is present amongst community residing older adults in urban India. A change in attitude towards tele mental health must be leveraged to provide support for adults experiencing psychological distress.

scholarly journals Psychological impact of COVID-19 on doctors and medical undergraduate students in a government medical college in Uttar Pradesh, India

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (12) ◽  
pp. 4781
Author(s):  
Kunwar Vaibhav ◽  
Adity Priya ◽  
Pratibha Gupta
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Support ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Psychological Impact ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
Health Impact ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Medical Undergraduate

Background: COVID-19 wrath has influenced the socio economic, physical and mental health well-being of all the citizens. Doctors being at the frontline has been affected substantially by it. The paucity of literature on mental health impact of medical health professionals directed the present study to explore the Psychological Impact of COVID-19 on doctors and medical undergraduates.Methods: A cross section online survey was used for data collection. Socio demographic, COVID 19 related preventive practice, Oslo social support scale-3 (OSSS-3) for social support and impact of events scale-revised (IES-R) scale for assessment of psychological Impact was used. Data was analyzed using SPSS 23.Results: Overall 56 (36.36%) of the participants reported having psychological Impact of whom 25 (43.86%) doctors and 31 (31.96%) students were affected. The predictor variables as derived by the regression model were presence of comorbidity, poor social support and postings in isolation wards.Conclusions: Large scale longitudinal multicentric studies can provide a better picture of the actual magnitude of the mental health impact. The predictive factors should be taken into account for policy making decisions. Coping skills and mental health preparedness for the frontline warriors can be lifesaving and will uplift their morale for better delivery of healthcare services in a resource constrained setting.

scholarly journals Lockdown: A Focus on Emotions & Coping in Adolescents

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 53-60
Author(s):  
Yamini Kannappan ◽  
◽  
Tinu Thamby ◽  
Aishwariya Ramesh ◽  
Hema Tharoor ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Psychological Impact ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Health Impact ◽  
State Of Mind ◽  
Social Media Platforms ◽  
Significant Life ◽  
Study Population ◽  
Young Mind

Objective: The COVID lockdown has been the most significant life-changing experience this year. The sudden implementation of measures such as social distancing, closure of institutions, and restriction of movement may have affected the psychological well-being of adolescents. Keeping this in mind the present exploratory pilot study is an attempt to study and determine the psychological impact on adolescents during the lockdown. Material and Method: Data was collected from a sample of 461 adolescent respondents aged 14 to 20 years through an online survey Statistical Analysis: Descriptive statistics and Spearman’s correlation in SPSS version 24 Results: The majority of the study population (85.7%) reported happiness or a relaxed state of mind, and the next common emotion was boredom. Amongst the 69% of participants also conveyed that stressful/negative thoughts, lack of direct contact with friends were the predominant stressor. Coping behaviors highlighted were spending time with family (93.6%), communicating with friends (96.1%), engaging in hobbies (88.7%), talking to relatives (79.6%), studying (72.7%), and exercising (70.9%). In contrast, the majority (73.3%) indulged in excessive sleep or increased usage of social media platforms or apps. Conclusion: This study is the only survey to document adolescents’ mental health in India during the Covid-19 lockdown. The study highlights that happiness and boredom reflected the young mind of these adolescents, and significantly only one third reported any physical or mental health impact with the lockdown.

scholarly journals The Ph.D. Panic: Examining the relationships among teaching anxiety, teaching self-efficacy, and coping in Biology graduate teaching assistants (GTAs)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miranda M. Chen Musgrove ◽  
Elisabeth E. Schussler
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Coping Strategies ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Teaching Assistants ◽  
Teaching Experience ◽  
The United States ◽  
Graduate Teaching Assistants ◽  
Graduate Teaching ◽  
Teaching Anxiety ◽  
And Coping

ABSTRACTAnxiety among graduate students in the United States has increased over the last several decades, affecting not only their overall mental health but also reducing retention in graduate programs. Teachers with high teaching anxiety can negatively impact student learning, yet the impacts of teaching anxiety on graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) is not well studied. Biology GTAs teach most introductory Biology labs and discussions nationally, thus broadly influencing the quality of undergraduate education. In Fall 2016, we investigated Biology GTA teaching anxiety at a large research-intensive southeastern university by (1) measuring teaching anxiety of Biology GTAs, and (2) exploring the relationships among teaching anxiety, self-efficacy, and coping. Using multiple linear regressions, we found that greater teaching self-efficacy is related to lower teaching anxiety in Biology GTAs (R2adi =0.65, p<0.001). Coping strategies and frequencies did not significantly contribute to teaching anxiety in our models. We found similar levels of teaching anxiety across genders, ethnicities, student citizenship status (domestic vs. international) and teaching experience level. However, there were significant differences among student subgroups in teaching self-efficacy and coping strategies. Effective coping may contribute to the lack of anxiety differences among some of the student subgroups. These results can inform teaching professional development for GTAs, and encourage greater awareness and dialogue about the impacts of mental health issues in academia.

scholarly journals The Effect of Occupational Stress and Coping Strategies on Mental Health and Emotional Well-Being Among University Academic Staff During the COVID-19 Outbreak

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 82
Author(s):  
Panshuo Shen ◽  
Paul Slater
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Northern Ireland ◽  
Coping Strategies ◽  
Occupational Stress ◽  
Academic Staff ◽  
Coping Styles ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Stress Coping ◽  
And Coping ◽  
Health And Well Being

The level of stress among academics in higher education institutions has significantly increased over the past decade. Mental health and well-being of academics can be affected once they are exposed to stressful work conditions and use negative coping strategies. This study was set against the backdrop of the pandemic disease, COVID-19, which has challenged the daily work of academics and risen to the various new stressors. This study aims to investigate the current status of occupational stress, coping styles, mental health and emotional well-being of university academics during the COVID-19 outbreak in Northern Ireland, and examine the effect of stress and coping strategies on mental health and emotional well-being. A cross-sectional online survey was conducted using a sample size of 87 academic staff working in a university in Northern Ireland. SPSS version 25 was used to analyse the collected data. The results showed academics experienced moderate stress levels, and distraction behaviours were the most common form of coping mechanism. Academics were in the moderate status of mental health and poor emotional well-being. Occupational stress has a significant effect on mental health and emotional well-being. Positive reframing and acceptance coping styles have an impact on emotional well-being. This study contributes to the understanding of occupational stress, coping strategies, mental health and emotional well-being of academics in higher education in Northern Ireland. The findings can help to develop reliable methods to inform policy on health and well-being for university academics, which in turn lead to increased productivity at work.

scholarly journals Learning the Mental Health Impact of COVID-19 in the United States with Explainable Artificial Intelligence

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Indra Prakash Jha ◽  
Raghav Awasthi ◽  
Ajit Kumar ◽  
Vibhor Kumar ◽  
Tavpritesh Sethi
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Bayesian Network ◽  
Network Inference ◽  
Medical Condition ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Health Impact ◽  
The United States ◽  
Chronic Medical Condition ◽  
Learning Approaches

Importance: COVID-19 pandemic has deeply affected the health, economic, and social fabric of nations. Identification of individual-level susceptibility factors may help people in identifying and managing their emotional, psychological, and social well-being. Objective: This work is focused on learning a ranked list of factors that could indicate a predisposition to a mental disorder during the COVID pandemic. Data Sources and Study design: In this study, We have used a survey of 17764 adults in the USA at different age groups, genders, and socioeconomic statuses. Methods: Through initial statistical analysis followed by Bayesian Network inference, we have identified key factors affecting Mental health during the COVID pandemic. Integrating Bayesian networks with classical machine learning approaches lead to effective modeling of the level of mental health. Results: Overall, females are more stressed than males, and people of age-group 18-29 are more vulnerable to anxiety than other age groups. Using the Bayesian Network Model, we found that people with chronic medical condition of mental illness are more prone to mental disorders during the COVID age. The new realities of working from home, home-schooling, and lack of communication with family/friends/neighbors induces mental pressure. Financial assistance from social security helps in reducing mental stress during COVID generated economic crises. Finally, using supervised ML models, we predicted the most mentally vulnerable people with ~80% accuracy.

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