scholarly journals The nature of the manifestation of procrastination, level of anxiety and depression in medical students in a period of altered psycho-emotional state during forced social distancing because of pandemic COVID-19 and its impact on academic performance

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 6-11
Author(s):  
Ivan Romash

Introduction: The fact that learning is moving online is probably a disappointment to most medical students.  This is especially true for middle and senior students, in whom most disciplines are clinical and focus on practical work with patients. During the period of forced social distancing and online learning in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic, such a common way of learning became impossible. All these changes obviously affect the mental health of medical students, who are already at risk for such phenomenon as procrastination and disorders as anxiety and depression. Purpose: Investigate and evaluate the level of anxiety, depression, and the nature of the manifestation of procrastination in medical students Faculty of Medicine and the Faculty of Training Foreign Citizens (FTFC) of Ivano-Frankivsk National Medical University (IFNMU) in a period of altered psycho-emotional state during the period of forced social distancing and its impact on academic performance. Methodology: 212 medical students were interviewed. The survey was voluntary and anonymous. We used two clinical test methods to identify emotional disturbances: the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) (Zigmond A.S. et.al.,1983; Svanborg P., 2001). In order to assess the propensity of students to procrastinate, we also used the "Questionnaire to study the propensity of the individual to procrastination" (Shivari ,O.A., 2015), which is a modification of the "General Procrastination Scale" (Lay, C., 1986) and consists of two scales: "Personally conditioned procrastination scale" (Scale I) and "Situationally conditioned procrastination scale" (Scale II). The statistical analysis of the results was performed using STATISTICA 7.0 software packages and the package of statistical functions of Microsoft Excel. Results and Discussion: During the testing, students note that the most important problem for them is time management. The analysis of the results survey by "Personally conditioned procrastination scale" (Scale I) "showed that 15% of the students have a low, 47.5% - medium, 37.5% - high level of personal propensity to procrastination. The analysis of the results "Situationally conditioned procrastination scale" (Scale II) showed that 25% of students have a low level of situational procrastination, 37.5% - medium and 37.5% - high, respectively. The study of the relationship between the level of propensity to procrastination (Scale I) and academic performance in medical students showed that in the group with low procrastination the success rate is higher than in groups with medium and high procrastination (r = -0.58; p <0.05). We also established a direct correlation between the Scale II indicators and the average academic performance indicators. After the survey and analysis of the results on the HADS and MADRS scales, we found a clear relationship between increased learning during the period of altered psychoemotional state and the severity of anxiety-depressive symptoms in medical students, which manifested itself in an increase in the level of anxiety and mood disorders of varying degrees. Conclusions: Thus, procrastination that occurs in the surveyed medical students in the period of altered psycho-emotional state during forced social distancing because of pandemic COVID-19 has had "situational" situational nature. Besides, the study confirmed that the pandemic of COVID-19, as a stressful moment of the external test of identity, caused the emergence of protective mechanisms in medical students in the form of emotional and behavioral changes and disorders. The results obtained indicate the presence of adjustment disorders in the period of the altered psychoemotional state during forced social distancing because of pandemic COVID-19 in all the studied groups. Medical students also need to be made aware that depression is not a cause for shame. Future doctors should be able to maintain their mental and emotional health, as well as know, how to deal with classmates who suffer from mental illness

Author(s):  
V. V. Tonkovtseva ◽  
A. M. Yarosh ◽  
I. A. Batura ◽  
E.-E. Nagovskaya ◽  
E. S. Koval ◽  
...  

The objective of the research was to study the effect of common hyssop essential oil on the psychoemotional state and mental performance of elderly and senile people. Materials and methods. The study included 280 women aged 60–85 years. During the study, the subjects were in darkened rooms at rest in groups of 10–20 people. For participants in the control groups we played a psychorelaxation audio recording lasting 10, 20 or 30 minutes. For the experimental groups we sprayed common hyssop essential oil in a concentration of 1 mg/m3 for 10, 20 or 30 minutes in the room and simultaneously played a psychorelaxation audio recording. The state of the subjects before and after the procedures in the control and experimental groups was assessed using Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, the Dembo-Rubinstein self-assessment test in our modification, correction task, and the word recognition test with missing letters. The obtained data were statistically processed using the Student’s t-test for dependent and unconjugated samples. The component composition of essential oil was determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry using a hardware and software complex based on a chromatograph «Chromatek-Crystal 5000.2» equipped with a mass spectrometric detector. Results. It is shown that respiratory effects of essential oil of common hyssop (exposure 10, 20 or 30 minutes) when its concentration in air 1 mg/m3 causes a significant improvement in the emotional state of the elderly (based on Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and the Dembo-Rubinstein self-assessment test in our modification). In the pair «anxiety-depression» it has a more pronounced positive effect on anxiety – a statistically significant decrease in the level at all durations of the aroma effect. According to the indicator of depression, a statistically significant decrease was observed only with a 20-minute aroma effect. At the same time, in the state self-assessment test, the subjects positively assessed the change in their state in all indicators of psychoemotional state and tone for all duration of the aroma session, which allows us to talk about hyssop essential oil as a euphoric factor, possibly with a certain decrease in the criticality of perception. Considering the more objective nature of the assessment on the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and the presence in the self-assessment test of parameters that respond to depression, we can say that common hyssop essential oil is a euphoric factor that reduces the criticality, objectivity of the subjects’ self-assessment of their condition. There was no significant effect of common hyssop essential oil on mental performance in both complex (recognition of words with missing letters) and simple work (correction task).


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 748
Author(s):  
Pavel Schischlevskij ◽  
Isabell Cordts ◽  
René Günther ◽  
Benjamin Stolte ◽  
Daniel Zeller ◽  
...  

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease that causes progressive autonomy loss and need for care. This does not only affect patients themselves, but also the patients’ informal caregivers (CGs) in their health, personal and professional lives. The big efforts of this multi-center study were not only to evaluate the caregivers’ burden and to identify its predictors, but it also should provide a specific understanding of the needs of ALS patients’ CGs and fill the gap of knowledge on their personal and work lives. Using standardized questionnaires, primary data from patients and their main informal CGs (n = 249) were collected. Patients’ functional status and disease severity were evaluated using the Barthel Index, the revised Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Functional Rating Scale (ALSFRS-R) and the King’s Stages for ALS. The caregivers’ burden was recorded by the Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI). Comorbid anxiety and depression of caregivers were assessed by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Additionally, the EuroQol Five Dimension Five Level Scale evaluated their health-related quality of life. The caregivers’ burden was high (mean ZBI = 26/88, 0 = no burden, ≥24 = highly burdened) and correlated with patients’ functional status (rp = −0.555, p < 0.001, n = 242). It was influenced by the CGs’ own mental health issues due to caregiving (+11.36, 95% CI [6.84; 15.87], p < 0.001), patients’ wheelchair dependency (+9.30, 95% CI [5.94; 12.66], p < 0.001) and was interrelated with the CGs’ depression (rp = 0.627, p < 0.001, n = 234), anxiety (rp = 0.550, p < 0.001, n = 234), and poorer physical condition (rp = −0.362, p < 0.001, n = 237). Moreover, female CGs showed symptoms of anxiety more often, which also correlated with the patients’ impairment in daily routine (rs = −0.280, p < 0.001, n = 169). As increasing disease severity, along with decreasing autonomy, was the main predictor of caregiver burden and showed to create relevant (negative) implications on CGs’ lives, patient care and supportive therapies should address this issue. Moreover, in order to preserve the mental and physical health of the CGs, new concepts of care have to focus on both, on not only patients but also their CGs and gender-associated specific issues. As caregiving in ALS also significantly influences the socioeconomic status by restrictions in CGs’ work lives and income, and the main reported needs being lack of psychological support and a high bureaucracy, the situation of CGs needs more attention. Apart from their own multi-disciplinary medical and psychological care, more support in care and patient management issues is required.


2021 ◽  
Vol 108 (Supplement_2) ◽  
Author(s):  
M Durand-Hill ◽  
D I Ike ◽  
A N Nijhawan ◽  
A B Shah ◽  
A Dawson ◽  
...  

Abstract Introduction During the COVID pandemic, the 2019-2020 cohort of final year students were invited to participate in Foundation interim Year 1 placements (FiY1). FiY1 aimed to ease transition to Foundation Year 1 doctor (FY1). We assessed the psychological impact of FiY1 on final year medical students. Method A cross-sectional survey was distributed to final year medical students in the UK between June 4th and July 4th, 2020. The survey contained the following domains: participant demographics, rationale for FiY1 participation, a checklist of the key safety principles for FiY1s, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and the Perceived Stress scale-4. Results 107 final years responded to the survey. 72.0% (n = 77) of final year students surveyed were working as FiY1s. Final year students participating in FiY1 postings had reduced rates of anxiety (29.9% vs 43.4%, P = 0.186), depression (5.2% vs 20.0%, P = 0.018) and lower perceived stress levels (5.0 vs 7.2, P &lt; 0.001). 19.5% (15/77) FiY1s reported working beyond their competency, 27.3% (22/77) felt unsupervised, but 94.8% (73/77) of FiY1s felt the post prepared them for FY1. Conclusions Students participating in FiY1 postings felt less stressed and depressed than those not participating in the scheme and the majority felt it was preparing them for FY1.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chun-Xia Ren ◽  
De-Cun Zhou ◽  
Yin-Guang Fan ◽  
Bao-Zhu Li ◽  
Wan-Fei Zhang ◽  
...  

Abstract BackgroundThe outbreak of novel 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has imposed an enormous physical and psychological pressure on people across the world. This study focused on evaluating the prevalence and influencing factors of anxiety and depression symptoms in surgical nurses during the epidemic in China. MethodA cross-sectional, multicenter quantitative study was conducted in Anhui province (China) from March 3, 2020 to March 19, 2020, with a questionnaire package which consisted of general information questionnaire,Zung's self-rating anxiety scale (SAS), Zung's self-rating Depression Scale (SDS) and social support rating scale (SSRS). A total of 3600 surgical nurses participated in the survey by Wechat and QQ. Data were analysed using multiple linear regression models. ResultsA total of 3492 surgical nurses from 12tertiary hospitals and 12 secondary hospitals in one province of mainland China completed the survey. The prevalence rates of anxiety symptoms and depressive symptoms were 24.83% and 22.39%, respectively. The average level of anxiety and depression of surgical nurses were higher than that of the Chinese norm (P< 0.05).Levels of social support for surgical nurses were significantly negatively associated with the degree of anxiety (r = -0.630, P < 0.001) and depression (r = -0.578, P < 0.001). Fertility status (β = 1.469, P = 0.003), hospital (β = -0.611, P < 0.001), participation in care for COVID-19 patients (β = 2.229, P < 0.001), likelihood of being infected with COVID-19 (β = 1.146, P < 0.001), social support (β = -0.623, P < 0.001) were significantly influencing surgical nurses’ anxiety degree. Similarly, these characteristics were significantly associated with the odds of experiencing depression symptoms in surgical nurses. Divorce and widowed surgical nurses (β = -2.654, P < 0.001) were significantly more likely to experience depressive symptoms than single nurses. ConclusionIn this survey, we found that the surgical nurses had high anxiety and depression symptoms during the COVID-19 outbreak in China. The findings suggest that targeted psychological interventions to promote the mental health of surgical nurses with psychological problems need to be immediately implemented.


Author(s):  
Sandesh Sawant ◽  
Garima Tripathi ◽  
Tripti Pal Raman

<p><strong>Background:</strong> Literature states that Depression and anxiety symptoms carry impairment to medical students, including poor academic performance, drop out, substance abuse and suicide. A high prevalence of anxiety and depression among medical students has been reported worldwide. Higher prevalence is noticed among female students.</p><p><strong>Aim/Objectives: </strong>To study rates of anxiety and depressive symptoms among female undergraduate medical students.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The present study is a cross-sectional study. The purposive sampling method was used. Duration of study was 6 months. A total number of participants’ were 100. Self-developed questionnaire and Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale were used. </p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Findings showed that the mean score of anxiety symptoms was 8.08 (SD± 4.07). Similarly, the mean score of Depressive symptoms was 4.99(SD± 3.28). Fifty-two per cent of the students rated anxiety symptoms and 25% of the student rated depressive symptoms between borderline to the abnormal range. Total 9% of the students reported that they have a family history of mental illness among which 8% reported borderline to an abnormal range of anxiety however 52 % who had no family history also scored the same range. Similarly, 17% of the students reported there were life events which were stressful among which 13% scored borderline to abnormal range anxiety symptoms. Likewise, only 5% of the students scored borderline to the abnormal range of depressive symptoms.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>It was observed that female undergraduate medical students experience both anxiety and depressive symptoms however the percentage of depressive symptoms were less compared to anxiety symptoms. Further studies are required to evaluate the associated factors responsible for depressive and anxiety symptoms.</p>


2021 ◽  
pp. 135910452110565
Author(s):  
Ioanna Giannopoulou ◽  
Evdokia Pasalari ◽  
Paraskevi Bali ◽  
Dimitra Grammatikaki ◽  
Panagiotis Ferentinos

The psychometric properties of the Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale (RCADS-47) are established cross-culturally but lacking for the Greek population. The present study examined RCADS internal consistency and validity (structural and concurrent) in Greek adolescents, and tested measurement invariance across sex and age groups. We recruited 619 secondary school students ( n = 321 females), aged 12–18 years ( n = 318, 12–14-year-olds). Besides RCADS, all students completed Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), a subsample ( n = 300) completed Screen for Child Anxiety-Related Emotional Disorders (SCARED), whereas a non-overlapping subsample ( n = 219) completed Depression Self-Rating Scale (DSRS). Structural validity was examined with Confirmatory Factor Analysis and measurement invariance was assessed with Multiple Indicators Multiple Causes (MIMIC) modeling. Convergent and divergent validity were examined using Spearman correlations between RCADS subscales and DSRS, SCARED, and SDQ validators. The six-factor model fitted the data best, validating the originally proposed RCADS structure. Three items displayed differential item functioning for sex, another three for age group, and one item for both, albeit with trivial effect sizes ( d < 0.2). Cronbach’s alpha was .94. Convergent and divergent validity were also established. In conclusion, the RCADS is a valid and reliable instrument for assessing anxiety and depression symptoms in Greek adolescents.


GYNECOLOGY ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 346-353
Author(s):  
Natalya I. Tapilskaya ◽  
Mikhail S. Nekrasov ◽  
Inna O. Krikheli ◽  
Ksenia V. Ob'edkova ◽  
Alexander M. Gzgzyan ◽  
...  

Aim. To study a stress-protective efficacy of micronized progesterone (MP) in pregnant women with anxiety disorders after in vitro fertilisation (IVF). Materials and methods. We conducted a prospective, comparative open-label randomized trial in two IVF-clinics. A total of 98 pregnant women after IVF with anxiety disorders were recruited at the 9th week of pregnancy. Progesterone supplementation after IVF for luteal phase support was administered out until 9 weeks gestation. Then, after randomization, group 1 (n=35) received 400 mg per day of MP vaginally, group 2 (n=33) received 400 mg of MP orally, group 3 (n=30) was comparative for the other groups. The duration of progesterone treatment was 12 weeks. The Spielberger State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), the Montgomerysberg depression rating scale (MADRS), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and the Epworth Sleepiness Questionnaires (ESQ) were used to compare maternal mood at 9 weeks (day of randomization) after delivery and at 283, 565, 847 days after randomization. Results. The mean STAI sumscore in MP-groups was significantly lower than in group 3 starting from day 565 and continued until the end of the study. There were no significant differences between vaginal and oral administration of progesterone. There were no significant differences between the mean sumscores when questioning on the HADS, MADRS and ESQ. Conclusion. Prolonged use of MP in pregnant women with anxiety disorders led to the prevention of manifestations of an increase in anxiety and depression. The stress-protective and neuromodulating properties of MP can determine additional indications for its prolonged administration in women with anxiety disorders and/or premorbid history.


2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 49-59
Author(s):  
Sanchary Prativa ◽  
Farah Deeba

This study aimed at examining the relationship between parenting styles and depression in adolescents. Convenient sampling was used to collect 100 adolescents (Mean age = 15.25 years, Sd = 0.90) from two colleges of Dhaka city, Bangladesh. Parental Attitude Questionnaire (PAQ) was used to measure parenting styles and two other self-report measures, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and Short Mood and Feelings Questionnaire (SMFQ) were used to assess depression in adolescents. From multiple regression analysis significant relationship was found between parenting style and adolescents’ depression measured by one self-rating scale. The overall regression model for investigating the relationship between parenting style and depression in adolescent was significant with HADS, (F = 3.77, p = 0.007) but not significant with SMFQ scores (F = 0.880, p = 0.454). For the dependent variable of depression measured by HADS, the strongest predictors were authoritative parenting style (β = –0.28, p = 0.03) and monthly income of the family which is also significant (β = 0.25, p = 0.01). Implications of the findings for child rearing and research are discussed. Dhaka Univ. J. Biol. Sci. 28(1): 49-59, 2019 (January)


2011 ◽  
Vol 26 (S2) ◽  
pp. 599-599
Author(s):  
Z. Al-Salihy ◽  
T. Rahim ◽  
A. Mitchell ◽  
M. Mahmud ◽  
A. Muhyaldin

IntroductionUstun et al estimated that depression is the fourth leading cause of global disease burden. The burden of depression on the healthcare system is equally significant with an estimated US annual cost of approximately $26 billion (1990). In a European epidemiologic study of mental disorders involving six countries, major depression was the single most common disorder assessed, with a 12-month prevalence of 3.9%.ObjectivesOur aim was to find the optimal tool with the highest accuracy in comparison to the (MINI) for depression.AimsWe aimed to find the depression rating scale with the highest accuracy when applied by psychiatrists in Iraq.MethodsWe recruited 400 subjects; The (MINI) was used as a gold standard to define the presence of major depression according to DSMIV criteria stratified into 200 patients with primary depression and 200 non-depressed subjects in Kurdistan region of Iraq. We examined the symptoms of depression using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and Clinical Global Impression (CGI). Interviews were performed by three psychiatrists who were blinded to the group allocations. ROC curve analysis was used.ResultsBoth HADS and CGI performed with high accuracy compared with the MINI interview for DSMIV major depression. Clinicians using the CGI were accurate in their clinical judgement with sensitivity of 97% and specificity of 99%.ConclusionsWe found the psychiatrist's opinion alone was very accurate with higher sensitivity and specificity than the HADS and therefore it is unclear from our sample if questionnaires would help clinicians in their diagnoses.


2011 ◽  
Vol 26 (S2) ◽  
pp. 1583-1583
Author(s):  
M. Amr ◽  
A.-H. El-Gilany ◽  
M. El-Wasify

IntroductionCollege students, especially freshmen, are particularly prone to stress due to the transitional nature of college life. However most of studies in this context were conducted in Western Europe and North America with only few recent studies conducted in the Arab world. This study sought to determine whether there was a difference in perceived stress levels of female medical students at Mansoura University, Egypt, and King Faisal University, Saudi Arabia.MethodsThe sample consisted of first year female medical students. The self-reported questionnaire covered four categories, including 13 items, of sources of stress (stressors).Perceived stress scale and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale were used to measure stress, anxiety and depression.ResultsThere is no significant difference between the two groups regarding number of stressors. However, Saudi students were more likely to cite emotional problems, excessive workload and fear of future. The most common items in Egyptian students were financial and environmental problems. Prevalence of stress and clinical anxiety was higher in the Saudi sample. Logistic regression analyses of independent predictors of high level of stress among both groups combined were Saudi nationality, larger family size, clinical depression and clinical anxiety.ConclusionsPerceived stress and anxiety are frequent among Saudi students. This information could be useful in designing preventive mental health programs that should be an integral part of the routine clinical facilities caring for medical students to help them to cope with the increasing demands of medical education.


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