scholarly journals An Investigation of the Coherence of Oral Narratives: Associations With Mental Health, Social Support and the Coherence of Written Narratives

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lauranne Vanaken ◽  
Patricia Bijttebier ◽  
Dirk Hermans
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Support ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Oral Narratives ◽  
Written Narratives ◽  
Symptoms Of Depression ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
Pearson Correlations ◽  
Stable Feature ◽  
Thematic Coherence

Research QuestionsIn a first research question, we examined whether the relations that are generally observed between the coherence of written autobiographical narratives and outcomes of mental health and social support, can be replicated for the coherence of oral narratives. Second, we studied whether the coherence of oral narratives is related to the coherence of written narratives.MethodsPearson correlations and t-tests were calculated on data of two separate studies to examine the research questions.ResultsFirst, only thematic coherence of oral narratives was significantly, although moderately, negatively associated to symptoms of depression, anxiety and negative social interactions. Second, the coherence of oral narratives was higher than the coherence of written narratives. Only the thematic coherence of oral narratives was positively associated with thematic and total coherence of written narratives. Furthermore, correlations between written and oral narratives were stronger for negative narratives as compared to positive narratives.DiscussionThe ability to elaborate emotionally and make meaning out of important life events in oral narratives is, to a certain extent, related to better mental health and more social support. Furthermore, thematic coherence may be a relatively stable feature of individuals’ narrative styles that is reflected in narratives of different modalities. Nonetheless, these topics need to be further researched to overcome present limitations.

scholarly journals Moderating Roles of Resilience and Social Support on Psychiatric and Practice Outcomes in Nurses Working During the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. 237796082110242
Author(s):  
Anna E. Schierberl Scherr ◽  
Brian J. Ayotte ◽  
Marni B. Kellogg
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Support ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Psychological Symptoms ◽  
The United States ◽  
Direct Care ◽  
Behavioral Measure ◽  
Hierarchical Regression ◽  
Research Reporting ◽  
Symptoms Of Depression

Introduction Staff and equipment shortages and an easily transmissible virus make working in the COVID-19 pandemic demanding physically and psychologically. Nurses on the frontlines are particularly vulnerable to the adversity of working under these conditions, particularly with regard to mental health. Thus, understanding risk and protective factors for this vulnerable and essential group is critical for identifying potential targets of interventions. We had two aims for the current study: (a) to examine work functioning and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress (PTSD) among nurses who did and did not care for patients with COVID-19; and (b) to determine if resilience and social support moderate these relationships. Methods For three weeks in July 2020, nurses across the United States were invited to participate in an online survey collecting data on demographics, resilience, social support, and screening measures of depression, PTSD, anxiety, and distracted practice. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and hierarchical regression for each outcome measure. Conclusions Our findings support a growing body of research reporting that nurses are experiencing mental health sequelae during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially those providing direct care to patients with the virus. We found that compared to nurses who did not care for patients with COVID-19, those who did reported increased symptoms of PTSD, depression, and anxiety. A novel contribution is our finding that nurses providing direct COVID-19 care also experienced increased levels of distracted practice, a behavioral measure of distraction linking to a potential impact on patient care. We also found that resilience and social support acted as moderators of some of these relationships. Fostering resilience and social support may help buffer the effects of providing care to patients with COVID-19 and could potentially decrease nurse vulnerability to developing psychological symptoms and impairment on the job.

scholarly journals Performers of the night: Examining the mental health of electronic music artists

2021 ◽  
pp. 030573562097698
Author(s):  
Jolan Kegelaers ◽  
Lewie Jessen ◽  
Eline Van Audenaerde ◽  
Raôul RD Oudejans
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Support ◽  
Sleep Disturbance ◽  
Electronic Music ◽  
Music Performance ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Music Performance Anxiety ◽  
Symptoms Of Depression ◽  
Levels Of Functioning

Despite growing popular interest for the mental health of electronic music artists, scientific research addressing this topic has remained largely absent. As such, the aim of the current study was to examine the mental health of electronic music artists, as well as a number of determinants. Using a cross-sectional quantitative design, a total of 163 electronic music artists participated in this study. In line with the two-continua model of mental health, both symptoms of depression/anxiety and well-being were adopted as indicators for mental health. Furthermore, standardized measures were used to assess potential determinants of mental health, including sleep disturbance, music performance anxiety, alcohol abuse, drug abuse, occupational stress, resilience, and social support. Results highlighted that around 30% of participants experienced symptoms of depression/anxiety. Nevertheless, the majority of these participants still demonstrated at least moderate levels of functioning and well-being. Sleep disturbance formed a significant predictor for both symptoms of depression/anxiety and well-being. Furthermore, resilience and social support were significant predictors for well-being. The results provide a first glimpse into the mental health challenges experienced by electronic music artists and support the need for increased research as well as applied initiatives directed at safeguarding their mental health.

scholarly journals The Influence of Social Support on Dyadic Functioning and Mental Health Among Military Personnel During Postdeployment Reintegration

2016 ◽  
Vol 132 (1) ◽  
pp. 85-92 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julie A. Cederbaum ◽  
Sherrie L. Wilcox ◽  
Kathrine Sullivan ◽  
Carrie Lucas ◽  
Ashley Schuyler
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Support ◽  
Military Personnel ◽  
Military Service ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Service Members ◽  
Traumatic Experiences ◽  
Military Leaders ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Symptoms Of Depression

Objectives: Although many service members successfully cope with exposure to stress and traumatic experiences, others have symptoms of depression, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and anxiety; contextual factors may account for the variability in outcomes from these experiences. This work sought to understand mechanisms through which social support influences the mental health of service members and whether dyadic functioning mediates this relationship. Methods: We collected cross-sectional data as part of a larger study conducted in 2013; 321 military personnel who had at least 1 deployment were included in these analyses. Surveys were completed online; we collected data on demographic characteristics, social support, mental health measures (depression, PTSD, and anxiety), and dyadic functioning. We performed process modeling through mediation analysis. Results: The direct effects of social support on the mental health of military personnel were limited; however, across all types of support networks, greater social support was significantly associated with better dyadic functioning. Dyadic functioning mediated the relationships between social support and depression/PTSD only when social support came from nonmilitary friends or family; dyadic functioning mediated social support and anxiety only when support came from family. We found no indirect effects of support from military peers or military leaders. Conclusion: Findings here highlight the need to continue to explore ways in which social support, particularly from family and nonmilitary-connected peers, can bolster healthy intimate partner relationships and, in turn, improve the well-being of military service members who are deployed.

scholarly journals Co-creating a local environmental epidemiology study: the case of citizen science for investigating air pollution and related health risks in Barcelona, Spain

2022 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Florence Gignac ◽  
Valeria Righi ◽  
Raül Toran ◽  
Lucía Paz Errandonea ◽  
Rodney Ortiz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Air Pollution ◽  
Environmental Health ◽  
Citizen Science ◽  
Study Design ◽  
Health Risks ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Environmental Epidemiology ◽  
Research Questions

Abstract Background While the health risks of air pollution attract considerable attention, both scholarly and within the general population, citizens are rarely involved in environmental health research, beyond participating as data subjects. Co-created citizen science is an approach that fosters collaboration between scientists and lay people to engage the latter in all phases of research. Currently, this approach is rare in environmental epidemiology and when co-creation processes do take place, they are often not documented. This paper describes the first stages of an ongoing co-created citizen science epidemiological project in Barcelona (Spain), that included identifying topics that citizens wish to investigate as regards air pollution and health, formulating their concerns into research questions and co-designing the study protocol. This paper also reflects key trade-offs between scientific rigor and public engagement and provides suggestions to consider when applying citizen science to environmental health studies. Methods Experts created an online survey and analyzed responses with descriptive statistics and qualitative coding. A pop-up intervention was held to discuss with citizens their concerns about air pollution and health. Later on, a community meeting was organized to narrow down the research topics and list potential research questions. In an online survey, citizens were asked to vote for the research question they would like to investigate with the experts. A workshop was held to choose a study design in which citizens would like to partake to answer their preferred research question. Results According to 488 respondents from the first survey, cognitive and mental health were the main priorities of investigation. Based on the second survey, with 27% of the votes from 556 citizens, the most popular research question was, “How does air pollution together with noise and green/blue spaces affect mental health?”. The study design selected was an observational study in which citizens provide daily repeated measures of different cognitive and mental health outcomes and relate them to the air pollution concentrations. Conclusions Based on the co-creation activities and the results obtained, we conclude that applying citizen science in an environmental health project is valuable for researchers despite some challenges such as engaging citizens and maximizing representativity.

scholarly journals Mental Health, Social Support and Fatalism in Victims of the 2008 Flood in Juarez City Mexico

2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (29) ◽  
pp. 265
Author(s):  
Oscar Armando Esparza-Del Villar ◽  
Rocío García-Hernández ◽  
Priscila Montañez-Alvarado ◽  
Irene Concepción Carrillo-Saucedo ◽  
Marisela Gutiérrez Vega
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Support ◽  
Heavy Rain ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
Symptoms Of Depression

This study analyzed symptoms of depression, anxiety, and PTSD in flood victims from Juarez City Mexico. In July of 2008, heavy rain caused floods in several areas in Juarez, where hundreds of people experienced loss of their belongings and damage to their properties. A sample of 756 participants, interviewed in August and September of 2008, were used to compare flood victims and non-victims in levels of depression, anxiety and PTSD. The results indicated that flood victims had statistically significant higher levels in all or the variables mentioned above. In the 392 flood victims, levels of depression, anxiety, and PTSD were correlated with social support and fatalism related factors. It was found that social support and fatalism factors have a small or no relationship with mental health variables of flood victims.

scholarly journals Women's Mental Health During Pregnancy under the COVID-19 Coronavirus Pandemic: A Review of Foreign Studies

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 70-78
Author(s):  
V.O. Anikina ◽  
S.S. Savenysheva ◽  
M.E. Blokh
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Support ◽  
Pregnant Women ◽  
Household Income ◽  
Scientific Literature ◽  
Symptoms Of Depression ◽  
Younger Age ◽  
Clinically Significant ◽  
Anxiety Depression ◽  
Lower Household Income

The article is the review of research studies published in 2020 on anxiety, depression and stress of pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results show that 35% to 69,6% pregnant women and newly mothers experience moderate-to-strong levels of anxiety, 18,2%-36,4% demonstrate clinically significant symptoms of depression, 10,3-16,7% have symptoms of PTSD. These numbers are twice higher than the prevalence of anxiety, depression and stress presented in pre-pandemic scientific literature. The most significant factor influencing the high levels of anxiety, stress and depression during the pandemic is the presence of these disorders before pregnancy. Other important factors are younger age, lower household income, lack of social support, and bigger family. Data on differences on anxiety, depression and stress between women in different trimesters and postpartum are contradictory.

scholarly journals Impact of Longitudinal Social Support and Loneliness Trajectories on Mental Health during the COVID-19 Pandemic in France

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (23) ◽  
pp. 12677
Author(s):  
Sandy Laham ◽  
Leticia Bertuzzi ◽  
Séverine Deguen ◽  
Irwin Hecker ◽  
Maria Melchior ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Support ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Health Study ◽  
Depression And Anxiety ◽  
Linear Regression Models ◽  
Symptoms Of Depression ◽  
Common Mental Health Problems ◽  
Mental Health Study

(1) Background: Little is known about how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted social support and loneliness over time and how this may predict subsequent mental health problems. This study aims to determine longitudinal trajectories of social support and loneliness in the French general population during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic and study whether variations in these trajectories are associated with symptoms of depression and anxiety; (2) Methods: Analyses were based on data from 681 French participants in the international COVID-19 Mental Health Study (COMET) study, collected at four periods of time between May 2020 and April 2021. Group-based trajectory modelling (GBTM) was used to determine social support and loneliness trajectories. Associations between the identified trajectories and symptoms of depression and anxiety, measured with the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale (GAD-7), were tested through multivariate linear regression models; (3) Results: Social support trajectories revealed four stable groups: ‘poor’ (17.0%), ‘moderate’ (42.4%), ‘strong’ (35.4%) and ‘very strong’ (5.1%). Loneliness trajectories also identified four groups: ‘low stable’ (17.8%), ‘low rising’ (40.2%), ‘moderate stable’ (37.6%) and ‘high rising’ (5.0%). Elevated symptoms of depression were associated with poor social support as well as all identified loneliness trajectories, while high levels of anxiety were associated with moderate stable and high rising loneliness trajectories; (4) Conclusions: High and increasing levels of loneliness are associated with increased symptoms of depression and anxiety during the pandemic. Interventions to address loneliness are essential to prevent common mental health problems during the pandemic and afterwards.

scholarly journals Depression and Anxiety in Mothers Who Were Pregnant During the COVID-19 Outbreak in Northern Italy: The Role of Pandemic-Related Emotional Stress and Perceived Social Support

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Serena Grumi ◽  
Livio Provenzi ◽  
Patrizia Accorsi ◽  
Giacomo Biasucci ◽  
Anna Cavallini ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Support ◽  
Emotional Stress ◽  
Perceived Social Support ◽  
Maternal Mental Health ◽  
Northern Italy ◽  
Depression And Anxiety ◽  
Symptoms Of Depression ◽  
Affective Symptoms ◽  
Indirect Exposure

The COVID-19 pandemic is a collective trauma that is threatening citizens' mental health resulting in increased emotional stress, reduced social support, and heightened risk for affective symptoms. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of antenatal pandemic-related emotional stress and perceived social support on the symptoms of depression and anxiety of mothers who were pregnant during the initial COVID-19 outbreak in northern Italy. A sample of 281 mothers was enrolled at eight maternity units in the first hotspot region of the COVID-19 outbreak in northern Italy. Participants filled out online questionnaires assessing the direct or indirect exposure to the SARS-CoV-2 virus, pandemic-related stress, perceived social support, as well as symptoms of depression and anxiety. Depressive and anxious symptomatology was above clinical concern, respectively, in 26 and 32% of the respondents. Mothers who reported no exposure to SARS-CoV-2 during pregnancy and those who reported at least one direct or indirect exposure did not differ in terms of affective symptoms. Continuous scores and risk for severe depression and anxiety were positively associated with prenatal pandemic-related emotional stress and negatively linked with perceived social support during pregnancy. Women who become mothers during the COVID-19 emergency may be at high risk for affective problems. Dedicated preventive programs are needed to provide adequate preventive support and care for maternal mental health during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

scholarly journals Mental Health Status of Healthcare Workers During the COVID-19 Outbreak

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christiana Nicolaou ◽  
Joanna Menikou ◽  
Demetris Lamnisos ◽  
Jelena Lubenko ◽  
Giovambattista Presti ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Support ◽  
Perceived Stress ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Perceived Social Support ◽  
Mental Healthcare ◽  
Depression Symptoms ◽  
Depression Symptom ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Symptoms Of Depression

Abstract. Background: The COVID-19 pandemic is a massive health crisis that has exerted enormous physical and psychological pressure. Mental healthcare for healthcare workers (HCWs) should receive serious consideration. This study served to determine the mental-health outcomes of 1,556 HCWs from 45 countries who participated in the COVID-19 IMPACT project, and to examine the predictors of the outcomes during the first pandemic wave. Methods: Outcomes assessed were self-reported perceived stress, depression symptom, and sleep changes. The predictors examined included sociodemographic factors and perceived social support. Results: The results demonstrated that half of the HCWs had moderate levels of perceived stress and symptoms of depression. Half of the HCWs ( n = 800, 51.4%) had similar sleeping patterns since the pandemic started, and one in four slept more or slept less. HCWs reported less perceived stress and depression symptoms and higher levels of perceived social support than the general population who participated in the same project. Predictors associated with higher perceived stress and symptoms of depression among HCWs included female sex, not having children, living with parents, lower educational level, and lower social support. Discussion: The need for establishing ways to mitigate mental-health risks and adjusting psychological interventions and support for HCWs seems to be significant as the pandemic continues.

scholarly journals Effect of School Management on Teachers’ Commitment: A Case of Government Secondary Schools in Arusha City, Tanzania

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 87-96
Author(s):  
Augustino Mwamatandala ◽  
Mussa S. Muneja
Keyword(s):  
Secondary Schools ◽  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Research Question ◽  
School Management ◽  
Descriptive Statistics ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Management Effectiveness ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
Pearson Correlations ◽  
Goals And Objectives

This study sought to establish the effects of school’s management on teachers’ commitment among public secondary schools in Arusha City. The study employed quantitative research approach in collecting and analyzing data in that closed ended questionnaire was filled by 140 randomly selected teachers. Data for the first and second research questions on school management effectiveness and teachers’ commitment was analyzed through descriptive statistics while the third research question was analyzed through Pearson Correlations. The findings revealed that management in schools under investigation is effective and teachers are committed toward accomplishment of school goals. Secondly, the study revealed a significant relationship between school management effectiveness and teacher’s commitment. This study recommends that the management in schools under investigation should enhance management effectiveness in order to realize improved teachers’ commitment which is essential for academic performance and realization of school goals and objectives.

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