scholarly journals Where Did All the Sport Go? Negative Impact of COVID-19 Lockdown on Life-Spheres and Mental Health of Spanish Young Athletes

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan Pons ◽  
Yago Ramis ◽  
Saul Alcaraz ◽  
Anna Jordana ◽  
Marta Borrueco ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Low Socioeconomic Status ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
General Health Questionnaire ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Young Athletes ◽  
Life Conditions ◽  
Mental Health Issues ◽  
High Level

During the 2020, the pandemic caused by the massive spread of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus (COVID-19) resulted in a global crisis. In Spain, the COVID-19 pandemic caused a lockdown for almost 100 days and forced the sudden stop of sport practices and competitions. This interruption had a negative impact on high-level athletes’ mental health. However, its impact on young athletes, who are intrinsically developing a high-demanding dual career, remains unclear. Therefore, this study aimed at (1) describing and characterizing the general impact that COVID-19 lockdown had on Spanish young athletes’ life-spheres and mental health, and (2) identifying different profiles of athletes regarding life-conditions and sport-related variables. A sample of 544 young athletes (M = 15.9; SD = 1.51) participated in this study. Measures included life-conditions and sport-related information along with the Holistic Monitoring Questionnaire (HMQ) and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12). After the screening and description of the data, profiles were defined using a two-level cluster analysis using HMQ and GHQ-12 subscales. We explored differences in demographic and sports information between profiles using MANOVA and subsequent ANOVA. Results suggest a general negative impact of COVID-19 on young athletes’ life-spheres and mental health, but with three different clusters regarding the degree of such impact. Cluster 1 grouped the 54.78% of the sample and exhibited a low negative impact of COVID-19 lockdown on life-spheres and few mental health issues. Cluster 2 grouped a 29.96% of the participants who reported a medium negative impact on life-spheres and moderate mental health issues. Cluster 3 represented 15.26% of the sample including participants who showed a high negative impact of the COVID-19 lockdown with high mental health issues. The paradigmatic participant in this third group would be a female student-athlete from a medium or low socioeconomic status with high academic demands and poor or inexistent training conditions during lockdown. Current findings emphasize the need to pay attention to young athletes’ mental health and suggest possible influencing contextual variables. We suggest some applied recommendations aimed at helping clubs and sports institutions to mitigate the negative effects of such difficult circumstances on athletes’ mental health.

scholarly journals The Psychopathological Foundations of Conspiracy Theorists

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Darshani Jai Kumareswaran
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Conspiracy Theory ◽  
Pattern Perception ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Magical Thinking ◽  
Conspiracy Theories ◽  
Mental Health Issues ◽  
Lack Of Control ◽  
High Level ◽  
Mental Pathology

<p>The primary aim of this thesis was to understand some of the factors that make an individual more likely to ascribe to conspiracy theories. Ascription to conspiracy theories was conceptualised dimensionally along a continuum labelled Conspiracy Theory Affinity (CTA). Strong CTA reflects both a high level of belief in conspiracy theories and a tendency to create conspiracy theories (conspiracy theorising). To gauge this, I measured level of conspiracy belief, conspiracy pattern perception (conspiracy theory creation), as well as various forms of psychopathology. The findings of the psychopathology study (study 4) suggested that high conspiracy theory affinity individuals are more likely to present with high levels of paranoia, delusion, general mental pathology, as well as a high level and range of schizotypal traits. The conspiracy theory literature has also suggested that a lack of control is germane to development and maintenance of the tendency to believe in conspiracy theories (Abalakina-Paap et al., 1999; Douglas & Sutton, 2008; Groh, 1987; Hofstadter, 1965; Leman, 2007; Newheiser, Farias, & Tausch, 2011; Swami et al., 2013; Sullivan et al., 2010; Whitson & Galinsky, 2008). The literature also suggests that one compensatory strategy commonly used to re-establish a semblance of control is illusory pattern perception. Illusory pattern perception or Apophenia, is when unrelated stimuli (either visual or situational) are perceived to be connected in some meaningful way. Therefore, I also sought to establish if a direct link between illusory pattern perception and CTA actually exists. In studies 1 and 2 I experimentally induced a sense of low control using methods that have proven effective in previous research. The findings of these studies suggested that a lack of control does not necessarily reflect that a person is more likely to engage in conspiracy pattern perception. However, the findings also suggested that when a low level of control is felt by an individual who also has a magical thinking style, they are more likely to demonstrate illusory visual pattern perception. Limitations of these studies and therefore their potential influence on interpretations of the findings were also considered. Another major research aim of this thesis was to elucidate how society perceives conspiracy theorists and how those with strong CTA perceive the label of conspiracy theorist. The findings of two studies (studies 3b and 5) revealed that the majority of respondents considered conspiracy theorists to be characteristically similar to those with current mental health concerns and also convicted criminals, and dissimilar to targets with resolved mental health issues and no current mental health issues (e.g. the average man). In contrast however, those with strong CTA rated the target Conspiracy Theorist significantly more favourably than those with low CTA. Theoretical and clinical implications of these findings across these 5 studies are discussed, and methodological limitations are also acknowledged.</p>

scholarly journals Pre-exposure and Post-exposure new prophylactic treatments against COVID-19 in healthcare workers

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (7) ◽  
pp. 260-267
Author(s):  
Bachir Benarba ◽  
Adel Gouri
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Nutritional Intervention ◽  
B Vitamins ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Post Exposure ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Mental Health Issues ◽  
Novel Coronavirus

The Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-related Coronavirus 2 or novel coronavirus (COVID-19) infection pandemic continues to spread. Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 in Wuhan (China), healthcare workers have been infected and are considered at high risk of contamination. Moreover, in addition to the physical effects of COVID-19, the pandemic results in important mental health issues among healthcare workers such as anxiety, stress, depression, and further nervous or mental disorders. Despite the increasing number of clinical trials aiming to develop vaccines or test antiviral molecules, till now no efficient anti- SARS-CoV-2 drugs have been validated. The COVID-19 pandemic led us to call for an urgent nutritional intervention model that should be established to prevent and/or reduce the negative impact of COVID-19 on healthcare workers. In the present paper, we suggest a safe nutritional supplementation of Mg-Zn- B vitamins (B1, B6, B9, and B12) in healthcare workers as pre-exposure and post-exposure new prophylactic treatments. Furthermore, the paper reports the scientific arguments and the possible mechanisms by which the Mg-Zn- B vitamins supplementation may exert its beneficial effects in the healthcare workers facing the COVID-19 pandemic. Overall, the Mg-Zn- B vitamins supplementation would enhance the immune response against SARS-CoV2, prevent inflammatory processes and oxidative stress, fight or alleviate the COVID-19-related mental health issues, or even reduce the replication. Each element of the supplementation possesses important and promising effects contributing to the possible efficiency of the suggested Mg-Zn- B vitamins supplementation in healthcare workers. Keywords: COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, Supplementation, Zinc, Magnesium, Vitamins B.

Parenting Styles and Mental Health of Adolescents

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 41-46
Author(s):  
Vijeta Singh ◽  
Taruna Gera ◽  
Rakesh Kumar Behmani
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Parenting Styles ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
General Health Questionnaire ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Childhood And Adolescence ◽  
Developmental Phase ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Mental Health Issues ◽  
The Impact

Adolescence is a developmental phase marked with a heightened risk of inception of mental health disorders. The neglect in addressing mental health issues during childhood and adolescence could lead to the development of mental health problems in later life. The perspective with which children perceive their parent's parenting influences the children's mental health. Furthermore, the gender of the parent has its impacts on the shaping of a child's personality under the patriarchal society. The present research attempted to investigate the impact of different parenting styles (paternal) on adolescents' mental health. The study sample comprised 150 adolescents of 14-17 years in age from different schools located in the state of Haryana, India. Parenting Authority Questionnaire and General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28) were used to assess parenting styles and mental health. The present study's findings suggest that adolescents with a permissive parenting style have poor mental health compared with authoritative and authoritarian parenting styles. The study recommends incorporating healthy practices in parenting styles to prevent mental health issues among adolescents.

scholarly journals Mental Health Issues in the COVID-19 Pandemic and Responses in Bangladesh: View Point of Media Reporting

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mir Nabila Ashraf ◽  
Hannah Jennings ◽  
Nantu Chakma ◽  
Noshin Farzana ◽  
Md. Saimul Islam ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Financial Crisis ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
News Coverage ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Framework Analysis ◽  
Emergency Situations ◽  
Mental Health Issues ◽  
Resource Setting

Background: The negative impact of COVID-19 on mental health has been reported by media throughout the world, although this role is not well-understood in low-and middle-income countries (LMIC). We examined the reporting of mental health issues during the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh and initiatives undertaken to support mental health reported from the viewpoint of media.Methods: We reviewed articles published in 10 local newspapers, including seven Bangla and three English newspapers, during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. News topics were identified through discussions among the team members, with searches across online newspapers and portals. Data extrapolated from newspapers were documented in an Excel spreadsheet. A mixed-method approach was used following a framework analysis for analyzing data. Recurring issues and commonly emerging topics were generated from the data. Descriptive statistics were applied for analyzing quantitative data.Results: Between March 2020 and March 2021, we have identified 201 reports on mental health issues including 45 reports (22.4%) focused on stress due to the associated financial crisis, unemployment and loneliness, 50 reports (24.9%) of 80 apparent suicides linked to family issues, disharmony in conjugal relationships, harassment, sexual violence, emotional breakdown, financial crisis, and stigma due to COVID-19.There were 77 reports (38.3%) concerning domestic violence during the pandemic. Twenty-nine reports (14.4%) referenced actions taken by different organizations to address mental health issues in response to the pandemic in Bangladesh.Conclusion: News coverage has the scope to highlight important issues that can emerge as a consequence of the COVID-pandemic, such as mental health, in a low resource setting. Capacity building of the media on the way to report mental health issues during emergency situations could be a useful strategy for more credible reporting on mental health issues during the COVID-19 pandemic for raising awareness of the public and policymakers about the negative consequences on mental health of the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh. Adopting policies to support essential mental health care and promoting the local organizations to take timely public health measures will be imperative for averting the negative consequences of mental health due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh.

scholarly journals The impact of the Work Capability Assessment on mental health: claimants’ lived experiences and GP perspectives in low-income communities

2019 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 351-368
Author(s):  
Lorraine Hansford ◽  
Felicity Thomas ◽  
Katrina Wyatt
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Lived Experience ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
Mental Health Issues ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Work Capability

This paper examines the impact of increased welfare conditionality on people with mental health issues claiming benefits in the UK. Drawing on data from the DeStress study, this paper explores the lived experience of welfare claimants in low-income communities, and the perspectives of GPs seeking to support them. Particular focus is placed on people’s experience of the Work Capability Assessment, the tool used to determine welfare claimants’ entitlement to sickness benefit, and how the narratives and culture surrounding welfare reform and the actual assessment itself can have a negative impact on mental health and wellbeing.

scholarly journals Mental health in biological disasters: From SARS to COVID-19

2020 ◽  
pp. 002076402094420
Author(s):  
Kuan-Ying Hsieh ◽  
Wei-Tsung Kao ◽  
Dian-Jeng Li ◽  
Wan-Chun Lu ◽  
Kuan-Yi Tsai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
First Aid ◽  
Strong Impact ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Psychological First Aid ◽  
Psychological Debriefing ◽  
Mental Health Issues

Background: The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), like severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), provokes fear, anxiety and depression in the public, which further affects mental health issues. Taiwan has used their experience of the SARS epidemic for the management of foreseeable problems in COVID-19 endemic. Aim/Objective: This review summarizes issues concerning mental health problems related to infectious diseases from current literatures. Results: In suspected cases under quarantine, confirmed cases in isolation and their families, health care professionals, and the general population and related effective strategies to reduce these mental health issues, such as helping to identify stressors and normalizing their impact at all levels of response as well as public information and communication messages by electronic devices. The importance of community resilience was also addressed. Psychological first aid, psychological debriefing, mental health intervention and psychoeducation were also discussed. Issues concerning cultures and religions are also emphasized in the management plans. Conclusion: Biological disaster like SARS and COVID-19 not only has strong impact on mental health in those being infected and their family, friends, and coworkers, but also affect wellbeing in general public. There are evidenced that clear and timely psychoeducation, psychological first aid and psychological debriefing could amileorate negative impact of disaster, thus might also be helpful amid COVID-19 pandemic.

scholarly journals The Psychopathological Foundations of Conspiracy Theorists

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Darshani Jai Kumareswaran
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Conspiracy Theory ◽  
Pattern Perception ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Magical Thinking ◽  
Conspiracy Theories ◽  
Mental Health Issues ◽  
Lack Of Control ◽  
High Level ◽  
Mental Pathology

<p>The primary aim of this thesis was to understand some of the factors that make an individual more likely to ascribe to conspiracy theories. Ascription to conspiracy theories was conceptualised dimensionally along a continuum labelled Conspiracy Theory Affinity (CTA). Strong CTA reflects both a high level of belief in conspiracy theories and a tendency to create conspiracy theories (conspiracy theorising). To gauge this, I measured level of conspiracy belief, conspiracy pattern perception (conspiracy theory creation), as well as various forms of psychopathology. The findings of the psychopathology study (study 4) suggested that high conspiracy theory affinity individuals are more likely to present with high levels of paranoia, delusion, general mental pathology, as well as a high level and range of schizotypal traits. The conspiracy theory literature has also suggested that a lack of control is germane to development and maintenance of the tendency to believe in conspiracy theories (Abalakina-Paap et al., 1999; Douglas & Sutton, 2008; Groh, 1987; Hofstadter, 1965; Leman, 2007; Newheiser, Farias, & Tausch, 2011; Swami et al., 2013; Sullivan et al., 2010; Whitson & Galinsky, 2008). The literature also suggests that one compensatory strategy commonly used to re-establish a semblance of control is illusory pattern perception. Illusory pattern perception or Apophenia, is when unrelated stimuli (either visual or situational) are perceived to be connected in some meaningful way. Therefore, I also sought to establish if a direct link between illusory pattern perception and CTA actually exists. In studies 1 and 2 I experimentally induced a sense of low control using methods that have proven effective in previous research. The findings of these studies suggested that a lack of control does not necessarily reflect that a person is more likely to engage in conspiracy pattern perception. However, the findings also suggested that when a low level of control is felt by an individual who also has a magical thinking style, they are more likely to demonstrate illusory visual pattern perception. Limitations of these studies and therefore their potential influence on interpretations of the findings were also considered. Another major research aim of this thesis was to elucidate how society perceives conspiracy theorists and how those with strong CTA perceive the label of conspiracy theorist. The findings of two studies (studies 3b and 5) revealed that the majority of respondents considered conspiracy theorists to be characteristically similar to those with current mental health concerns and also convicted criminals, and dissimilar to targets with resolved mental health issues and no current mental health issues (e.g. the average man). In contrast however, those with strong CTA rated the target Conspiracy Theorist significantly more favourably than those with low CTA. Theoretical and clinical implications of these findings across these 5 studies are discussed, and methodological limitations are also acknowledged.</p>

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