scholarly journals Look After Yourself: Students Consistently Showing High Resilience Engaged in More Self-Care and Proved More Resilient During the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura E. Meine ◽  
Eike Strömer ◽  
Sandra Schönfelder ◽  
Eliza I. Eckhardt ◽  
Anna K. Bergmann ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Perceived Stress ◽  
Latent Class ◽  
Small Sample Size ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Self Care ◽  
Extended Period ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Resilience Factors ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms

The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted severe restrictions on everyday life to curb the spread of infections. For example, teaching at universities has been switched to an online format, reducing students' opportunities for exchange, and social interaction. Consequently, their self-reported mental health has significantly decreased and there is a pressing need to elucidate the underlying mechanisms—ideally considering not only data collected during the pandemic, but also before. One hundred seventeen German university students aged 18-27 were assessed for known resilience factors (optimism, self-care, social support, generalized self-efficacy) and subsequently completed surveys on stress experiences and mental health every 3 months over a period of 9 months before the outbreak of the pandemic and once during the first lockdown in Germany. For each timepoint before the pandemic, we regressed participants' mental health against the reported stressor load, such that the resulting residuals denote better or worse than expected outcomes, i.e., the degree of resilient functioning. We then tested whether different expressions in the resilience factors were predictive of distinct resilient functioning trajectories, which were identified through latent class growth analysis. Finally, we investigated whether trajectory class, resilience factors, and perceived stress predicted resilience during the pandemic. Results show rather stable resilient functioning trajectories, with classes differing mainly according to degree rather than change over time. More self-care was associated with a higher resilient functioning trajectory, which in turn was linked with the most favorable pandemic response (i.e., lower perceived stress and more self-care). Although findings should be interpreted with caution given the rather small sample size, they represent a rare examination of established resilience factors in relation to resilience over an extended period and highlight the relevance of self-care in coping with real-life stressors such as the pandemic.

Intensity of perceived stress and control of anger, anxiety and depression of people staying in Polish penitentiary institutions

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kinga Kołodziej ◽  
Anna Kurowska ◽  
Anna Majda
Keyword(s):  
Perceived Stress ◽  
Small Sample Size ◽  
Prison Population ◽  
Research Area ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Emotional Control ◽  
Coping With Stress ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type

Purpose The purpose of this study is to assess the intensity of perceived stress and measure the subjective control of anxiety, anger and depression in a group of women and men staying in Polish penitentiary institutions. Design/methodology/approach The research was carried out in two penitentiary institutions located in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship at the turn of 2019/2020. The study group consisted of 152 prisoners. In the cross-sectional study, two standardised research tools – the Perceived Stress Scale and the Emotional Control Scale – were used. Findings Over half of the prisoners (57.24%) presented a high level of stress. The intensity of the perceived stress did not depend on the gender and age of the convicted persons. The general indicator of emotional control among the respondents averaged 51.82 points (standard deviation = 14.52) and ranged from 22 to 83 points, which means that people detained in penitentiary institutions suppressed their negative emotions at an average level. The prisoners had the best control over fear (M = 18.68), less over anger (M = 16.86) and the least over depression (M = 16.27). Statistical analysis showed a correlation between the level of emotional control and the intensity of perceived stress. Research limitations/implications The small sample size of the group participating in the study and narrowing of the research area means that results can not be generalised across all isolated prison population. Practical implications The results obtained from the study can be used by a multidisciplinary team to develop therapeutic programmes for convicted persons, the aim of which is to evaluate strategies for coping with stress and controlling emotions. Social implications Popularising reliable information related to the issue of experiencing stress and varied emotions in those staying in penitentiary institutions may lead to the elimination of harmful stereotypes functioning in society, as well as reduce the phenomenon of marginalisation of prisoners, and thus contribute to the success of the social rehabilitation process. Originality/value Research on the level of stress intensity in prisoners is important because the rates of mental health disorders among prisoners consistently exceed the rates of such disorders in the general population.

INSPIRE sustainability internships

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 452-469 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carolyn Susan Hayles
Keyword(s):  
Small Sample Size ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Multiple Sources ◽  
Student Body ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Life Context ◽  
The University

Purpose This paper aims to explore the outputs of an internship programme, one of a number of campus-based sustainability activities that have been introduced at the University of Wales, Trinity Saint David, to encourage student-led campus-based greening initiatives. Design/methodology/approach A case study approach was undertaken, allowing the researcher to investigate the programme in its real-life context. The researcher used multiple sources of evidence to gain as holistic a picture as possible. Findings Interns report positive changes in their behaviours towards sustainability, s well as encouraging feedback on their experiential learning, the development of their soft skills and the creation of new knowledge. Moreover, students communicated perceived benefits for their future careers. The reported outcomes reflect mutually beneficial relationships for student and institution, for example, raising the profile of campus greening activities and supporting the University’s aim to embed sustainability throughout its campus, community and culture. Research limitations/implications The researcher recognises the limitations of the research, in particular, the small sample size, which has resulted primarily in qualitative results being presented. Practical implications Feedback from previous interns will be used to shape future internships. In particular, Institute of Sustainable Practice, Innovation and Resource Effectiveness (INSPIRE) will look for opportunities to work more closely with University operations, departments, faculties and alongside University staff, both academic and support staff. Social implications Following student feedback, INSPIRE will give students opportunities for wider involvement, including an opportunity to propose their own projects to shape future internships that meet the needs of student body on campus. Originality/value Despite being one case study from one institution, the research highlights the value of such programmes for other institutions.

scholarly journals The Summary of an Urdu Version of Diabetes Self-Care Activities Measure: Psychometric Evaluation and Validation

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
pp. 215013272093529
Author(s):  
Rashid M. Ansari ◽  
Mark F. Harris ◽  
Hassan Hosseinzadeh ◽  
Nicholas Zwar
Keyword(s):  
Small Sample Size ◽  
Self Care ◽  
Reliability And Validity ◽  
Psychometric Evaluation ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
World Health ◽  
Self Management ◽  
English Version ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
Test Retest Reliability

Objective: The English version of the Summary of Diabetes Self-Care Activities (SDSCA) measure is the most frequently used self-reporting instrument assessing diabetes self-management. This study is aimed at translating English SDSCA into the Urdu version and validating and evaluating its psychometric properties. Methods: The Urdu version of SDSCA was developed based on the guidelines provided by the World Health Organization for translation and adaptation of instruments. The panel of experts examined the content validity, reliability, and internal consistency of the instrument. The translation process from the English version to the Urdu version revealed excellent results at all the stages. Results: The instrument showed promising and acceptable results. Of particular mention are the results related to split-half reliability coefficient 0.90, test-retest reliability ( r = 0.918, P < .001), intraclass coefficient (0.912), and Cronbach’s alpha (.79). The factor analysis (exploratory and confirmatory) was not performed in this study due to the small sample size (n = 30) as the objective was to validate the Urdu version of the SDSCA instrument. Conclusions: This study provided evidence for the reliability and validity of the Urdu Summary of Diabetes Self-Care Activities (U-SDSCA) instrument, which may be used in the future for the patients of diabetes in order to assess type 2 diabetes self-management activities in the rural area of Pakistan and other Urdu-speaking countries.

scholarly journals Maternal melatonin implants improve twin Merino lamb survival

2020 ◽  
Vol 98 (11) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tom Flinn ◽  
Jessica R Gunn ◽  
Karen L Kind ◽  
Alyce M Swinbourne ◽  
Alice C Weaver ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rectal Temperature ◽  
Small Sample Size ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Umbilical Blood ◽  
Practical Strategy ◽  
Australian Sheep ◽  
Lamb Survival ◽  
Placental Efficiency ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms ◽  
Mixed Age

Abstract High preweaning mortality rates cost the Australian sheep industry an estimated $540 million annually in lost production, with losses significantly greater in twin (≥30%) compared with singleton lambs (≥10%). Previous intensive studies demonstrated that supplementing pregnant ewes with melatonin reduces adverse effects of fetal growth restriction and perinatal hypoxia on the neonatal brain via increased umbilical blood flow, placental efficiency, and antioxidant actions. The current study examined the effects of supplementing ewes with melatonin on the survival of twin Merino lambs under extensive grazing conditions. Pregnant mixed age ewes were implanted with 1 (M1, n = 50) or 2 (M2, n = 53) slow-release melatonin implants (18 mg, Regulin) at gestational days 70 to 90. Control ewes received no supplementation (CTL, n = 54). Ewes were monitored twice daily throughout the lambing period. Lamb survival, weight, and rectal temperature were recorded on the day of birth. Lamb blood samples were taken the following day for serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) analysis. Lamb survival and weight were recorded again at marking (30.6 ± 0.6 d postpartum) and weaning (70.7 ± 0.6 d postpartum). Lamb survival was increased in both melatonin treatments to 3 d postpartum (M1 = 98.0%; M2 = 95.3%; CTL = 83.3%; each P &lt; 0.01), and this improvement was maintained to weaning (M1 = 94.0%; M2 = 92.5%; CTL = 79.6%; each P &lt; 0.01). Melatonin did not affect lamb birthweight, rectal temperature, or growth rate. However, the rates of parturition-related death (dystocia, stillbirth, and birth injury) were greater in CTL lambs than M1 (P = 0.009) and M2 (P = 0.035). This suggests that improved survival is primarily due to melatonin-induced neuroprotection, although further studies are required to clarify the underlying mechanisms. These data provide evidence that supplementing pregnant twin-bearing Merino ewes with melatonin may be a practical strategy to reduce neonatal mortality and improve weaning rates in extensively managed sheep flocks. Although the present data are promising, this study is limited by small sample size and requires further replication.

scholarly journals The Effects of a Mindfulness Program on Mental Health in Students at an Undergraduate Program for Teacher Education: A Randomized Controlled Trial in Real-Life

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lise Juul ◽  
Eva Brorsen ◽  
Katinka Gøtzsche ◽  
Birgitte Lund Nielsen ◽  
Lone Overby Fjorback
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Teacher Education ◽  
Student Teachers ◽  
Perceived Stress ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Undergraduate Program

Background: In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of a mindfulness program including Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) on the mental health of student teachers when offered at their educational institution in a real-life context.Methods: A parallel randomized controlled trial (RCT) was conducted among self-selected student teachers at a Danish undergraduate program for teacher education in the autumns of 2019 and 2020. Participation was not recommended in case of (1) clinical depression or a diagnosis of psychosis or schizophrenia, (2) abuse of alcohol, drugs, and/or medicine. Randomization was performed by a Statistician who was blinded to the identity of the students. Data was collected using self-reported questionnaires. The primary outcome was a change in perceived stress 3 months from baseline. Secondary outcome measures were symptoms of anxiety and depression, well-being, resilience, mindfulness, and thoughts and feelings during rest. The effects were analyzed according to the intention-to-treat principle using mixed-effect linear regression models. Mediating effects of mindfulness skills on the mental health outcomes were explored using structural equation modeling.Results: The study group included 67 student teachers with 34 allocated to the intervention group (median age: 25 years; women: n = 24, 71%); and 33 students (median age: 25 years; women: n = 25, 76%) allocated to a waiting list control group. At baseline, mean Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) scores were 18.88 (SD: 5.75) in the intervention group and 17.91 (SD: 6.36) in the waiting list control group. A total of 56 students completed the questionnaire at a 3-month follow-up (28 in both the intervention- and the control group). Statistically significant effects of the intervention were found on perceived stress, symptoms of anxiety and depression, well-being, and on three of seven resting-state dimensions. No effects were found on resilience or mindfulness. Statistically significant mediated effects via resting-state dimensions were found.Conclusion The findings suggested that offering a mindfulness program at an undergraduate program for teacher education could significantly improve the mental health among self-selected students within 3 months. Results of mediation analysis supported the hypothesis that some of the effects might be explained by reduced distracting thoughts.Clinical Trial Registration: [www.ClinicalTrials.gov], identifier [NCT04558099].

scholarly journals Tracking Stress, Mental Health, and Resilience Factors in Medical Students Before, During, and After a Stress-Inducing Exam Period: Protocol and Proof-of-Principle Analyses for the RESIST Cohort Study (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica Fritz ◽  
Jan Stochl ◽  
Rogier A Kievit ◽  
Anne-Laura van Harmelen ◽  
Paul O Wilkinson
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Cohort Study ◽  
Medical Students ◽  
Perceived Stress ◽  
Mental Distress ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Growth Models ◽  
Temporary Increase ◽  
Exam Stress ◽  
Resilience Factors

BACKGROUND Knowledge of mental distress and resilience factors over the time span from before to after a stressor is important to be able to leverage the most promising resilience factors and promote mental health at the right time. To shed light on this topic, we designed the RESIST (Resilience Study) study, in which we assessed medical students before, during, and after their yearly exam period. Exam time is generally a period of notable stress among medical students, and it has been suggested that exam time triggers mental distress. OBJECTIVE In this paper, we aim to describe the study protocol and to examine whether the exam period indeed induces higher perceived stress and mental distress. We also aim to explore whether perceived stress and mental distress coevolve in response to exams. METHODS RESIST is a cohort study in which exam stress functions as a within-subject natural stress manipulation. In this paper, we outline the sample (N=451), procedure, assessed measures (including demographics, perceived stress, mental distress, 13 resilience factors, and adversity), and ethical considerations. Moreover, we conducted a series of latent growth models and bivariate latent change score models to analyze perceived stress and mental distress changes over the 3 time points. RESULTS We found that perceived stress and mental distress increased from the time before the exams to the exam period and decreased after the exams to a lower level than before the exams. Our findings further suggest that higher mental distress before exams increased the risk of developing more perceived stress during exams. Higher perceived stress during exams, in turn, increased the risk of experiencing a less successful (or quick) recovery of mental distress after exams. CONCLUSIONS As expected, the exam period caused a temporary increase in perceived stress and mental distress. Therefore, the RESIST study lends itself well to exploring resilience factors in response to naturally occurring exam stress. Such knowledge will eventually help researchers to find out which resilience factors lend themselves best as prevention targets and which lend themselves best as treatment targets for the mitigation of mental health problems that are triggered or accelerated by natural exam stress. The findings from the RESIST study may therefore inform student support services, mental health services, and resilience theory.

scholarly journals Tracking Stress, Mental Health and Resilience Factors in Medical Students, Before, During and After a Stress-Inducing Exam Period: Protocol and Proof of Principle Analyses for the RESIST Cohort-Study

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica Fritz ◽  
Jan Stochl ◽  
Rogier Kievit ◽  
Anne-Laura Van Harmelen ◽  
Paul Wilkinson
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Cohort Study ◽  
Medical Students ◽  
Perceived Stress ◽  
Mental Distress ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Change Score ◽  
Temporary Increase ◽  
Stress Exposure ◽  
Resilience Factors

Background: Resilience factors, such as self-esteem or social support, are known to reduce mental distress in the face of stress or adversity exposure. So far, knowledge on the promotive value of resilience factors over the time span from before to during and after the stress or adversity exposure is concerningly scarce. Such knowledge seems however important to eventually be able to leverage the most promising resilience factors at the right time. To shed light on this topic we designed the RESIST study, in which we assessed medical students (N=457) before, during and after their yearly exam period. Exam time is a period of notable stress in medical students and has been suggested to trigger mental health problems.Objectives: Here we describe the study protocol and examine whether the exam period did indeed induced higher (di)stress.Methods: RESIST is a cohort-study in which exam stress functions as within-subject natural stress manipulation. In this manuscript we outline the sample, procedure, assessed measures (including demographics, perceived stress, mental distress, 13 resilience factors and adversity) and ethical considerations. Moreover, we conducted a series of latent growth and bivariate latent change score models to analyse perceived stress and mental distress changes over the three time points.Results: We found that perceived stress and mental distress increased during exams compared to before exams, but decreased below pre-exam levels afterwards. Our findings further suggest that higher perceived stress before the exams may result in less recovery in mental distress after exams. Moreover, higher mental distress before the exams increased the chance of higher perceived stress during exams, which in turn increased the risk for a less successful (or quick) recovery of mental distress after exams.Conclusion: As expected, the exam period caused a temporary increase in (di)stress. Therefore, the RESIST study lends itself well to explore whether the promotive value of resilience factors changes from before to during and/or after stress exposure. Such knowledge will eventually help to find out which resilience factors lend themselves best as prevention and which as intervention targets for the mitigation of mental health problems that are triggered or accelerated by the stress exposure. Findings from the RESIST study may therefore inform student support services, mental health services and resilience theory.

scholarly journals Reducing workplace burnout: The relative benefits of cardiovascular and resistance exercise

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachel J Bretland ◽  
Einar B Thorsteinsson
Keyword(s):  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Resistance Exercise ◽  
Perceived Stress ◽  
Emotional Exhaustion ◽  
Small Sample Size ◽  
Relative Effectiveness ◽  
Maslach Burnout Inventory ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Personal Accomplishment

Objectives. With 43% of Australians experiencing occupational burnout therapies for burnout reduction are paramount to organisational efficiency. Exercise has potential to provide a multilevel and cost effective burnout intervention. The current study aims to extend the literature by comparing cardiovascular with resistance exercise to assess their relative effectiveness against well-being, perceived stress, and burnout. Design. Participants were 49 (36 females and 13 males) previously inactive volunteers ranging in age from 19 to 68 that completed a four week exercise program of either cardiovascular, resistance, or no exercise (control). Method. Participants were measured against the Subjective Exercise Experience Scale, the Perceived Stress Scale, and the Maslach Burnout Inventory. Results. After four weeks of exercise participants had greater positive well-being and personal accomplishment, and concomitantly less psychological distress, perceived stress, and emotional exhaustion. Cardiovascular exercise was found to increase well-being and decrease psychological distress, perceived stress, and emotional exhaustion. Resistance training was noticeably effective in increasing well-being and personal accomplishment and to reduce perceived stress. Our preliminary findings revealed large effect sizes suggesting that exercise may be an effective treatment for burnout. However, given a small sample size further research needs to be conducted. Conclusion. Different types of exercise may thus help protect against burnout as exercise seems to increase well-being and personal accomplishment while decreasing psychological distress, perceived stress, and emotional exhaustion. Organisations that want to address burnout can assist by improving their employees’ access to regular exercise programs.

scholarly journals The Effects of Teachers’ Training on Professional Development and Teaching Practice: A Case Study of Two Selected Colleges in Bangladesh

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 148-179
Author(s):  
Mohammad Jahangir Hossain Mojumder
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Learning Strategies ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Small Sample Size ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Small Samples ◽  
Formal Schooling ◽  
Problem Solving Skills

Nowadays, demands are growing for outcome-based and transferable learning, particularly in higher education. Being the terminal formal schooling, it needs facilitation of pupils’ achievement of problem-solving skills for real-life by teachers. To this end, this qualitative research employs a case study approach, which is suitable to test an event with small samples, and a phenomenological method to analyze respondents’ perceptions and activities thematically and descriptively to assess changes. In-depth interviews, focus group discussions, and class observations are used to collect data from two selected colleges to examine the extent of professional development and methodological shift in teaching as effects of training to include active learning strategies for better learning outcomes. The data though reveals that the selected flagship training program offers a bunch of pedagogical methods (not need-based) to imbibe, yet reject the idea that the nationally arranged training remains a successful effort to increase trainees’ knowledge, skills, and polish attitudes except disseminating a few concepts superficially. Moreover, trainees lack the motivation to shift their teaching habits and are unconvinced that the application of these newly learned strategies will transform anything. Likewise, they are discontented about training contents and unenthusiastic in consort with unfavorable opinions about training procedures and trainers to some extent. Therefore, the results suggest limited or no significant professional development and modification in teaching practice, rather teachers continue conventional teacher-centered method, and the effort stays insufficient, extraneous, ‘fragmented’, and ‘intellectually superficial’. Additionally, at the colleges, large class size, inappropriate sitting arrangement, pervasive traditionality, absenteeism, and other analogous challenges limited them to change their practice. Considering all these, this study suggests that alternations should be initiated at a micro (teachers & college) and macro-level (training providers & policymakers) to offer tailor-made, autonomous, and need-based training. Last but not the least, this endeavor is limited by being entirely qualitative with a small sample size and not eliciting the views of any of the trainers and policymakers and which can be an indication of points of departure for future study.

scholarly journals Tracking Stress, Mental Health, and Resilience Factors in Medical Students Before, During, and After a Stress-Inducing Exam Period: Protocol and Proof-of-Principle Analyses for the RESIST Cohort Study

10.2196/20128 ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (6) ◽  
pp. e20128
Author(s):  
Jessica Fritz ◽  
Jan Stochl ◽  
Rogier A Kievit ◽  
Anne-Laura van Harmelen ◽  
Paul O Wilkinson
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Cohort Study ◽  
Medical Students ◽  
Perceived Stress ◽  
Mental Distress ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Growth Models ◽  
Temporary Increase ◽  
Exam Stress ◽  
Resilience Factors

Background Knowledge of mental distress and resilience factors over the time span from before to after a stressor is important to be able to leverage the most promising resilience factors and promote mental health at the right time. To shed light on this topic, we designed the RESIST (Resilience Study) study, in which we assessed medical students before, during, and after their yearly exam period. Exam time is generally a period of notable stress among medical students, and it has been suggested that exam time triggers mental distress. Objective In this paper, we aim to describe the study protocol and to examine whether the exam period indeed induces higher perceived stress and mental distress. We also aim to explore whether perceived stress and mental distress coevolve in response to exams. Methods RESIST is a cohort study in which exam stress functions as a within-subject natural stress manipulation. In this paper, we outline the sample (N=451), procedure, assessed measures (including demographics, perceived stress, mental distress, 13 resilience factors, and adversity), and ethical considerations. Moreover, we conducted a series of latent growth models and bivariate latent change score models to analyze perceived stress and mental distress changes over the 3 time points. Results We found that perceived stress and mental distress increased from the time before the exams to the exam period and decreased after the exams to a lower level than before the exams. Our findings further suggest that higher mental distress before exams increased the risk of developing more perceived stress during exams. Higher perceived stress during exams, in turn, increased the risk of experiencing a less successful (or quick) recovery of mental distress after exams. Conclusions As expected, the exam period caused a temporary increase in perceived stress and mental distress. Therefore, the RESIST study lends itself well to exploring resilience factors in response to naturally occurring exam stress. Such knowledge will eventually help researchers to find out which resilience factors lend themselves best as prevention targets and which lend themselves best as treatment targets for the mitigation of mental health problems that are triggered or accelerated by natural exam stress. The findings from the RESIST study may therefore inform student support services, mental health services, and resilience theory.

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