Get Vigorous with Physical Exercise and Improve Your Well-Being at Work!

The aim of this study is to investigate whether people who exercise regularly have higher levels of psychological well-being at work. Doing physical exercise is a habit that not only has consequences for physical and mental health, but it can also have positive consequences for organizations because physical exercise makes it easier for the employee to recover from physical, mental, and emotional effort during the workday, thus showing higher levels of engagement the next day. Through the analysis of structural equation models in a sample of 485 workers from different Spanish and Latin American companies, this study shows that subjects who exercise more have higher levels of vigor in physical exercise, which is positively related to high levels of well-being at work. This means that organizations that promote activities related to physical exercise among their employees are building a process of resource recovery, which, through the vigor of these activities, makes workers feel less stressed and more satisfied, thus experiencing greater well-being at work. Therefore, at a practical level, these results suggest that the practice of physical exercise is a tool for organizations that want to promote their employees’ psychological well-being.

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Lifestyle and Shiftwork: Designing and Testing a Model for Health Promotion of Iranian Nurses

Journal of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association ◽

10.1177/1078390319886658 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 26 (3) ◽

pp. 262-268 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Hamidreza Mokarami ◽

Tayebe Rahimi Pordanjani ◽

Ali Mohammadzadeh Ebrahimi ◽

Fariba Kiani ◽

Mohammad Faridan

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Health Promotion ◽

Sleep Disturbance ◽

Indirect Effect ◽

Structural Equation ◽

Sleep Disturbances ◽

Well Being ◽

Chronic Fatigue ◽

Equation Modeling ◽

Physical And Mental Health

BACKGROUND: Lifestyle is one factor that forms the nurses’ health, particularly those who work in shiftwork schedules. AIMS: The aim of this study was to design and test a model for health promotion of Iranian nurses. In this model, nurses’ lifestyle was considered as the precedent, physical and mental health as the outcomes, and sleep disturbance and chronic fatigue as the mediators. METHODS: A cross-sectional study using structural equation modeling was conducted among 240 shiftworker nurses in Iran. The data collection was performed using the Persian versions of the Survey of Shiftworkers Questionnaire and Life Style Questionnaire. Bootstrap in Preacher and Hayes’ Macro program was used for testing mediation. RESULTS: Lifestyle had a weak significant direct effect on physical (β = 0.13, p < .04) and mental health (β = 0.12, p < .02), and it had a significant indirect effect on physical health via chronic fatigue (β = −0.11, p < .001) and sleep disturbance (β = −0.05, p < .01). This variable only had a significant indirect effect on mental health via chronic fatigue (β = −0.19, p < .001). The final model proposed a new significant path between sleep disturbances and chronic fatigue (β = 0.22, p < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Therefore, the hospital officials can enhance the nurses’ physical and mental well-being by providing interventions and training courses on aspects of healthy lifestyles, such as physical activity, avoidance of smoking, and maintenance of body weight.

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Do Worries About Cognitive Functioning and Concerns About Developing Alzheimer’s Disease Affect Psychological Well-Being?

Journal of Aging and Health ◽

10.1177/0898264316674535 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 29 (8) ◽

pp. 1271-1287 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Stephen J. Cutler ◽

Corina Brăgaru

Keyword(s):

Alzheimer’S Disease ◽

Alzheimer's Disease ◽

Cognitive Functioning ◽

Structural Equation ◽

Older Persons ◽

Structural Equation Models ◽

Well Being ◽

Psychological Well Being ◽

Lagged Effects

Objective: The objective of this study is to determine if cognitive worries affect psychological well-being, if these effects are long-term, and if such concerns affect well-being more so among persons with a parent having Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Method: We used structural equation models with three waves of data collected from persons ages 40 to 60 at T1. We created summative scores on five indicators of concerns about cognitive functioning and worries about dementia. Well-being measures included depression, life satisfaction, stress, and mastery. Results: We found (a) cognitive worries at Waves 1, 2, and 3 were generally associated with lower levels of psychological well-being at each of these waves; (b) there was no evidence of long-term, lagged effects, and (c) these relationships were statistically similar across groups of adult children and controls. Discussion: Because concerns about cognitive functioning and developing AD are pervasive among middle-aged and older persons, practitioners should be aware of their potentially deleterious effect on psychological well-being.

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Association Between Substance Use Behaviors, Developmental Assets and Mental Health: A Glance at Latin American Young College Students

Frontiers in Psychology ◽

10.3389/fpsyg.2021.639578 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Denisse Manrique-Millones ◽

Nora Wiium ◽

Claudia Pineda-Marín ◽

Manuel Fernández-Arata ◽

Diego Alfonso-Murcia ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Substance Use ◽

Youth Development ◽

Latin American ◽

Research Policy ◽

Statistical Significance ◽

Developmental Assets ◽

Well Being ◽

Psychological Well Being

Positive Youth Development (PYD) is an approach that promotes resilience and focuses on youth strengths rather than their weaknesses as done by the traditional deficit-based perspective. Research in Europe and North America show that developmental assets are associated with school success, psychological well-being, and lower health risks among youth and young adults. However, not much research has been done on these associations in Latin American contexts. The purpose of this research study is to assess the association between substance use behaviors, such as drunkenness and the use of illicit drugs, and mental health, together with the mediating role of developmental assets representing youth strengths (e.g., social competence) and contextual resources (e.g., social support at home or school). Cross-national data was collected from Colombian (n = 210; 70.4% females) and Peruvian (n = 349; 66.5% females) 1st year university students. Results shed light on the protective role of developmental assets regarding substance use behaviors and mental well-being. Specifically, the results showed direct negative associations between developmental assets and substance use behaviors and positive associations of developmental assets with mental health indicators. Internal assets appear to be a stronger predictor of social, emotional, and psychological well-being compared to external assets. We did not find any statistical significance in the association of substance use behavior and mental health. We discuss implications regarding research, policy, and practice.

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Cognitive and socio-emotional correlates of psychological well-being and mental health in Guatemalan adults

BMC Psychology ◽

10.1186/s40359-021-00654-y ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

Author(s):

María J. Ramírez-Luzuriaga ◽

Laura Ochaeta ◽

Manuel Ramírez-Zea ◽

Ann DiGirolamo ◽

Rachel Waford ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Executive Function ◽

Emotional Support ◽

Structural Equation ◽

Well Being ◽

Equation Modeling ◽

Modeling Framework ◽

Psychological Well Being ◽

Developmental Potential ◽

Spirituality And Religion

Abstract Background Little is known about associations of psychological and mental well-being with cognitive and socioemotional factors in low and middle-income countries, particularly among vulnerable populations born in adverse environments that may restrict developmental potential. This study aimed to examine the cognitive and socioemotional correlates of psychological well-being and mental health in a cohort of Guatemalan adults born in contexts of poverty and malnutrition. Methods From Dec 2017 to Apr 2019, data were collected from 704 women and 564 men ages 40–57 years living in four rural villages in eastern Guatemala and Guatemala City. We measured latent domains of psychological well-being, spirituality and religion, emotional support, and executive function using Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). Under a Structural Equation Modeling framework, we examined intercorrelations among latent domains and observed measures of intelligence and mental health. Results CFA supported the construct validity of factor structures in this population. Correlations of psychological well-being with spirituality and religion were moderate in women (r = 0.68, p < 0.001) and men (r = 0.70, p < 0.001). Executive function was weakly correlated with psychological well-being in men (r = 0.23, p < 0.001) and showed no association in women. Correlations of psychological well-being with emotional support and IQ were weak in women (r = 0.34, and r = 0.15, respectively; p < 0.001 for both) and men (r = 0.35, and r = 0.25, respectively; p < 0.001 for both). Mental health and IQ were weakly correlated in men (r = 0.09, p < 0.05) and showed no association in women. Mental health showed weak correlations with emotional support (r = 0.18, p < 0.001 in women; r = 0.09, p < 0.05 in men), psychological well-being (r = 0.32 and r = 0.35, in women and men respectively; p < 0.001 for both) and showed no association with executive function in both sexes. Conclusions Of all examined factors, spirituality and religion made the greatest contribution to psychological well-being. These findings support the notion that in populations experiencing difficult circumstances, religion can perhaps make a greater contribution to well-being and aid coping. More research is needed to examine mediators of this association.

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Evaluation of a Digital Game-Based Learning Program for Enhancing Youth Mental Health: A Structural Equation Modeling of the Program Effectiveness

JMIR Mental Health ◽

10.2196/mental.5656 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 3 (4) ◽

pp. e46 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Jenny MY Huen ◽

Eliza SY Lai ◽

Angie KY Shum ◽

Sam WK So ◽

Melissa KY Chan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Structural Equation Modeling ◽

Structural Equation ◽

Program Effectiveness ◽

Youth Mental Health ◽

Well Being ◽

Equation Modeling ◽

Digital Game ◽

Game Based Learning ◽

Psychological Well Being

BackgroundDigital game-based learning (DGBL) makes use of the entertaining power of digital games for educational purposes. Effectiveness assessment of DGBL programs has been underexplored and no attempt has been made to simultaneously model both important components of DGBL: learning attainment (ie, educational purposes of DGBL) and engagement of users (ie, entertaining power of DGBL) in evaluating program effectiveness.ObjectiveThis study aimed to describe and evaluate an Internet-based DGBL program, Professor Gooley and the Flame of Mind, which promotes mental health to adolescents in a positive youth development approach. In particular, we investigated whether user engagement in the DGBL program could enhance their attainment on each of the learning constructs per DGBL module and subsequently enhance their mental health as measured by psychological well-being.MethodsUsers were assessed on their attainment on each learning construct, psychological well-being, and engagement in each of the modules. One structural equation model was constructed for each DGBL module to model the effect of users' engagement and attainment on the learning construct on their psychological well-being.ResultsOf the 498 secondary school students that registered and participated from the first module of the DGBL program, 192 completed all 8 modules of the program. Results from structural equation modeling suggested that a higher extent of engagement in the program activities facilitated users’ attainment on the learning constructs on most of the modules and in turn enhanced their psychological well-being after controlling for users’ initial psychological well-being and initial attainment on the constructs.ConclusionsThis study provided evidence that Internet intervention for mental health, implemented with the technologies and digital innovations of DGBL, could enhance youth mental health. Structural equation modeling is a promising approach in evaluating the effectiveness of DGBL programs.

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Risk and Resilience Factors During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Snapshot of the Experiences of Canadian Workers Early on in the Crisis

Frontiers in Psychology ◽

10.3389/fpsyg.2020.580702 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 ◽

Author(s):

Simon Coulombe ◽

Tyler Pacheco ◽

Emily Cox ◽

Christine Khalil ◽

Marina M. Doucerain ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Risk Factors ◽

Mental Health Professionals ◽

Potential Risk ◽

Structural Equation ◽

Structural Equation Models ◽

Well Being ◽

Risk And Resilience ◽

Health And Wellbeing ◽

Resilience Factors

Research highlights several risk and resilience factors at multiple ecological levels that influence individuals’ mental health and wellbeing in their everyday lives and, more specifically, in disaster or outbreak situations. However, there is limited research on the role of these factors in the early days of the COVID-19 crisis. The present study examined if and how potential risk factors (i.e., reduction in income, job insecurity, feelings of vulnerability to contracting the virus, lack of confidence in avoiding COVID-19, compliance with preventative policies) and resilience factors (i.e., trait resilience, family functioning, social support, social participation, and trust in healthcare institutions) are associated with mental health and well-being outcomes, and whether these resilience factors buffer (i.e., moderate) the associations between risk factors and said outcomes. One to two weeks after the government recommended preventative measures, 1,122 Canadian workers completed an online questionnaire, including multiple wellbeing outcome scales in addition to measures of potential risk and resilience factors. Structural equation models were tested, highlighting that overall, the considered risk factors were associated with poorer wellbeing outcomes, except social distancing which was associated with lower levels of stress. Each of the potential resilience factors was found to have a main effect on one or more of the wellbeing outcomes. Moderation analysis indicated that in general these resilience factors did not, however, buffer the risk factors. The findings confirm that the COVID-19 crisis encompasses several stressors related to the virus as well as to its impact on one’s social, occupational, and financial situation, which put people at risk for lower wellbeing as early as one to two weeks after the crisis began. While several resilience factors emerged as positively related to wellbeing, such factors may not be enough, or sufficiently activated at that time, to buffer the effects of the numerous life changes required by COVID-19. From an ecological perspective, while mental health professionals and public health decision-makers should offer/design services directly focused on mental health and wellbeing, it is important they go beyond celebrating individuals’ inner potential for resilience, and also support individuals in activating their environmental resources during a pandemic.

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THE ROLE OF AMBIVALENCE ON WELL-BEING OF AGING PARENTS WHO HAVE A DISABLED CHILD: MULTILEVEL MEDIATION APPROACH

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igz038.146 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. S37-S38

Author(s):

Eun Ha Namkung

Keyword(s):

Adult Children ◽

Structural Equation ◽

Structural Equation Models ◽

Comparison Group ◽

Adult Child ◽

Well Being ◽

Mental Illnesses ◽

Physical And Mental Health ◽

Aging Parents ◽

Adults With Disabilities

Abstract According to the family systems theory, strains from parenting an adult with disabilities may spillover to parents’ relationships with their other children and disrupt family dynamics and their well-being in later life. This study examined whether parental ambivalence toward their non-disabled children is greater in families of adults with disabilities [developmental disabilities (DD) or serious mental illnesses (SMI)] than families without an adult child with disabilities. The study also investigated whether ambivalence mediates the associations of having an adult child with DD or SMI on parents’ health. Data were from the 2011 Wisconsin Longitudinal Study in which aging parents (Mage = 71; n = 6,084) were asked about their relationship with each of their adult children. Multilevel regression models and multilevel structural equation models (MSEM) were estimated to analyze the data. Our findings showed that parents of an adult with SMI felt greater ambivalence toward their non-disabled adult children than comparison group parents of adults without disabilities, whereas no significant differences were found between parents of an adult with DD and comparison group parents. Parental ambivalence toward their non-disabled adult children played a significant indirect role in the negative association between having a child with SMI and parental physical and mental health, after adjusting for parent- and child-characteristics associated with parental health and/or ambivalence. The findings have implications for clinical practice with aging families of adults with disabilities and suggest the need for additional research to better understand intergenerational dynamics in these families.

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Connection in Youth Development Key to the Mental Health Continuum in Ghana: A Structural Equation Model of Thriving and Flourishing Indicators

Frontiers in Psychology ◽

10.3389/fpsyg.2021.676376 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Russell Sarwar Kabir ◽

David Teye Doku ◽

Nora Wiium

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Emerging Adults ◽

Youth Development ◽

Structural Equation ◽

Well Being ◽

Positive Mental Health ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Equation Modeling ◽

Evidence Based ◽

Psychological Well Being

Practitioners from sub-Saharan Africa are working to provide evidence-based intervention programs to address the mental health of established adults in poor rural communities in Ghana. However, institutions in Ghana also pursue youth policy for training human capital that can contribute to national development as a strategy to leverage its heavy demographic makeup of adolescents and emerging adults. Positive Youth Development (PYD) is a framework for measuring indicators of thriving for such youthful populations. Studies have recently examined PYD in terms of developmental assets with mental illness, but less is known about their interaction with the continuum of mental health, which poses strength-based theoretical distinctions about the conditions of human flourishing. Investigating positive mental health in terms of well-being, along with developmental indicators from another conception of PYD with strong theoretical grounding known as the 5Cs, represents a salient cross-section of Ghana’s current trajectory along these policies and evaluations of culturally attuned well-being toward youth-focused efforts. Thus, the aim of this study was to clarify whether developmental constructs could predict positive mental health outcomes for indications of adaptive regulation processes and cultural concepts of well-being. We used structural equation modeling of the PYD domains (i.e., the 5Cs) to provide novel insights into individual differences in factors of thriving with flourishing-languishing indicators from the mental health continuum (MHC; i.e., factors of Emotional, Social, and Psychological Well-being) for 710 youth and emerging adults (M age=19.97, SD=1.93) attending a university in Ghana. The results showed supported paths for Connection, which was associated with all three MHC well-being domains (βs=0.34–0.41), and Caring, which was associated with Psychological Well-being (β=0.27), as factors to consider for youth who are expected to underwrite Ghana’s development under economically challenged conditions. These findings support evidence-based program outcomes and prior work that situates social relations as a key route to maintaining well-being, advancing research on the specificity of predictors for positive mental health factors among young people in an enterprising Ghana.

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Affects as Mediators of the Negative Effects of Discrimination on Psychological Well-Being in the Migrant Population

Frontiers in Psychology ◽

10.3389/fpsyg.2020.602537 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 ◽

Author(s):

Alfonso Urzúa ◽

Diego Henríquez ◽

Alejandra Caqueo-Urízar

Keyword(s):

Racial Discrimination ◽

Structural Equation ◽

Structural Equation Models ◽

Well Being ◽

Migrant Population ◽

Multiple Mediation ◽

Negative Effects ◽

Psychological Well Being ◽

Measurement Models ◽

The Relationship

There is abundant empirical evidence on the negative effects of discrimination on psychological well-being. However, little research has focused on exploring the factors that can mitigate this effect. Within this framework, the present study examined the mediating role of positive and negative affects in the relationship between ethnic and racial discrimination and psychological well-being in the migrant population. About 919 Colombians, first-generation migrants, residing in Chile (Arica, Antofagasta, and Santiago) were evaluated, of which 50.5% were women, and the participants’ average age was 35 years (range: 18–65 years). Krieger’s discrimination questionnaires, Watson’s Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), and Ryff’s Psychological Well-Being Scale were applied. The measurement models of each variable were estimated, and then the structural equation models were used. The results of the hypothesized multiple mediation model showed that the main mediator in the relationship between ethnic-racial discrimination and psychological well-being was positive affects over negative ones.

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Resilience and Psychological Well-Being of Higher Education Students During COVID-19: The Mediating Role of Perceived Distress

Journal of Health Management ◽

10.1177/0972063420983111 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 097206342098311

Author(s):

Sarita Sood ◽

Ananya Sharma

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Higher Education ◽

Structural Equation ◽

Health Workers ◽

Well Being ◽

Education Students ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Psychological Well Being ◽

Novel Coronavirus

The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has created a crisis with a severe effect on the masses, particularly the young students across the world. Framed by the transactional theory of stress and coping, this study investigates the factors influencing psychological well-being (PWB) of the students in higher education during the peri-traumatic phase of COVID-19. A cross-sectional survey using a questionnaire was employed. The study aimed at prediction and theory building and was carried out in India. Data were collected online from 173 higher education students. Partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) was used to test the hypothesised relationships among the constructs. Results indicated resilience significantly predicts PWB both directly and indirectly. Further, the study revealed perceived distress and PWB are not on the same continuum. This study has a contribution to theory and health promotion. Furthermore, the findings have several practical implications for counselling psychologists, academicians, and mental health workers associated with the higher education sector. These findings will put them in a better position to design interventions to enhance resilience in students in the backdrop of the relevance of both positive and negative mental health during the outbreak of diseases. Based on the findings, future directions were discussed.

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