scholarly journals Fear and Coping in Students during the Early Stages of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Combined Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (12) ◽  
pp. 6551
Author(s):  
Anni M. Hasratian ◽  
Hannah O. Nordberg ◽  
Alicia E. Meuret ◽  
Thomas Ritz
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Social Stress ◽  
Coping Styles ◽  
Depressive Mood ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Self Blame ◽  
Early Stages ◽  
And Coping

The overwhelming impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have been experienced by individuals across the world. Additional circumstances unique to students affected their studies during the early stages of the pandemic, with changes in living and studying mid-semester. The current study aimed to investigate predictors of fear of COVID-19 in college students during this acute phase using cross-sectional and longitudinal samples. In total, 175 undergraduate students completed an online questionnaire in the spring 2020 semester following lockdown. A subset of 58 students completed a separate survey in fall 2019, which served as a baseline. For the cross-sectional sample, pre-COVID-19 and current living situations did not predict COVID-19 fears. However, a propensity to experience panic was significantly associated with greater COVID-19 fears. How students coped with the pandemic was not associated with COVID-19 fears, although a greater propensity to use denial as a coping style tended to be related to greater COVID-19 fears. In the longitudinal subsample, students showed decreased positive mood and social stress load while depressive mood increased after lockdown. Their preferred coping styles changed, utilizing more self-distraction and acceptance, and less self-blame and substance use. Findings reflect both positive and negative consequences of the pandemic. The unique changes in students’ lifestyles will need to be met by tailored interventions.

Coping Style as a Mediator of the Relationship Between Depressive Symptoms and Deliberate Self-Harm

Crisis ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 32 (5) ◽  
pp. 272-279 ◽  
Author(s):  
Allison S. Christian ◽  
Kristen M. McCabe
Keyword(s):  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Hierarchical Regression ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Deliberate Self Harm ◽  
Self Blame ◽  
Self Harm ◽  
The Relationship

Background: Deliberate self-harm (DSH) occurs with high frequency among clinical and nonclinical youth populations. Although depression has been consistently linked with the behavior, not all depressed individuals engage in DSH. Aims: The current study examined maladaptive coping strategies (i.e., self-blame, distancing, and self-isolation) as mediators between depression and DSH among undergraduate students. Methods: 202 students from undergraduate psychology courses at a private university in Southern California (77.7% women) completed anonymous self-report measures. Results: A hierarchical regression model found no differences in DSH history across demographic variables. Among coping variables, self-isolation alone was significantly related to DSH. A full meditational model was supported: Depressive symptoms were significantly related to DSH, but adding self-isolation to the model rendered the relationship nonsignificant. Limitations: The cross-sectional study design prevents determination of whether a casual relation exists between self-isolation and DSH, and obscures the direction of that relationship. Conclusions: Results suggest targeting self-isolation as a means of DSH prevention and intervention among nonclinical, youth populations.

Victim and Perpetrator Acknowledgement of Intimate Partner Violence and Victim Psychopathology

2021 ◽  
pp. 088626052110282
Author(s):  
Caroline M. Clements ◽  
Brittanie C. Moore ◽  
Allison Laajala–Lozano ◽  
Karly Casanave
Keyword(s):  
Intimate Partner Violence ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Partner Violence ◽  
Intimate Partner ◽  
Experimental Manipulation ◽  
Dating Relationships ◽  
Self Blame ◽  
Frequent Use ◽  
And Coping ◽  
Conflict Tactics

The present study assesses differences between acknowledged and unacknowledged victims in post-victimization psychopathology, abuse disability and coping. Few studies have examined abuse acknowledgment among intimate partner violence (IPV) victims. To our knowledge, this study is the first to use an experimental manipulation to assess changes in acknowledgment among IPV victims. Female undergraduate students currently in dating relationships completed demographic, coping and psychopathology questionnaires, and the Conflict Tactics Scale (CTS). They then watched a video of an IPV perpetrator who either acknowledged abuse or did not acknowledge abuse. Following the video, participants completed a psychopathology questionnaire and a post-video acknowledgment assessment. Approximately 38% of the sample reported IPV victimization. Only 7.89% acknowledged victimization. Acknowledged IPV victims had the highest mean victimization score but reported psychopathology similar to nonvictims on all subscales except phobic anxiety. Unacknowledged victims reported greater psychopathology, depression, anxiety, and hostility than nonvictims and were more symptomatic overall. Unacknowledged victims reported more frequent use of avoidant coping strategies than nonvictims. These strategies included substance use, self-blame, and behavioral disengagement. Acknowledged and unacknowledged victims reported greater abuse disability than nonvictims, and acknowledged victims reported greater life restriction than unacknowledged victims. Following the video, the number of acknowledged victims nearly doubled, and acknowledged victims reported increased depression. On the basis of these findings, clinicians and researchers should carefully consider acknowledgment as a potential factor in post-victimization mental health and explore ways to increases victim acknowledgment.

scholarly journals Career and Work Readiness of Nutrition and Dietetics Trainees in Nigerian Universities

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 92-102
Author(s):  
Leshi Oluwatosin ◽  
Anuoluwa F Ogundero
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Diet Therapy ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Background Information ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Postgraduate Students ◽  
Nutrition And Diet ◽  
Areas Of Interest ◽  
Nutrition And Dietetics

Beyond having a good degree, graduates are expected to have relevant skills and attributes required to compete and collaborate in a rapidly changing work environment. In recent times, the employability of Nutrition and Dietetics graduates in Nigeria has been of considerable concern. This study was designed to assess the readiness of trainees in the field of Nutrition and Dietetics from Nigerian Universities for career and work engagements. This descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out among 109 final-year undergraduate and postgraduate students from twelve universities offering Nutrition and Dietetics programme across Nigeria. Data was collected using a semi-structured online questionnaire. Data obtained were background information on the students, their experiences and challenges in their academic pursuits, willingness and readiness to pursue and engage in Nutrition and Dietetics related jobs, as well as their perception of skills and competences for future career and work engagements. The data were analysed using the IBM SPSS version 20.0. About 73% of the respondents were females, mainly between ages 21 and 25 years (62.4%) and undergraduates (70%). Among the undergraduate students, 83.4% had chosen to study Nutrition and Dietetics as a result of personal interest and choice while the postgraduate trainees indicated acquisition of in-depth knowledge of nutrition (60.6%) and quest to enhance career profile for competitive advantage in job pursuits (39.4%) as the core reasons for their choice for the programme. Nearly all the respondents (96.3%) reported having enjoyed their training programs. Only half (50.5%) perceived themselves to be “very ready” and well-prepared for work and career engagement. The top three areas of interest by trainees in Nutrition and Dietetics were Clinical Nutrition and Diet Therapy (60.6%), Community and Public Health Nutrition (43.1%), and Sports Nutrition (11.0%). Three out of every ten trainees had no specific desired skills and competences. While less than half declared that they had no knowledge of the skills and competences desired by employers of nutrition graduates, two-thirds of the trainees perceived themselves as eligible for their choice of work and career. This study shows that most Nutrition and Dietetics trainees in Nigerian universities are ready and willing to start a career in the field. However, many lack the knowledge of expected skills and competences needed for career engagement.

scholarly journals Verbal abuse facing Saudi nurses during internship program

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 75
Author(s):  
Maram Banakhar ◽  
Maha Alzahrani ◽  
Amani Omar Essa ◽  
Asal Fathi Al-dhahry ◽  
Rahma Farooq Batwa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Workplace Violence ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Care Delivery ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Verbal Abuse ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Staff Members ◽  
Night Shifts

Background: Verbal abuse, in the context of workplace violence, is increasing, with nurses at high liability of being subjected to it since they are the first line of care delivery. This phenomenon is now receiving greater recognition due to its negative impact on nurses. This study aims to assess the prevalence of verbal abuse faced by Saudi nursing intern students in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted via a modified online questionnaire completed by Saudi intern nurses in Jeddah in March 2020. Descriptive statistical analysis was executed using statistical software SPSS Version 21.Results: From a total of 132 nurses, 94 participants met the study criteria. The findings show that 39.4% of Saudi intern nurses have experienced verbal abuse. The common perpetrators are patient/client (73%) and other staff members (73%), followed by patients’ relatives (45.9%). 48.6% of the participants did not report incidences of verbal abuse, commonly citing fear of the negative consequences (51.4%) and not knowing who to report it to (45.9%). A significant relation between working night shifts (6 pm to 7 am) and being verbally abused was found.Conclusions: Saudi nursing interns are vulnerable to verbal abuse. This study’s results highlight the possible risk to nursing interns, which may be diminished by modifying perceptions of verbal abuse and by clarifying the rules and regulations for both nursing interns and suspected perpetrators. We recommend future studies of verbal abuse are conducted in larger groups of nurses across different provinces in Saudi Arabia.

Prevalence of methylphenidate use by Master of Medicine students at a South African university

2021 ◽  
pp. postgradmedj-2021-140991
Author(s):  
Willem Andries Nienaber Louw ◽  
Ryan Alroy Davids
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Performance Enhancement ◽  
Off Label Use ◽  
Undergraduate Medical Students ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Off Label ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Label Use

BackgroundMethylphenidate is mainly used for the treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactive-disorder (ADHD). Its effect of increased attentiveness leads to the potential of off-label use by students for academic enhancement—previously demonstrated in undergraduate students. No publication exists on postgraduate student use of methylphenidate.ObjectivesTo provide a summary of the self-reported prevalence and correlates of methylphenidate use in Masters of Medicine (MMed) students registered at the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences of a South African university.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted. Data were collected via a self-administered anonymous online questionnaire distributed by email to 505 registered MMed students.ResultsOf the 253 responses (response rate 50.1%) received 71 (28.1%) have used methylphenidate. Only 2.4% have been diagnosed with ADHD. The majority (73.2%) obtained it without a formal medical consultation. Self-prescription (26.8%) and prescription by a colleague without consultation (23.9%) contributed significantly. Academic performance enhancement was the primary motivation for use in 71.8% and 42.3% of users started using methylphenidate while registered as an MMed student. There was no statistically significant difference in terms of gender (p=0.151), age (p=0.288) or year of study (p=0.149).ConclusionsOff-label use of methylphenidate is prevalent in MMed students registered at this South African university. The prevalence is significantly higher than in undergraduate medical students. The non-conventional means of access is of great concern. Efforts should be made to discourage self-prescription, educate students on the dangers of methylphenidate use, promote better access regulation and enhance psychological support.

scholarly journals Psychological Impairment and Coping Strategies during the COVID-19 Pandemic among Students in Pakistan: A Cross-Sectional Analysis

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-22
Author(s):  
Muhammad Salman ◽  
Noman Asif ◽  
Zia Ul Mustafa ◽  
Tahir Mehmood Khan ◽  
Naureen Shehzadi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Coping Strategies ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Depression Score ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Brief Cope ◽  
Significant Impairment ◽  
Psychological Impairment ◽  
And Coping

Abstract High levels of stress are expected when crises affect people’s lives. Therefore, this web-based, cross-sectional study was conducted among university students from Pakistan to investigate the psychological impairment and coping strategies during COVID-19 pandemic. Google forms were used to disseminate the online questionnaire to assess anxiety (Generalized Anxiety disorder-7), depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-9) and the coping strategies (Brief-COPE). A total of 1134 responses (age 21.7±3.5 years) were included. The frequency of students having moderate-severe anxiety and depression (score ≥ 10) were ≍ 34% and 45%, respectively. The respondents’ aged ≥ 31 years had significantly lower depression score than those ≤ 20 years (p = 0.047). Males had significantly less anxiety (6.62 ± 5.70 vs 7.84 ± 5.60, p = 0.001) and depression (8.73 ± 6.84 vs 9.71 ± 7.06, p = 0.031) scores. Those having family member, friend or acquaintances infected with disease had significantly higher anxiety score (8.89 ± 5.74 vs 7.09 ± 5.56, p < 0.001). Regarding coping strategies, majority of respondents were found to have adopted religious/spiritual coping (6.45 ± 1.68) followed by acceptance (5.58 ± 1.65), self-distraction (4.97 ± 1.61) and active coping (4.81 ± 1.57). In conclusion, COVID-19 cause significant impairment on mental health of the students. The most frequent coping strategy adopted by students were religious/spiritual and acceptance coping. During epidemics mental health of students should not be neglected.

Social Support Outside the Workplace, Coping Styles, and Burnout in a Cohort of EMS Providers From Minnesota

2019 ◽  
Vol 67 (8) ◽  
pp. 414-422 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lori L. Boland ◽  
Pamela J. Mink ◽  
Jonathan W. Kamrud ◽  
Jessica N. Jeruzal ◽  
Andrew C. Stevens
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Turnover Intentions ◽  
Coping Styles ◽  
Occupational Burnout ◽  
Coping Responses ◽  
Self Blame ◽  
Frequent Use ◽  
Socially Isolated ◽  
Workforce Engagement ◽  
And Coping

Occupational burnout has been linked to the delivery of lower quality of care in some health care professions, including with turnover intentions and absenteeism in emergency medical services (EMS) workers. Thus, studies that identify factors associated with burnout may be integral to optimizing quality and workforce engagement among EMS professionals. A survey was conducted to assess social support outside the workplace, coping styles, and occupational burnout in a cohort of EMS providers from Minnesota. Surveys were returned by 217 providers (54% response), of which 167 had provided data on burnout, social support, and coping styles and were included in the analysis. The mean age was 41 years, 62% were male, and the prevalence of burnout was 17%. After adjustment for age and EMS tenure, the odds of burnout was higher among those characterized as socially isolated as compared with providers who were integrated socially or moderately integrated (odds ratio = 3.52; 95% confidence interval = [1.13, 10.98]). Common coping responses included planning, positive reframing, and active coping, while behavioral disengagement and denial were rarely used. Lack of social networks outside the workplace and frequent use of self-blame, food, or substance use as coping strategies were associated with burnout. Conversely, social integration and use of religion and instrumental support to cope with stressors were associated with reduced burnout.

scholarly journals Prevalence and Socio-Demographic, Academic, Health and Lifestyle Predictors of Illicit Drug/s Use among University Undergraduate Students in Finland

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (14) ◽  
pp. 5094 ◽  
Author(s):  
Walid El Ansari ◽  
Abdul Salam ◽  
Sakari Suominen
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Illicit Drug ◽  
Heavy Episodic Drinking ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Alcohol Dependency ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Students At Risk ◽  
Dependent Variables ◽  
The University

Illicit drug/s use (IDU) among university students is a public health concern. We assessed the associations between socio-demographic, academic, and health and lifestyle characteristics (independent variables) and regular, occasional or never IDU (dependent variables). Data were collected across seven faculties (1177 students) at the University of Turku (Finland) via an online questionnaire. About 1.5% of the sample had regular IDU, 19% occasional IDU, and 79% never IDU. Independent predictors of ever (lifetime) IDU included males [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 1.82, P = 0.001], not living with parents (AOR 2.59, P < 0.001), singles (AOR 0.51, P < 0.001), lower religiosity (AOR 1.49, P = 0.022), better self-rated general health (AOR 0.41, P = 0.003), higher health awareness (AOR 1.93, P = 0.014), more depressive symptoms (AOR 1.82, P = 0.004), daily smokers (AOR 3.69, P < 0.001), heavy episodic drinking (AOR 2.38, P < 0.001) and possible alcohol dependency (AOR 2.55, P < 0.001). We observed no independent associations between ever IDU with age, study discipline, perceived stress or academic performance. The 20.5% ever IDU is concerning. The compelling independent predictors of ever IDU included not living with parents, lower religiosity, daily smokers, heavy episodic drinking and possible alcohol dependency (AOR range 2.38–3.69). Education and prevention need to emphasize the negative consequences to reinforce abstinence from IDU. Health promotion could focus on beliefs and expectations about IDU and target students at risk for successful efforts.

scholarly journals Knowledge and self-reported confidence in antimicrobial stewardship programme among final year pharmacy undergraduate students in Malaysia and Nigeria

2021 ◽  
pp. 298-305
Author(s):  
Usman Abubakar ◽  
Abubakar Sha’aban ◽  
Mustapha Mohammed ◽  
Haseeb Tariq Muhammad ◽  
Syed Azhar Syed Sulaiman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Antibiotic Resistance ◽  
Antibiotic Therapy ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Antimicrobial Stewardship ◽  
Knowledge Score ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Pharmacy Students ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Malaysian Students

Objective: This study evaluated the knowledge and self-reported confidence of antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) among pharmacy students in Malaysia and Nigeria. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among final year undergraduate pharmacy students in a university from both Nigeria and Malaysia using a 59-item online questionnaire. Results: A total of 150 final year undergraduate pharmacy students completed the questionnaire. Exposure to infectious diseases clerkship was higher among the Malaysian students (78.2% versus 25.4%; p < 0.001). Overall, the knowledge score for antibiotic resistance and AMS were comparable (6.2 ± 1.5 and 3.6 ± 1.2, respectively versus 5.9 ± 1.6 and 3.3 ± 1.3). The knowledge of antibiotic therapy was higher among the Malaysian students (5.4 ± 1.8 versus 4.2 ± 1.8; p < 0.001) while self-reported confidence to participate in AMS was higher among the Nigerian students (median 48.0, IQR 26 – 75 versus median 36.5, IQR 15 – 75; p < 0.001). Conclusions: Pharmacy students in Malaysia and Nigeria have appreciable knowledge of antibiotic resistance, antibiotic therapy and AMS. More training on topics is recommended to improve the skills and competency of future pharmacists to participate in AMS.

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