The COVID-19 Pandemic and Its Impact on Families’ Mental Health: The Role Played by Parenting Stress, Parents’ Past Trauma, and Resilience

International research has evidenced the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on families, and the key role played by parenting stress levels. Although significant associations with parents’ past trauma and resilience have been shown, this study aimed to explore their complex interplay on the relationship between parents’ peritraumatic distress due to COVID-19, parenting stress, and children’s psychopathological difficulties. We recruited 353 parents with children aged two to 16 years via an online survey during the Italian second wave of COVID-19. Parents’ peritraumatic distress due to COVID-19, parenting stress, past trauma and resilience, and children’s psychological difficulties were assessed through self-report and report-form questionnaires. Parents’ past traumas significantly predicted peritraumatic distress due to COVID-19 and children’s psychological difficulties. The relationship between past traumas and children’s psychological difficulties was serial mediated by parents’ peritraumatic distress and parenting stress. Direct and total effects of parent’s resilience on parent’s peritraumatic distress were not significant, but there were significant indirect effects via parenting stress and via parents’ peritraumatic distress and parenting stress, indicating inconsistent mediation. This study evidenced the key risk and protective role played by, respectively, parents’ past traumas exposure and resilience on the relationship between parents’ psychological difficulties due to COVID-19, parenting stress, and children’s psychological difficulties, with important clinical implications.

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The Mediating Role of Resilience and Extraversion on Psychological Distress and Loneliness Among the General Population of Tyrol, Austria Between the First and the Second Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Frontiers in Psychiatry ◽

10.3389/fpsyt.2021.766261 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Anna Chernova ◽

Beatrice Frajo-Apor ◽

Silvia Pardeller ◽

Franziska Tutzer ◽

Barbara Plattner ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Psychological Distress ◽

Online Survey ◽

Age Groups ◽

Protective Role ◽

Federal State ◽

Study Participants ◽

The Relationship ◽

Second Wave

Background: During the first 3 weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal state of Tyrol, Austria had one of the strictest curfews in Austria and worldwide. The aim of the current study was to investigate the assumingly protective role of resilience and extraversion and its impact on mental health following such an uncertain and unpredictable situation.Methods: Between the first and the second wave of the pandemic, adult residents of Tyrol were invited to participate in an online survey. Next to the assessment of sociodemographic and COVID-19-related variables the Brief-Symptom-Checklist, the Three-Item Loneliness Scale, the Resilience Scaled, and the Big Five Inventory were used to assess psychological distress, loneliness, resilience, and extraversion. Mediation analysis was used to investigate the role of resilience and extraversion in the context of age-, sex-, and partnership- related differences in psychological distress and loneliness.Results: One hundred and forty-five participants took part in the survey (68.2% female). Overall, psychological distress and severe loneliness were more often detected in women and singles. They also were less resilient, while men and singles presented with a lower degree of extraversion. Study participants under the age of 30 experienced severe loneliness more frequently than older people, whereas psychological distress, resilience, and extraversion were comparable between age groups. Resilience significantly mediated the relationship between both study participants' sex and partnership situation on one hand and psychological distress and severe loneliness on the other. In addition, extraversion significantly mediated the relationship between participants' partnership situation and psychological distress.Discussion: Our findings suggest that women, singles, and young people may be particularly affected by the measures and sequelae of the COVID-19 pandemic. Interventions promoting resilience and extraversion among these groups are urgently needed to foster mental health. Ideally, they can be utilized at home in case of renewed mobility restrictions or quarantine in the future.

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An Empirical Study of Problematic Internet Use and Self-Esteem

Evolving Psychological and Educational Perspectives on Cyber Behavior ◽

10.4018/978-1-4666-1858-9.ch006 ◽

2013 ◽

pp. 82-95 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Laura Widyanto ◽

Mark Griffiths

Keyword(s):

Internet Use ◽

Online Survey ◽

Self Esteem ◽

Self Report ◽

Problematic Internet Use ◽

Online Forums ◽

Online Activity ◽

Internet Users ◽

The Relationship ◽

Robust Evidence

Previous research has alluded to the existence of a relationship between self-esteem and problematic Internet use. The main aim of the study was to examine the relationship between problematic Internet use and a number of distinct demographic, behavioural, and psychosocial variables. Using an online survey, a self-selected sample comprising 1,467 Internet users participated in the study. The survey comprised 50 questions including validated scales for both self-esteem (Rosenberg’s Self-Esteem Scale) and problematic Internet use (Internet Related Problem Scale; IPRS) in addition to demographic information. Based on previous literature, it was hypothesized that problematic Internet users were more likely than non-problematic Internet users to post low self-esteem scores. Results showed that self-esteem was strongly and negatively associated with IRPS. Also, for those with high IRPS scores, participation in online forums was the primary online activity followed by online gaming and chatting. Although the study comprised a self-selecting sample and utilized self-report, the results appear to provide robust evidence of an association between self-esteem and problematic Internet use mirroring prior research in the area.

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Is the Relationship Between Marital Adjustment and Parenting Stress Mediated or Moderated by Parenting Alliance?

Europe’s Journal of Psychology ◽

10.5964/ejop.v10i2.724 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 10 (2) ◽

pp. 235-254 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Elena Camisasca ◽

Sarah Miragoli ◽

Paola Di Blasio

Keyword(s):

Parenting Stress ◽

Marital Adjustment ◽

Two Dimensions ◽

Self Report ◽

Future Research ◽

Regression Analyses ◽

Parenting Alliance ◽

Self Report Data ◽

Dyadic Satisfaction ◽

The Relationship

The purpose of this study was to explore the mediating and moderating effects of parenting alliance on the relationship between marital adjustment, as represented by the dimensions dyadic consensus, dyadic satisfaction, dyadic cohesion, and affectional expression, and maternal and paternal stress. Self-report data were gathered from 236 Italian families (236 mothers:M= 40.9;SD= 4.4 and 236 fathers:M= 42.9;SD= 4.8) of children aged 6–11 years (M= 8.6;SD= 1.7). A set of regression analyses were conducted to examine whether parenting alliance mediates or moderates the relationship between marital adjustment and parenting stress. Regression analyses were consistent with a model of coparenting as a mediator but not as a moderator of the relationship between marital adjustment and parenting stress. In the case of mothers, parenting alliance mediates the relationships between two dimensions of marital adjustment (dyadic consensus and dyadic cohesion) on parenting stress; in the case of fathers, parenting alliance serves as a mediator of the relationship between the marital adjustment (in terms of dyadic satisfaction) and parenting stress. Implications for future research and interventions are discussed.

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The Mediating Role of Rumination in the Relationship between Loneliness and Depression in University Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic

COVID ◽

10.3390/covid1020038 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 1 (2) ◽

pp. 447-457

Author(s):

Ines Luttenbacher ◽

Jamie S. Breukel ◽

Maheen M. Adamson

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

University Students ◽

Online Survey ◽

Self Report ◽

Key Factors ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Mediating Role ◽

Final Sample ◽

The Relationship

Introduction: While mitigation procedures are needed to prevent the continuous spread of COVID-19, they may, in turn, negatively impact individuals’ mental health. Therefore, the current study aimed to investigate the relationships between loneliness, rumination, and depression, as well as the mediating role of rumination in the relationship between loneliness and depression in university students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was circulated, collecting a final sample of 288 university students (Mage = 22.01, SD = 3.45, range = 18–55, 75.7% female). Study variables were measured utilizing self-report questionnaires. Results: In line with the hypotheses, rumination partially mediated the relationship between loneliness and depression. Discussion: Therefore, ruminative thoughts may be one of the key factors contributing to lonely university students’ susceptibility to depressive symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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An Empirical Study of Problematic Internet Use and Self-Esteem

International Journal of Cyber Behavior Psychology and Learning ◽

10.4018/ijcbpl.2011010102 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 1 (1) ◽

pp. 13-24 ◽

Cited By ~ 26

Author(s):

Laura Widyanto ◽

Mark Griffiths

Keyword(s):

Internet Use ◽

Online Survey ◽

Self Esteem ◽

Self Report ◽

Problematic Internet Use ◽

Online Forums ◽

Online Activity ◽

Internet Users ◽

The Relationship ◽

Robust Evidence

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Alcohol Hangover Across the Lifespan: Impact Of Sex and Age

Alcohol and Alcoholism ◽

10.1093/alcalc/agab027 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Joris C Verster ◽

Noortje R Severeijns ◽

Annabel S M Sips ◽

Hama M Saeed ◽

Sarah Benson ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Sex Differences ◽

Online Survey ◽

Blood Alcohol Concentration ◽

Age Groups ◽

Alcohol Concentration ◽

Older Age ◽

Self Report ◽

Younger Age ◽

Partial Correlations ◽

The Relationship

Abstract Aim To investigate the relationship between age and hangover frequency and severity. Method An online survey, generated through Facebook, collected self-report data relating to alcohol consumption from 761 Dutch alcohol consumers aged 18–94 years (61.6% female). Results Overall, young individuals consumed more alcohol than older drinkers, and men more than women. Significant interactions between age group and sex were found for both subjective intoxication and hangover severity, indicating that the sex differences in these variables were greatest in the younger age groups but became significantly smaller or absent in the older age groups. Partial correlations, correcting for estimated blood alcohol concentration (eBAC), revealed significant and negative partial correlations between age and subjective intoxication (r = −0.444, P < 0.0001), age and hangover severity (r = −0.327, P < 0.0001) and between age and hangover frequency (r = −0.195, P < 0.0001), i.e. subjective intoxication, hangover severity and hangover frequency decline with age. With regard to sex differences, the observed correlations with age for the past month heaviest drinking occasion were stronger in men for subjective intoxication, (z = −2.25, P = 0.024), hangover severity (z = −3.36, P = 0.0008) and hangover frequency (z = −3.63, P = 0.0003). Conclusions Hangover severity declines with age, even after controlling for eBAC or the amount of alcohol consumed. Sex differences were greatest in the younger age groups but became significantly smaller or absent in the older age groups. The relationship between age and hangover severity is strongly mediated by subjective intoxication. Pain sensitivity, lower with aging, might be a mediator.

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An investigation into the relationship between fiction and nonfiction reading exposure, and factors of critical thinking

Scientific Study of Literature ◽

10.1075/ssol.20014.hol ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

pp. 108-141

Author(s):

Helena Hollis

Keyword(s):

Critical Thinking ◽

Observational Study ◽

Online Survey ◽

Self Report ◽

Print Exposure ◽

Critical Thinking Disposition ◽

Narrative Transportation ◽

Inverse Effect ◽

Thinking Disposition ◽

The Relationship

Abstract Reading fiction has been associated with improved social and imaginative reasoning that could lead to improved critical thinking. This observational study investigated the relationship between fiction and nonfiction exposure, narrative transportation, and factors of critical thinking (critical thinking disposition, and epistemological orientation). Self-selecting participants (N = 335) completed an online survey including an author recognition test and self-report scales. Fiction scores were significantly associated with higher critical thinking disposition, while nonfiction had an inverse effect correlating with lower disposition. Fiction reading was associated with decreased absolutism, and nonfiction score conversely with higher absolutism. Total and nonfiction print exposure were associated with lower multiplism, with no significant association for fiction. Total and fiction print exposure were associated with higher evaluativism, with no significant association for nonfiction. Narrative transportation mediated some of these relationships. These findings provide a basis for further research into reading fiction and nonfiction, and critical thinking.

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Romantic Relationship Length and its Perceived Quality: Mediating Role of Facebook-Related Conflict

Europe’s Journal of Psychology ◽

10.5964/ejop.v11i3.932 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 11 (3) ◽

pp. 395-405 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

H. M. Saidur Rahaman

Keyword(s):

Relationship Satisfaction ◽

Romantic Relationship ◽

Online Survey ◽

Negative Relationship ◽

Self Report ◽

Future Research ◽

Mediation Analyses ◽

Relationship Length ◽

Self Report Data ◽

The Relationship

The purpose of this study was to investigate how Facebook use is leading to negative relationship outcomes such as cheating and breakup by assessing users’ perceived relationship qualities. It was hypothesized that Facebook-related conflict will be negatively related with users’ relationship length and will also be negatively related with their perceived relationship satisfaction, commitment, and love. Facebook-related conflict further mediates the relationship between relationship length and perceived relationship satisfaction, commitment, and love. Self-report data were gathered from participants (N = 101) in an online survey by employing standard questionnaires. A set of regression and mediation analyses confirmed all the hypotheses of the study. That is, Facebook-related conflict mediates the relationship between relationship length and perceived relationship satisfaction, commitment, and love. Moreover, the magnitude of mediation was highest for relationship satisfaction. Implications for future research and contributions are discussed.

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Sleep and Psychological Difficulties in Italian School-Age Children During COVID-19 Lockdown

Journal of Pediatric Psychology ◽

10.1093/jpepsy/jsab003 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 46 (2) ◽

pp. 153-167

Author(s):

Nicola Cellini ◽

Elisa Di Giorgio ◽

Giovanna Mioni ◽

Daniela Di Riso

Keyword(s):

Sleep Quality ◽

Online Survey ◽

Psychological Impact ◽

School Age Children ◽

School Age ◽

Long Term Effects ◽

Emotional Symptoms ◽

Sleep Habits ◽

Sleep Timing ◽

Psychological Difficulties

Abstract Objective On March 10, 2020, the Italian Government ordered a national lockdown to limit the viral transmission of coronavirus disease 2019 infections. This study investigated how these restrictive measures have impacted sleep quality, timing, and psychological difficulties in school-age children and their mothers during the lockdown. Methods In an online survey, 299 mothers reported their sleep habits, experience of time, and psychological difficulties as well as those of their children (6–10 years old) during and, retrospectively, before the lockdown. Results During the lockdown, children showed a marked delay in sleep timing—that is, later bedtime and rise time—and a mild worsening in sleep quality. They were less prone to respect daily routines or to keep track of the passage of time. They showed increased emotional, conduct, and hyperactive symptoms, and the increase in these psychological difficulties was predicted by the change in sleep quality, boredom, and mothers’ psychological difficulties. In addition, mothers showed a delayed sleep timing and worsening of sleep quality during the lockdown, in varying degrees depending on their working conditions. Mothers who kept working regularly outside their homes during lockdown reported more regular sleep patterns, whereas mothers who stopped working showed more emotional symptoms and relevant changes in their perception of time. Conclusions Overall, given the evidence of the adverse behavioral and psychological impact of home confinement and social restrictions, effective measures needed to be in place to mitigate long-term effects on children and their mothers, especially those who have had to stop working during lockdown.

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Adolescent Attachment to Parents and Peers and the Use of Instagram: The Mediation Role of Psychopathological Risk

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18083965 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (8) ◽

pp. 3965

Author(s):

Giulia Ballarotto ◽

Barbara Volpi ◽

Renata Tambelli

Keyword(s):

Social Media ◽

Self Report ◽

Validity And Reliability ◽

Social Media Addiction ◽

The Social ◽

Adolescent Attachment ◽

Media Platform ◽

Psychological Difficulties ◽

The Relationship

Several studies have shown an association between adolescents’ attachment relationships and social media use. Instagram is the social media platform most used by teenagers and recent studies have shown an association between Instagram use and increased psychopathological risk. The present study aims to verify whether psychopathological risk mediates the relationship between an adolescent’s attachment to their parents and peers and their Instagram addiction. N = 372 adolescents are assessed through self-report questionnaires evaluating Instagram addiction, the adolescents’ attachments to parents and peers, and their psychopathological risk. The Bergen Instagram Addiction Scale (BIAS) is developed by adapting the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale. Results show the validity and reliability of the BIAS, confirming a one-factor structure. Findings show that a worse attachment to parents and peers is associated with adolescents’ psychopathological risk, which is associated with Instagram addiction. This finding has important clinical implications. Being able to intervene in adolescents’ relationships with parents and peers and the ways in which adolescents feel in relation to others could allow for a reduction in adolescents’ psychological difficulties, involving reduced Instagram use as a vehicle for the expression of their psychopathological symptoms.

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