Relationships among Executive Function, Cognitive Load, and Weight-related Behaviors in University Students

2020 ◽  
Vol 44 (5) ◽  
pp. 691-703
Author(s):  
Carol Byrd-Bredbenner ◽  
Kaitlyn M. Eck

Objectives: College students have high risk of anxiety and weight gain. Understanding how executive function traits, especially with trait anxiety, associates with weight-related behaviors could indicate strategies for improving obesity prevention programs. In this study, we examined links between weight-related behaviors of undergraduate students and executive function traits with and without high cognitive loads in the form of trait anxiety. Methods: Participants (N = 406) completed an online survey assessing health, weight-related behaviors, executive function traits (cognitive self-control, concentration, and flexibility), and cognitive load (trait anxiety). Results: K-means cluster analysis of executive function trait scales yielded 3 homogenous groups distinctly different from each other: Cluster 1 had the lowest cognitive self-control and flexibility and moderate concentration traits, Cluster 2 had the lowest concentration and moderate self-control and flexibility traits, and Cluster 3 had the highest executive function traits. Clusters did not differ on BMI or physical health. Cluster 3 had better mental health, physical activity, sleep quality, and eating behaviors. Across clusters, those with high cognitive loads, as indicated by trait anxiety, had poorer mental health than those with low loads. High cognitive load in Clusters 2 and 3 adversely affected eating behaviors requiring cognitive concentration and self-control. Conclusions: Future research should explore the feasibility of delivering executive control improvement activities and health education simultaneously.

Prospects ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suzanne Lischer ◽  
Netkey Safi ◽  
Cheryl Dickson

AbstractThe disruption caused by Covid-19 in the educational sector may last longer than originally predicted. To better understand the current situation, this article analyses the mental health status of university students during the pandemic and investigates the learning conditions needed to support students. The sample included 557 undergraduate students who took part in an online survey. Overall, the students reported coping well during lockdown but indicated that lecturers were challenged by distance teaching, which created some stress for the students.


2021 ◽  
pp. 11-13
Author(s):  
Mruthyunjaya N ◽  
Vaibhavi PS ◽  
Vinod Kulkarni G

Background: The current SARS CoV-2 pandemic has affected the mental health of various sectors of the country while it has also jeopardised the education system. In this background the present study was done to explore the mental health of the nal year medical undergraduate students and their concerns regarding the curriculum. Materials and Methods:An online survey was conducted among the nal year MBBS students in India and psychiatric morbidity was measured by the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21. A total of 83 complete responses out of 130 were received and the data was assessed using SPSS software. Results: Out of the 83 study participants, about 34.9% were depressed, about 39.5% and 32.9% were having anxiety and stress, respectively. Sleep disturbances were signicantly associated with depressive symptoms (p value - 0.0001) and those with stress (p value - 0.01) while change in appetite was also signicantly associated with stress (p value - 0.01). Conclusion: The current pandemic has led to growing concerns in the educational sector especially medical education where MBBS students are facing psychological distress along with newer challenges in their academics like distant education as against traditional bedside teaching for acquiring clinical skills.


2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. 455-455
Author(s):  
Amelia Sullivan ◽  
Leigh Neptune ◽  
Kayla Parsons ◽  
Ashley Reynolds ◽  
Carol Byrd-Bredbenner ◽  
...  

Abstract Objectives The objective was to examine the relationship between grit and health outcomes in college undergraduate students. Methods A cross-sectional convenience sample of college undergraduate students completed an online survey assessing Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQOL), the National Cancer Institute Fruit and Vegetable Screener, and the 2-item Hager Food Insecurity Screener. Grit was assessed by generating a mean score using the 8-item short grit scale. Independent t-tests were used to compare health outcomes between students who reported above/below the average grit score of the sample. Chi-square tests were used to examine group differences between grit level and prevalence of food insecurity. Results Participants (N = 655) were 19.8 ± 1.5 years old, mostly female (63%), and white (84%). The average grit score was 3.27 ± 0.54 out of 5. Results indicated that students who were grittier than average (n = 372) reported fewer days/months (d/m) with poor mental health (8.1 ± 8.5 vs. 11.6 ± 9.6, P < 0.001), fewer d/m feeling sad/depressed (6.2 ± 7.7 vs. 9.9 ± 9.3, P < 0.001), more d/m with restful sleep (12.9 ± 9.8 vs. 10.3 ± 8.6, P < 0.001), more d/m feeling very healthy and full of energy (12.6 ± 8.8 vs. 8.4 ± 7.5, P < 0.001), and ate more servings of fruits and vegetables per day (2.4 ± 1.3 vs. 2.1 ± 1.32, P < 0.01). Grittier participants were also less likely to report being food insecure (16.0%) vs. less grittier participants (23.3%), P < 0.05. Conclusions This data indicates that students who were grittier than average reported better HRQOL, consumed a more healthful diet, and were more likely to be food secure. This provides justification for future research to explore grit as a mediating factor that may contribute to better health outcomes, especially in populations particularly susceptible to experiencing poor HRQOL and food insecurity. Funding Sources This project was supported by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Hatch project number #ME0022104 through the Maine Agricultural & Forest Experiment Station. NJ Agriculture Experiment Station.


2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (11) ◽  
pp. 01-20
Author(s):  
Nur Shazreen Zul Kamal ◽  
Saodah Wok

This study was designed to examine the impact of online gaming addiction on mental health among International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) students. The objectives of this study are to determine: (a) the exposure to online gaming, (b) the levels of online gaming addiction and mental health, and (c) the relationship between online gaming addiction and mental health, particularly depression, anxiety, and loneliness. This study employed a quantitative research design with the network sampling procedure applied as the sampling technique for data selection and an online survey questionnaire as the research instrument. A total of 210 respondents participated in this study, comprising both undergraduate and postgraduate students. The findings show that the most popular type of online game is PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG), followed by Mobile Legend (ML), Call of Duty (CoD), Defense of the Ancients (DotA), and Free Fire. The levels of online gaming addiction and mental health among IIUM students were found to be significantly low. The relationships between online gaming addiction and mental health components, namely depression, anxiety, and loneliness, were found to be significant and positive. Based on the social cognitive theory tested, all the developed hypotheses were accepted. This study suggests that future research should examine the impact of online gaming addiction on academic performance and physical health. Besides, future research can investigate other theories such as agenda-setting theory, cultivation theory, dependency theory, and media effect theory.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Priya Watson ◽  
Kamna Mehra ◽  
Lisa D Hawke ◽  
Joanna Henderson

Abstract Background The worldwide prevalence of depressive disorders among children and youth has been reported in ranges from just under 3% to over 10%. In Canada, 7% of youth report past year depression, which is higher than any other age demographic. Yet, many of these youth do not receive evidence based interventions, increasing their risk for serious lifetime consequences. To better understand low service use, it is crucial to map and evaluate current services. This study aimed to determine the scope and nature of services available to depressed children and youth, and compare services to best evidence treatment guidelines. Methods Several government and non-government resources were utilized to develop a new multi-sectoral database of depression services for children and youth across Ontario. An online survey was sent to program managers serving children/youth with depression, examining agency characteristics, populations served, services provided, patterns of service use, evaluation activities, and research priorities. Results 413 agencies with 869 program managers participated, representing mental health, addictions and other sectors. Age groups served included children up to 12 years of age (31%), adolescents aged 13-17 (70%) and transition aged youth (18-25 years) (81%). Over half of respondents worked in the mental health (43.4%) or mental health and addiction (24.4%) sectors. The most frequently provided services were assessment, psychotherapy, case management, and psychoeducation; the most common types of psychotherapy provided included cognitive behavioral therapy, social skills training, and solution-focused therapy. Psychotherapies are offered in widely varying formats, frequencies and durations. Discontinuation rates varied, with higher discontinuation among transition aged youth as compared to children. Respondents identified effective treatment, improving access, and reducing service gaps as top future research priorities. Conclusions This study provides important new data on service provision and uptake for depressed children and youth. Comparing these results with best-evidence practice guidelines raises significant concerns about the services most commonly offered and their delivery formats. In addition, high early discontinuation rates raise questions about the service experiences of children, youth and their families. Other factors which may contribute to ongoing treatment engagement challenges include access barriers, service or client characteristics, and unintentional treatment impacts.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Priya Watson ◽  
Kamna Mehra ◽  
Lisa D Hawke ◽  
Joanna Henderson

Abstract Background The worldwide prevalence of depressive disorders among children and youth has been reported in ranges from just under 3% to over 10%. In Canada, 7% of youth report past year depression, which is higher than any other age demographic. Yet, many of these youth do not receive evidence based interventions, increasing their risk for serious lifetime consequences. To better understand low service use, it is crucial to map and evaluate current services. This study aimed to determine the scope and nature of services available to depressed children and youth, and compare services to best evidence treatment guidelines. Methods Several government and non-government resources were utilized to develop a new multi-sectoral database of depression services for children and youth across Ontario. An online survey was sent to program managers serving children/youth with depression, examining agency characteristics, populations served, services provided, patterns of service use, evaluation activities, and research priorities. Results 413 agencies with 869 program managers participated, representing mental health, addictions and other sectors. Age groups served included children up to 12 years of age (31%), adolescents aged 13-17 (70%) and transition aged youth (18-25 years) (81%). Over half of respondents worked in the mental health (43.4%) or mental health and addiction (24.4%) sectors. The most frequently provided services were assessment, psychotherapy, case management, and psychoeducation; the most common types of psychotherapy provided included cognitive behavioral therapy, social skills training, and solution-focused therapy. Psychotherapies are offered in widely varying formats, frequencies and durations. Discontinuation rates varied, with higher discontinuation among transition aged youth as compared to children. Respondents identified effective treatment, improving access, and reducing service gaps as top future research priorities. Conclusions This study provides important new data on service provision and uptake for depressed children and youth. Comparing these results with best-evidence practice guidelines raises significant concerns about the services most commonly offered and their delivery formats. In addition, high early discontinuation rates raise questions about the service experiences of children, youth and their families. Other factors which may contribute to ongoing treatment engagement challenges include access barriers, service or client characteristics, and unintentional treatment impacts.


2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-28
Author(s):  
Ayesha Gul Arif ◽  
Gergely Czukor

The aim of this experimental study was to examine how undergraduate students as participants resolve a conflict in response to authority status manipulation of the opponent person (low: a fellow student; high: a university professor), considering the moderating role of participants’ personality traits.  320 Psychology undergraduate students from Istanbul Bilgi University, aged 19-23 participated in an online survey. The participants first completed the Turkish version of the NEO-FFIand then they completed the modified Turkish version of the Thomas-Kilmann Mode Instrument (TKI). It was hypothesised that highly agreeable participants who were faced with a professor in a conflict would show a accommodating resolution style. Whereas extroverted participants who faced a fellow student inwere predicted to displaycompetitiveness in the conflict. A moderated regression analysis was applied. The results showed the opposite effects, students who were in conflict with the professor were more competitive and students who were in conflict with fellow students showed more accommodation.  Limitations and future research possibilities are also discussed.


2021 ◽  
pp. 135910532110651
Author(s):  
Ying Zhang ◽  
Ning Zhang ◽  
Chenyang Xu

Engaging in a healthy lifestyle could be helpful to decrease lifestyle-related health risks and bring long-term health benefits. This research investigated how implicit theories of body weight influence people’s engagement in healthy lifestyle among young adults in China. The results suggested that implicit theories of body weight significantly influence people’s engagement in heathy eating behaviors and physical activity. Self-control mediated the effect of implicit (incremental) theories of body weight on people’s engagement in healthy eating. Implications of the current research for understanding how to promote engagement in healthy lifestyle and directions for future research are discussed.


2018 ◽  
Vol 44 (2) ◽  
pp. 165-182 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cassandra A. Atkin-Plunk ◽  
Lincoln B. Sloas

Justice-involved veterans face increased behavioral health (e.g., mental health and substance abuse) issues and are more likely to be incarcerated for a violent offense compared to nonveterans. Despite the large number of veterans involved in the justice system, there is a paucity of research examining public opinion of sanctioning approaches for justice-involved veterans. The current study seeks to fill this gap by sampling 575 undergraduate students at a large university in the south to examine support for sanctioning approaches for nonviolent and violent justice–involved veterans. Multinomial logistic regression was conducted to examine whether beliefs regarding the treatment of justice-involved veterans (e.g., whether veterans deserve access to rehabilitation programs, the ability of veterans to be rehabilitated, whether veterans are willing to work toward rehabilitation, and the effectiveness of treatment programs for veterans) relate to support for balanced justice. Findings suggest support for a balanced justice approach to sanctioning violent justice–involved veterans, while support for a rehabilitation-oriented approach to sanctioning nonviolent justice–involved veterans. Policy implications and directions for future research are discussed.


2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 486-503
Author(s):  
Susanna Kola-Palmer ◽  
Samantha Buckley ◽  
Gabrielle Kingston ◽  
Jonathan Stephen ◽  
Alison Rodriguez ◽  
...  

Player welfare is an important development in supporting elite athletes during their professional careers. Little is known about how player engagement with player welfare provision impact on mental health. Over two consecutive years, professional rugby football league (RFL) players were invited to complete an anonymous online survey assessing psychological stress, athletic identity, and attitudes to player welfare provision. Findings indicate that nearly half of respondents experienced symptoms of anxiety and depression. Multivariate analyses suggest that higher psychological stress and athletic identity and less knowledge and less positive attitudes to RFL mental health support is associated with worse mental health, whereas older age is associated with better mental health. The study has identified some key variables to focus on in developing player care and support management, and also suggest directions for future research guiding player welfare support, especially regarding increasing positive attitudes to mental health supports.


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