The Infertility-Related Stress Scale: Validation of a Brazilian–Portuguese Version and Measurement Invariance Across Brazil and Italy

Infertility constitutes an essential source of stress in the individual and couple’s life. The Infertility-Related Stress Scale (IRSS) is of clinical interest for exploring infertility-related stress affecting the intrapersonal and interpersonal domains of infertile individuals’ lives. In the present study, the IRSS was translated into Brazilian–Portuguese, and its factor structure, reliability, and relations to sociodemographic and infertility-related characteristics and depression were examined. A sample of 553 Brazilian infertile individuals (54.2% female, mean aged 36 ± 6 years) completed the Brazilian–Portuguese IRSS (IRSS-BP), and a subsample of 222 participants also completed the BDI-II. A sample of 526 Italian infertile individuals (54.2% female, mean aged 38 ± 6 years) was used to test for the IRSS measurement invariance across Brazil and Italy. Results of exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM) indicated that a bifactor solution best represented the structure underlying the IRSS-BP. Both the general and the two specific intrapersonal and interpersonal IRSS-BP factors showed satisfactory levels of composite reliability. The bifactor ESEM solution replicated well across countries. As evidence of relations to other variables, female gender, a longer duration of infertility, and higher depression were associated with higher scores in global and domain-specific infertility-related stress. The findings offer initial evidence of validity and reliability of the IRSS-BP, which could be used by fertility clinic staff to rapidly identify patients who need support to deal with the stressful impact of infertility in the intrapersonal and interpersonal life domains, as recommended by international guidelines for routine psychosocial care in infertility settings.

The Depression Anxiety Stress Scale 8: Its Psychometric Evaluation Among Women with Chronic Non-Cancer Pelvic Pain

Psychiatric comorbidity and abusive experiences in chronic pelvic pain (CPP) conditions may prolong disease course. This study investigated the psychometrics of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale 8 (DASS-8) among women with CPP (N = 214, mean age = 33.3 ± 12.4 years). The DASS-8 expressed excellent fit, invariance across age groups and menopausal status, good discriminant validity (differentiating women with psychiatric comorbidity from those without comorbidity: U = 2018.0, p = 0.001), excellent reliability (alpha = 0.90), adequate predictive and convergent validity indicated by strong correlation with the DASS-21 (r = 0.94) and high values of item-total correlations (r = 0.884 to 0.893). In two-step cluster analysis, it classified women into low and high distress clusters (n = 141 and 73), with significantly higher levels of distress, pain severity and duration, and physical symptoms in cluster 2. The DASS-8 correlated with pain severity/duration, depression/anxiety symptoms, sexual assault, fatigue, headache severity, and physical symptoms at the same level expressed by the parent scale, or even greater. Accordingly, distress may represent a target for early identification of psychiatric comorbidity, CPP severity, sexual assault, fatigue, etc. Therefore, the DASS-8 is a useful brief measure of mental symptoms among women with CPP.

Evidence for a positive relationship between perceived stress and belief in conspiracy theories

Perceived stress has previously been implicated in the belief of conspiracies, with some authors suggesting that stress can precipitate increased belief in conspiracy theories. This preregistered survey study aimed to replicate findings by Swami et al. (2016) showing a positive correlation between belief in conspiracy theories and perceived stress. 372 Australian and New Zealand residents participated. Beliefs in conspiracy theories were measured using 11 items drawn mainly from existing scales (α = .87). Perceived stress was measured using the 10-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS; α = .91). The average level of endorsement of conspiracy theories was relatively low (M = 1.89 on a Likert scale from 1 to 5; SD = 0.72). Supporting our hypothesis, we found a significant and positive correlation between perceived stress and belief in conspiracy theories, r(370) = .20, p = .001, 95% CI [.096, .292]. Future work could investigate the causal mechanism producing this association.

IS MENTAL HEALTH RESPONSIBLE FOR ANGER OUTBURSTS AND ULTIMATELY HYPERTENSION?

Objectives: To explore the relationship of depression, anxiety, and stress (mental health) with anger dimensions and to study that if these mental states predict hypertension disease? Methodology: Cross-sectional research design was used in the current research. Data was collected from 3 public sector hospitals of Lahore from May 15, 2019 to September 30, 2019. Sample of (N = 240) consecutive hypertensive patients with Mage 43.0707 ± 7.99 were recruited. Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (Lovibond & Lovibond, 1995), and State Trait Anger Expression Inventory (Spielberger, 1988) were used for data collection. Descriptive statistics, logistic regression, and independent samples t-test were carried on for data analyses. Results: Significant positive correlation of depression, anxiety, and stress with anger dimensions was explore. Depression appeared as predictors of state anger, trait anger, anger in, anger control, and total anger (p<0.05). Anxiety emerged as predictor of state anger, trait anger, anger in, anger control, and total anger and stress as predictor of state anger, trait anger, anger in, anger control, and total anger. Significant gender differences appeared in depression, anxiety, stress, state anger, trait anger, anger in, anger control, and total anger (p<0.05). Conclusion: Depression, anxiety, and stress have a significant relationship with anger and hypertension disease.

Strategi Koping dan Stres pada Mahasiswa: Studi Pendahuluan Promosi Kesehatan Mental Berbasis Sekolah

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengeksplorasi kondisi kesehatan mental mahasiswa melalui desain penelitian cross-sectional survey. Instrumen dalam penelitian ini menggunakan open-ended questionnaire, perceived stress scale-10 (PSS-10), dan the Brief COPE Questionnaire. Hasil penelitian menemukan bahwa: 1) permasalahan kehidupan kampus, perasaan dan pikiran negatif, serta permasalahan relasi merupakan situasi sulit yang dihadapi oleh mahasiswa; 2) sebanyak 50.45% mahasiswa mengalami stres pada kategori sedang, 45.05% mengalami stres pada kategori tinggi, dan 4.5% mengalami stres pada kategori rendah; 3) strategi koping dapat memprediksi stres secara signifikan [F(14,96)=5.781; p<0.001]; dan 4) strategi koping jenis positive reframing dan active coping dapat memprediksi penurunan stres, sedangkan strategi koping jenis self-blame dan self-distraction dapat memprediksi peningkatan stres

Comparação entre a qualidade de vida, ansiedade e depressão de gestantes que vivem em zona rural e urbana em um município da Amazônia Brasileira

Este estudo teve como objetivo a comparação de gestantes que residem em zona rural e urbana em um município da região amazônica, em relação a qualidade de vida, níveis de transtorno mental comum, estresse e ansiedade. Uma pesquisa descritiva, do tipo exploratória. Uma amostra de 23 gestantes atendidas em um centro de saúde do município da Estância Turística de Ouro Preto do Oeste-RO, onde foram realizadas entrevistas com as gestantes, aplicando 04 instrumentos: Sociodemográfico, Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale - Short Form (DASS-21), World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL-BREF) e Self-Reporting Questionnaires (SRQ). Foi observado que o perfil sociodemográfico das gestantes são semelhantes em todas as variáveis pesquisadas. Em relação ao transtorno mental comum, não foi possível detectar alterações, onde todas apresentaram padrões de normalidade. No mesmo sentido, quando avaliado os níveis de ansiedade, estresse e depressão pelo DASS21, não houve alterações significativas. No entanto, a qualidade de vida das gestantes de zona urbana ficou abaixo, quando comparado com as das gestantes de zona rural, ou seja, as de zona urbana têm pior qualidade de vida nas facetas psicológico e social. Obter informações dos perfis das gestantes, é primordial para realização de ações na promoção da saúde delas e também assegurar uma gestação saudável para a gestante e seu filho.

Nurses’ stress and resilience before and after evaluation for hospital accreditation

ABSTRACT Objectives: to analyze and compare levels of stress and resilience in nurses before and after the assessment for maintenance of the Hospital Accreditation Certification. Methods: quantitative, observational, and longitudinal research, with 53 nurses from a philanthropic hospital, in the Rio Grande do Sul. Data collected in two stages, March, and July 2019, before the assessment visit and 60 days after, using the Bianchi Stress Scale and Resilience Scale. Descriptive and analytical statistics were employed. Results: the majority of participants showed an average stress level before and after the evaluation. The highest stress scores were related to Domains E (coordination of unit activities) and C (activities related to personnel administration). In both moments of the study, the participants had medium and high resilience. Conclusions: managing people, processes, and assistance are stressful activities in the Accreditation process and increase the nurses’ stress levels.

Academic Stress among Rural Adolescents due to COVID -19 : A Comparative Analysis

Adolescence is a period during which individuals’ transit from puberty to adulthood. Children go through many changes throughout this time, including biological, cognitive, and emotional changes. Excessive stress caused by studies, high expectations, and lack of capacity to maintain studies is referred to as academic stress. The study’s major goal was to assess the academic stress among rural adolescents owing to COVID- 19. The study was conducted in Udaipur district of Rajasthan. For the sample selection from four villages having Sr. Sec, schools were randomly selected. From selected schools, 180 students of age group of 16-18 years were selected randomly. The sample consisted equal no. of adolescent boys and adolescent girls. Slightly modified Academic stress scale developed by Rao (2012) was used to assess academic stress in adolescent boys and girls. Collected data was further classified, in tabulated form and analyzed through using suitable statistical measures. Results indicated that adolescents’ boys and girls faced moderate to high academic stress. Furthermore, girls were facing high academic stress as compared to boys.