High Prevalence of Mental Disorder Symptoms Among Medical and Other Health Specialty Residents During the COVID-19 Pandemic (Preprint)

BACKGROUND The coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) epidemic was first identified in Wuhan, China, at the end of 2019, and spread across the world in a fast and disordered manner. Because of the pandemic, health professionals, including residents in medicine and other health specialties, began working under intense physical and psychological pressure daily and were exposed to a greater risk of developing mental disorders and psychological distress. OBJECTIVE This study evaluated the prevalence of symptoms indicative of mental disorders such as depression, anxiety and stress among postgraduate students who were residents in medicine and other health specialties during the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil and identified possible associated predisposing factors. METHODS This was a cross-sectional study that included postgraduate students in medical and other health residency programmes in Brazil. The recruitment period was from July 29 to September 5, 2020. Epidemiological and clinical data, including evaluations of psychological and affective aspects, following a predefined protocol, were collected after the participants filled out an electronic form via the Microsoft Forms platform. RESULTS In total, 1,313 medical and other health residents participated in the study. The Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) identified depression, anxiety and stress in 51.3%, 53.4% and 52.6% of the participants, respectively. Based on the Brief Resilient Coping Scale (BRCS), 61.9% of the participants had low resilience. A total of 60.9% of the residents had high scores on the Patient Health Questionnaire 9‐item depression module (PHQ-9). CONCLUSIONS We found a high prevalence of symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress among medical and non-medical residents during the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil. Mental disorders are complex in nature, and the particular academic environment of residency, altered by the need to care for patients with COVID-19, can be a potential stressor and be associated with the high prevalence of these symptoms among residents. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT RR2-10.2196/24298

Measurement Invariance of the Brief Resilient Coping Scale (BRCS) in Peruvian and Spanish Older Adults

Although the Brief Resilient Coping Scale (BRCS) has been validated in some European and American countries, there are no studies that evaluate its factorial invariance among different nations. In this sense, the objective of the study is to evaluate the factorial invariance of the BRCS in samples of older adults in Peru and Spain, using multigroup Confirmatory Factor Analysis. 236 older adults from Peru participated (Mean age = 72.8, SD = 6.90) and 133 older adults from Spain (Mean age = 71, SD = 7). In the Peruvian sample 78.4% were women and 21.6% men; while in the Spanish sample the majority were women (69.9%). The BRCS was scalar invariant but not strictly invariant between Spain and Peru. Our results found invariance of the structure, factor loadings and intercepts in both countries. These results support the use of BRCS in studies that compare the resilience between samples of older adults in both countries, and encourage applied research for the development of resilience in older adults in Spain and Peru.

Development of Constructive Coping Scale

The present study aimed to develop a measurement scale for constructive coping, which is a significant concept in the coping process. Constructive coping refers to efforts to deal with a stressful event that is considered relatively healthy. Therefore, understanding the relationship between coping processes and adaptation outcomes has become a major concern among stress researchers. The items were designed in the form of statements on a Five-Point Likert scale. The population sample included postgraduate students between 20 and 23 years old. A sample size of 511 was considered, of which 357 were females and 154 males. Item analysis was performed using Mathew Item Analysis table and item selection was performed using the highest correlation values (Phi) and medium P values. The final scale consists of twenty-one items for which Split-Half Reliability, as well as validity using coefficients of Pearson and Spearman’s Rank correlation, were calculated respectively.

HUBUNGAN ANTARA KOPING RELIGIUS DENGAN BURNOUT PADA GURU SMK SWASTA X KOTA SEMARANG

This study aims to determine the relationship between religious coping and burnout in private vocational school teachers at the X district of Semarang city. The subjects in this study were private vocational school teachers in the X district of Semarang city, totaling 57 peoples. The sampling technique used a saturated sampling technique (census sampling) by taking the entire population. The data were collected using a burnout scale consisting of 35 items with a relibiality coefficient of 0.91 and a religious coping scale consisting of 22 items with a reliability coefficient that moves in the range 0.720-0.890. This study uses correlational quantitative methods and uses product moment statistical data analysis. Based on the results of statistical analysis, it was obtained that the value of rxy = -0.444 with a significance level of p = 0.001 (p=0.005). The results showed that there was a negative relationship between religious coping and burnout in private vocational school teachers at the X district of Semarang City. The effective contribution of religious coping which affected burnout was 19.7% based on the Rsquare of 0.197, while 80.3% was influenced by other factors.

Koping Berfokus Emosi dan Harapan terhadap Kesejahteraan Subjektif pada Remaja dengan Orangtua yang Bercerai

Perceraian memiliki dampak bagi anak seusia remaja. Reaksi remaja atas perceraian memengaruhi kesejahteraan diri, cara mengatasi masalah dan pencapaian target masa depan. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menguji secara empirik ada atau tidaknya pengaruh koping berfokus emosi dan harapan terhadap kesejahteraan subjektif remaja dengan orangtua bercerai di Kota Samarinda. Subjek penelitian ini adalah 150 remaja dipilih menggunakan teknik purposive sampling. Alat ukur yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini Satisfication with Life Scale (SWLS) dan Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) untuk mengukur variabel kesejahteraan subjektif, skala koping berfokus emosi, dan skala harapan. Teknik analisa data menggunakan uji regresi model berganda menghasilkan nilai F hitung = 517.902 > F tabel = 3.09, adjust R square = 0.914, dan p = 0.000. Hasil tersebut menunjukkan terdapat pengaruh antara koping berfokus emosi dan harapan terhadap kesejahteraan subjektif pada remaja dengan orangtua bercerai di Kota Samarinda. Divorce has its own impact on adolescent. Adolescent reactions to parental divorce affect their inner well-being, how to deal with problems and affect the archievement of future targets. This study aims to empirically examine whether or not there is an effect of emotional d=focused coping and hope on the subjective well-being of adolescent with divorced parents in Samarinda City. The subjects of this study were 150 adolescents with divorce parents in the city of Samarinda selected using purposive sampling terchnique. The measuring instrument used in this study the Satisfication with Life Scale (SWLS) and the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (HOT) to measure subjective well-being variables, the coping scale focused on emotions, and the Hope scale to measure the expectation variable.Data analysis technique using multiple model regression test resulted in calculated F value = 517.902 > F table = 3.09, adjust R square = 0.914, and p = 0.000. These result indicate that there is a significant influence between emotional focused coping and hope on the subjective well-being of adolescents with divorced parents in Samarinda City.

Links between Faith and Some Strengths of Character: Religious Commitment Manifestations as a Moderators

Religious commitment is a significant factor for the development of strengths of character. Previous studies have confirmed that for religious people, it is not religious affiliation but religious orientation that has influenced positive outcomes. The purpose of the research was to verify whether religious commitment moderates the relationship between faith and strengths of character in a sample of religious students from Poland. A cross-sectional investigation of 393 Polish students was performed with using following measures: the Santa Clara Strength of Religious Faith Questionnaire (SCSORFQ), the Transgression-Related Interpersonal Motivations (TRIM) scale, the Gratitude Questionnaire (GQ-6), the Purpose in Life Test (PIL) test, the Herth Hope Index (HHI), the Brief Religious Coping Scale (Brief RCOPE), and two one-item tools measuring religious practices such as frequency of prayer and attendance at Mass. The obtained results confirmed the moderating role of prayer, mass attendance, and positive religious coping on faith and meaning in life as well as hope. Additionally, positive religious coping moderated the relationships between faith and gratitude as well as between faith and motivation to avoid transgressors. The research has proven that faith without religious commitment is not a strong enough factor to improve strengths of character, and being a believer but not practicing religion is not sufficient to lead a person to finding meaning in life, having enhanced hope, or being able to forgive.

Development and Validation of the Robust - Pandemic Coping Scale (R-PCS)

The psychological consequences of epidemics/pandemics, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, include an increase in psychopathological symptoms, such as depression, anxiety, and stress, and negative emotions, such as fear. However, relatively little attention has been paid to how people cope with the pandemic. Coping is a multi-component process, helping to diminish the traumatic impact of stressful events in a variety of ways. We studied how university students coped with the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, by developing the Robust - Pandemic Coping Scale (R-PCS), a new scale for measuring coping strategies related to epidemics/pandemics. The scale is based on a classification of coping strategies referred to the needs of competence, relatedness, and autonomy. To create a robust scale, such that the item values would be independent of the sample used for developing it, we employed Rasch modeling. We used a sample of 2,987 Italian university students who participated in an online survey including the R-PCS and the Power to Live with Disasters Questionnaire (PLDQ), during March 2020. First, we applied a dual approach combining exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, which supported the goodness of a 4-factor model (i.e., Despair, Adjustment, Proactivity, and Aversion) for the R-PCS, invariant across gender and age of respondents (younger or as old as 23 years, older than 23 years). We then transformed the raw scores of the R-PCS into interval logit scale scores applying the Rasch model. Second, our findings supported the discriminant validity and the criterion validity of the R-PCS, examining the correlations with the PLDQ. They also confirmed its predictive validity: the R-PCS scores were related to 2-month-later enjoyment and anger, indicating that Adjustment and Proactivity were adaptive while Despair and Aversion were maladaptive. Third, our study revealed gender and age differences: the scores were higher for Despair, Adjustment, and Proactivity for females; for Aversion for males; and for Proactivity for students older than 23 years. The study suffers from limitations related to social desirability, gender imbalance, and self-selection effects in the recruitment.

Psychological preparedness for pandemic (COVID-19) management: Perceptions of nurses and nursing students in India

Introduction The growing COVID-19 pandemic has posed a great threat to millions of people worldwide. Nurses and nursing students are an important group of health professionals who are most likely to face many challenges in this unprecedented scenario. The present study aimed at exploring nurses’ and nursing students’ perception of psychological preparedness for the pandemic (COVID-19) management. Materials & methods The study employed a quantitative cross-sectional online survey research design. Purposive sampling was used with an attempt to represent the entire nurses (i.e. nursing officers, nurse administrators and nursing teachers) and nursing students’ group of India. The survey link including the questionnaires was shared to their email ID and they were invited to participate in the study. Data were collected using Psychological Preparedness for Disaster Threat Scale (PPDTS)–Modified, General Self Efficacy (GSE) Scale, Optimism Scale and Brief Resilient Coping Scale (BRS). Totally 685 responses were received and 676 forms were completed which were analyzed using SPSS software (version 24). Results The mean age of the subjects was 31.72±9.58 years. Around 20% of the subjects previously had some kind of psychological training and 4% of the subjects had taken care of persons with COVID-19. Findings revealed that mean score for PPDTS, GSE, BRCS and Optimism was 73.44±10.82, 33.19±5.23, 16.79±2.73 and 9.61±2.26 respectively indicating that the subjects had moderate level of psychological preparedness, self-efficacy and resilience but higher level of optimism. Psychological preparedness, self-efficacy, optimism and resilience were positively correlated to each other. Self- efficacy, optimism, and resilience emerged as predictors of psychological preparedness. Conclusion The findings suggested that self-efficacy, optimism and resilience can be considered as predictors for psychological preparedness in pandemic management. Appropriate training could influence self-efficacy while programs addressing resilience and coping may strengthen psychological preparedness which can help in further management of ongoing pandemic.

Psychometric Properties and Factor Structure of the Brief Religious Coping Scale (Brief-RCOPE) in Puerto Rican Adults

This research examines the psychometric properties and factor structure of the Brief Religious Coping Scale (Brief-RCOPE) in a sample of 302 Puerto Rican adults. We examined its internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha), McDonald’s omega coefficient, construct validity, and factor structure. The Brief-RCOPE obtained an alpha coefficient of .94 in the Positive Religious Coping (PRC) subscale and .84 in the Negative Religious Coping (NRC) subscale. The omega coefficient was .94 (PRC) and .85 (NRC), respectively. We conducted a confirmatory factor analysis, using the Satorra-Bentler correction, to examine the factor structure of the Brief-RCOPE. The two-factor model showed a better adjustment to the data than the one-factor model. Indicators of construct validity were also adequate. Our findings suggest that the Brief-RCOPE is a reliable and valid instrument to measure religious coping strategies that may significantly affect people’s daily lives.

COVID-19: Factors Associated with Psychol­­­ogical Distress, Fear, and Coping Strategies among Community Members Across 17 Countries

Background: The current pandemic of COVID-19 impacted the psychological wellbeing of populations globally. Objectives: We aimed to examine the extent and identify associated factors of psychological distress, fear of COVID-19, and coping.Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study across 17 countries during Jun-2020 to Jan-2021. Levels of psychological distress (Kessler Psychological Distress Scale), fear of COVID-19 (Fear of COVID-19 Scale), and coping (Brief Resilient Coping Scale) were assessed. Results: A total of 8,559 people participated; mean age (±SD) was 33(±13) years, 64% were females and 40% self-identified as frontline workers. More than two-thirds (69%) experienced moderate-to-very high levels of psychological distress, which was 46% in Thailand and 91% in Egypt. A quarter (24%) had high levels of fear of COVID-19, which was as low as 9% in Libya and as high as 38% in Bangladesh. More than half (57%) exhibited medium to high resilient coping; the lowest prevalence (3%) was reported in Australia and the highest (72%) in Syria. Being female (AOR 1.31 [95% CIs 1.09-1.57]), perceived distress due to change of employment status (1.56 [1.29-1.90]), comorbidity with mental health conditions (3.02 [1.20-7.60]) were associated with higher levels of psychological distress and fear. Doctors had higher psychological distress (1.43 [1.04-1.97]), but low levels of fear of COVID-19 (0.55 [0.41-0.76]); nurses had medium to high resilient coping (1.30 [1.03-1.65]). Conclusions: The extent of psychological distress, fear of COVID and coping varied by country; however, some groups were more vulnerable than others. There is an urgent need to prioritise health and well-being of these people through well-designed intervention that may need to be tailored to meet country specific requirements.