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Media coverage of large-scale violence can result in interfering thoughts and depression. This research investigates the relationship between interfering thoughts and depression when watching the Russo-Ukrainian war. In the theoretical model, the more the war is watched, the more it is related to interfering thoughts, which are related to depression. With the ongoing pandemic, depression, when watching the war, was related to coronavirus threat. Data was collected online from April to June, 2022, with university students in Germany, Finland, and Canada (N = 865). Path analysis results in each sample showed that the model fit the data with sample-specific modification indices. There was full mediation of watching the war by interference on depression, indicating that it is not watching the war, per se, but rather its relationship to cognitive interference, that is associated with depression. Denial and coronavirus threat were positively related to depression. Implications for research and student support are considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On 24 February 2022, Russia attacked Ukraine. Millions of people tuned into social media to watch the war. Media exposure to disasters and large‐scale violence can precipitate anxiety resulting in intrusive thoughts. This research investigates factors related to anxiety while watching the war. Since the war began during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, threat from COVID‐19 is seen as a predictor of anxiety when watching the war. A theoretical model is put forward where the outcome was anxiety when watching the war, and predictors were self‐reported interference of watching the war with one's studies or work, gender, worry about the war, self‐efficacy and coronavirus threat. Data were collected online with independent samples of university students from two European countries close to Ukraine, Germany (n = 348) and Finland (n = 228), who filled out an anonymous questionnaire. Path analysis was used to analyse the data. Findings showed that the model was an acceptable fit to the data in each sample, and standardised regression coefficients indicated that anxiety, when watching the war, increased with interference, war worry and coronavirus threat, and decreased with self‐efficacy. Women reported more anxiety when watching the war than men. Implications of the results are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To explore association between perceived stress and psychological distress (depressive symptoms and anxiety), and the stress-buffering effects of social support (parents, partners, friends, peers, teachers, social media), sense of community belonging and meaningfulness of studying., Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2018 using a convenience sample of 800 healthcare students from the University of Helsinki, Finland. Participants completed an online survey. Logistic regression analyses were performed using the PROCESS Macro to explore the relationship between perceived stress and psychological distress, and the moderator effects., Results: Perceived stress was associated with depressive symptoms and anxiety. Perceived stress had significant interactions with parent (B =-.03, t (783) = -2.4, p < .001), partner (B = -.05, t (783) = -4.3, p < .001) and peer support (B=-.04, t (783) = -3.0, p < .001), sense of community belonging (B=-.06, t (783) = -2.7, p < .01) and meaningfulness of studying (B=-.12, t (783) = -4.5, p < .001) in predicting depressive symptoms, and with parent (B = -.05, t (783) = -3.8, p < .001), partner (B = -.03, t (783) = -2.2, p < .05) and peer support (B=-.05, t (783) =-3.5, p < .001), sense of community belonging (B=-.05, t (783) =-2.5, p < .01) and meaningfulness of studying (B = -.08, t (783) = -3.0, p < .01) in predicting anxiety. Perceived stress had weaker effects on depressive symptoms and anxiety at higher levels of support, sense of community belonging and meaningfulness of studying., Conclusions: Support from parents, romantic partners and peers, sense of community belonging and meaningfulness of studying may buffer the negative psychological outcomes of perceived stress. Promoting social support, sense of community and the meaningfulness of studying can help prevent psychological distress in healthcare students. Longitudinal research and further investigation on factors related to sense of community belonging and meaningfulness of studying are warranted.