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Objective: In severe cases of systemic sclerosis (SSc), autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (aHSCT) is superior compared to cyclophosphamide. But treatment related morbidity and mortality have to be considered. To date, data on major physical and psychological impacts of aHSCT are scarce. Therefore, subjectively experienced physical and psychological impact of aHSCT and exploration of internal and external factors helping to cope with aHSCT was assessed. Methods: Retrospective assessment of physical and psychological variables in an SSc cohort after aHSCT to describe: Health-related quality of life (HRQL), SSc-associated impairment, coping strategies, body image, and resilience. Additionally, semi-structured interviews were conducted and analyzed via mixed methods qualitative content analysis. Results: Thirty-two patients were included. HRQL correlated with impairment due to SSc and with depressive coping. An unfavorable body image correlated with reduced HRQL and increased impairment but improves after aHSCT. Patients with good resilience had a better HRQL, less depressive coping, and less SSc-associated impairment. The semi-structured interviews revealed that resilience is important for a successful disease management as patients with higher resilience were more satisfied with aHSCT, patients with lower resilience would have wished for more psychological support. Thirty-one patients would recommend aHSCT to other patients. Conclusion: A transient negative impact of aHSCT on mental well-being is present but can be relieved by a team specialized to aHSCT. Psychological support seems to be an unmet need, particularly in patients with low resilience. Patients with higher resilience described a lower negative impact caused by aHSCT and higher satisfaction after therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Material texture significantly influences how people perceive built environments, yet empirical evidence supporting its impact on spaciousness perception is limited. This study aimed to explore how people perceive building materials through sense in the absence of visual attention and how texture meanings affect indoor spaciousness perception. Conducted with 160 participants (90 males, 70 females, mean age ±SD: 22 ± 5 years), the study comprised three phases: baseline tactile assessment, blindfolded navigation in a lab and exposure to realworld environments. Findings revealed the skin's ability to discern textural quality without visual cues, with slightly rough wall surfaces consistently perceived as more spacious. Moreover, the association between wall texture and perceived space varied, with subjective aspects influencing spaciousness in relatively spacious rooms, while objective factors played a larger role in less spacious settings. This study provides insights into sensory referral processes, warranting further investigation into the potential psychological impacts of textures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ObjectiveIn severe cases of systemic sclerosis (SSc), autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (aHSCT) is superior compared to cyclophosphamide. But treatment related morbidity and mortality have to be considered. To date, data on major physical and psychological impacts of aHSCT are scarce. Therefore, subjectively experienced physical and psychological impact of aHSCT and exploration of internal and external factors helping to cope with aHSCT was assessed.MethodsRetrospective assessment of physical and psychological variables in an SSc cohort after aHSCT to describe: Health-related quality of life (HRQL), SSc-associated impairment, coping strategies, body image, and resilience. Additionally, semi-structured interviews were conducted and analyzed via mixed methods qualitative content analysis.ResultsThirty-two patients were included. HRQL correlated with impairment due to SSc and with depressive coping. An unfavorable body image correlated with reduced HRQL and increased impairment but improves after aHSCT. Patients with good resilience had a better HRQL, less depressive coping, and less SSc-associated impairment. The semi-structured interviews revealed that resilience is important for a successful disease management as patients with higher resilience were more satisfied with aHSCT, patients with lower resilience would have wished for more psychological support. Thirty-one patients would recommend aHSCT to other patients.ConclusionA transient negative impact of aHSCT on mental well-being is present but can be relieved by a team specialized to aHSCT. Psychological support seems to be an unmet need, particularly in patients with low resilience. Patients with higher resilience described a lower negative impact caused by aHSCT and higher satisfaction after therapy.

Material texture significantly influences how people perceive built environments, yet empirical evidence supporting its impact on spaciousness perception is limited. This study aimed to explore how people perceive building materials through sense in the absence of visual attention and how texture meanings affect indoor spaciousness perception. Conducted with 160 participants (90 males, 70 females, mean age ±SD: 22 ± 5 years), the study comprised three phases: baseline tactile assessment, blindfolded navigation in a lab and exposure to real-world environments. Findings revealed the skin’s ability to discern textural quality without visual cues, with slightly rough wall surfaces consistently perceived as more spacious. Moreover, the association between wall texture and perceived space varied, with subjective aspects influencing spaciousness in relatively spacious rooms, while objective factors played a larger role in less spacious settings. This study provides insights into sensory referral processes, warranting further investigation into the potential psychological impacts of textures.

Background: In a short time, the COVID-19 pandemic has exerted a huge impact on many aspects of people's lives with a number of consequences, an increase in the risks of psychological diseases being one of them. The aim of this experimental study, based on an eighteen-month follow-up survey, is to assess the psychological effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, in particular, changes in stress, anxiety and depression levels, and the risks of developing Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Methods: A follow-up survey was performed on a sample of 184 Italian individuals to collect relevant information about the psychological impact of COVID-19. Predictors of the components of the psychological impact were calculated based on the ANCOVA model. Results: The analysis of the online questionnaires led to the conclusion that a high percentage of the participants suffer from levels of stress, anxiety and depression higher than normal as well as an increased risk of PTSD. The severity of such disorders significantly depends on gender, the loss of family members or acquaintances due to the pandemic, the amount of time spent searching for COVID-19 related information, the type of information sources and, in part, on the level of education and income. The time factor had a more severe effect on the low-income population. Conclusion: COVID-19 has entailed a very strong psychological impact on the Italian population also depending on the coping strategies adopted, the level of mindful awareness, socio-demographic variables, people's habits and the way individuals use the available means of communication and information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BackgroundIn a short time, the COVID-19 pandemic has exerted a huge impact on many aspects of people’s lives with a number of consequences, an increase in the risks of psychological diseases being one of them. The aim of this experimental study, based on an eighteen-month follow-up survey, is to assess the psychological effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, in particular, changes in stress, anxiety and depression levels, and the risks of developing Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).MethodsA follow-up survey was performed on a sample of 184 Italian individuals to collect relevant information about the psychological impact of COVID-19. Predictors of the components of the psychological impact were calculated based on the ANCOVA model.ResultsThe analysis of the online questionnaires led to the conclusion that a high percentage of the participants suffer from levels of stress, anxiety and depression higher than normal as well as an increased risk of PTSD. The severity of such disorders significantly depends on gender, the loss of family members or acquaintances due to the pandemic, the amount of time spent searching for COVID-19 related information, the type of information sources and, in part, on the level of education and income. The time factor had a more severe effect on the low-income population.ConclusionCOVID-19 has entailed a very strong psychological impact on the Italian population also depending on the coping strategies adopted, the level of mindful awareness, socio-demographic variables, people’s habits and the way individuals use the available means of communication and information.

ObjectivesThe main objective was to explore the psychological impact of the French lockdown during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic on nursing home residents, their relatives, and healthcare teams, as observed by mental health professionals.DesignA national online cross-sectional survey was conducted from May 11 to June 9, 2020.Setting and participantsRespondents were psychologists, psychomotor therapists, and occupational therapists (mental health professionals).ResultsA total of 1,062 participants responded to the survey, encompassing 59.8% psychologists, 29.2% occupational therapists, and 11% psychomotor therapists. All mental health professionals felt fear (76.1%), fatigue and exhaustion (84.5%), and inability to manage the emotional burden (78.4%). In nursing homes with COVID-19 cases, residents felt significantly sadder (83.2%), more anxious (65.0%), experienced more anorexia (53.6%), resurgence of traumatic war memories (40.2%), and were more often disoriented (75.7%). The suffering of relatives did not vary between nursing homes with and without COVID-19 cases. The nursing staff was heavily impacted emotionally and was in need of psychological support particularly when working in nursing homes in a low COVID-19 spread zone with COVID-19 cases (41.8 vs. 34.6%).Conclusion and implicationsPrimary prevention must be implemented to limit the psychological consequences in the event of a new crisis and to prevent the risk of psychological decompensation of residents and teams in nursing homes.

This review provides an overview of the current data regarding sex- and gender-specific aspects in patients with inflammatory bowel diseases. A particular focus will be on disease course, medical and surgical treatment strategies, psychosocial differences, and special requirements during pregnancy and family planning. The most significant and clinically meaningful gender differences in IBD relate to psychosocial functioning. Although depression, fatigue, anxiety disorders, eating disorders, and sexual dysfunction also occur in male IBD patients, women seem to be affected much more frequently and severely in these areas.

Introduction: Digital forensics analysts are a specialist group of police officers who are involved in investigating cases of online child sexual exploitation and abuse (CSEA), and identifying and classifying child sexual abuse material (CSAM) according to levels of severity, respectively. The existing literature that has examined this phenomenon suggests that this group of police officers are at greater risk of psychological harm as a result of being exposed to CSAM, and that working with this type of material has the potential to significantly affect their mental health and wellbeing. Methods: The study presented here used Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) to explore digital forensics analysts’ personal experiences of working in this role, and with CSAM, on a daily basis, as well as how they feel this has impacted on them, and how they manage this. Seven digital forensics analysts from a specialist unit in the UK took part in semi-structured, in-person interviews. Results: Three themes were identified, namely: (i) Once you know you cannot unknow, (ii) Constant struggle to decompress, and (iii) The ups and downs of working as a digital forensics analyst. Participants talked about the difficulty of escaping the reality of the sheer prevalence of CSEA, and that working as a digital forensics analyst ultimately takes a toll on one’s mental health and wellbeing. Discussion: As a result of undertaking this work on a daily basis, participants reported experiencing symptoms comparable to compassion fatigue, secondary traumatic stress, and burnout, and reflected about the long-term or irreversible psychological effect that working in this role may have. Findings are discussed in relation to theoretical and practical implications, as well as directions for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BackgroundThe Corona virus disease 19 (COVID-19) pandemic is a human tragedy that occurred in this era. It poses an unprecedented psychological, social, economic, and health crisis. The mental health and well-being of entire societies are suffering as a result of this crisis, but the suffering is greater in students at all levels of education and must be addressed immediately. Thus, this study was aimed to estimate the pooled prevalence and associated factors of the psychological impact of COVID-19 among higher education students.MethodsThe potential studies were searched via PubMed, HINARI, the Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar. Studies were appraised using the Joanna Briggs Institute appraisal checklist. Micro Soft Excel was used to extract the data, which was then exported to Stata version 14 for analysis. Heterogeneity between studies was tested using Cochrane statistics and the I2 test, and small-study effects were checked using Egger’s statistical test. A random-effects model was employed to estimate the pooled prevalence of the psychological impact of COVID-19 and its associated factor.ResultsAfter reviewing 227 studies, eight fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were included in the meta-analysis. The pooled prevalence of the psychological impact of Corona virus disease 19 among higher education students in Ethiopia, including depression, anxiety, and stress was 43.49% (95% CI: 29.59, 57.40%), 46.27% (95% CI: 32.77, 59.78%), and 31.43% (95% CI: 22.71, 40.15), respectively. Having a medical illness, being an urban resident, living with parents, having relative death due to pandemics, and having a non-health field of study were identified as significant associated factors for the impact of the pandemic in higher education students.ConclusionThe COVID-19 pandemic had a significant psychological impact on college and university students. Depression, anxiety, and stress were the most commonly reported psychological impacts across studies among higher education students. Hence, applying tele-psychotherapy using, smartphones, and social media platforms has an effect on reducing the impact. Programs for preventing and controlling epidemics should be developed by the government and higher education institutions that incorporate mental health interventions and build resilience.

IntroductionDigital forensics analysts are a specialist group of police officers who are involved in investigating cases of online child sexual exploitation and abuse (CSEA), and identifying and classifying child sexual abuse material (CSAM) according to levels of severity, respectively. The existing literature that has examined this phenomenon suggests that this group of police officers are at greater risk of psychological harm as a result of being exposed to CSAM, and that working with this type of material has the potential to significantly affect their mental health and wellbeing.MethodsThe study presented here used Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) to explore digital forensics analysts’ personal experiences of working in this role, and with CSAM, on a daily basis, as well as how they feel this has impacted on them, and how they manage this. Seven digital forensics analysts from a specialist unit in the UK took part in semi-structured, in-person interviews.ResultsThree themes were identified, namely: (i) Once you know you cannot unknow, (ii) Constant struggle to decompress, and (iii) The ups and downs of working as a digital forensics analyst. Participants talked about the difficulty of escaping the reality of the sheer prevalence of CSEA, and that working as a digital forensics analyst ultimately takes a toll on one’s mental health and wellbeing.DiscussionAs a result of undertaking this work on a daily basis, participants reported experiencing symptoms comparable to compassion fatigue, secondary traumatic stress, and burnout, and reflected about the long-term or irreversible psychological effect that working in this role may have. Findings are discussed in relation to theoretical and practical implications, as well as directions for future research.

BackgroundThe mental health and wellbeing of people watching the Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic unfold has been discussed widely, with many experiencing feelings of anxiety and depression. The state of mental health of medical staff on the frontlines providing care should be examined; medical staff are overworked to meet the demands of providing care to the rise in cases and deterioration in capacity to meet demands, and this has put them under great psychological pressure. This may lead to an increase in medical errors, affect quality of care, and reduce staff retention rates. Understanding the impact the pandemic has had on healthcare professionals is needed to provide recommendations to prepare for future crises.ObjectivesTo be able to meet the needs of the medical workforce on the frontlines and inform psychological support interventions and strategies for future pandemics, we aim to identify and explore the psychological impact of COVID-19 in Kuwait on healthcare professionals in close contact with patients.MethodsUsing semi-structured interviews, we conducted interviews between February and July 2021 with 20 healthcare professionals across Ministry of Health hospitals who were part of COVID teams. Interviews were transcribed verbatim, and analysis was conducted using principles of thematic framework analysis.ResultsThree themes emerged to help prepare future healthcare frontline workers on an individual, organizational, and national level: enhance self-resilience, a better-equipped workforce and healthcare environment, and mitigate stigma and increase public awareness.ConclusionThe results have assisted in highlighting areas of improvement to support the healthcare workforce in the current environment, as well as better prepare them for future pandemics. The findings have also provided insight to recommend targeted interventions. These should improve the psychological wellbeing and help in supporting healthcare professionals to reduce burnout, continue effective care of patients, and enhance resilience.

Background: Since the outbreak, in 2019, of COVID-19, the world has experienced marked changes in daily habits, partly reflecting the exceptional social restrictions and health measures adopted to contain the disease. All these measures significantly affected not only peoples’s daily lives and psychological well-being but also the possibility for the healthcare system to function properly. In this setting, brain tumour patients were at risk due to their higher physical and mental fragility and their need for regular care. The aim of the present study was to assess, using a self-reported online questionnaire, the patients’s perceptions regarding their disease experience. Materials and methods: We developed an online anonymous self-report survey to assess patients’s disease experience during the pandemic. We investigated the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on patients’s cancer care schedules, their psychological distress and emotions felt during the pandemic, their levels of worry about COVID-19, and their oncological conditions. Results: 107 patients answered our survey, most of them suffering from a glioma. Less than one-third of the sample had their appointments cancelled, delayed or converted into online visits due to the pandemic. Of the patients who answered the survey, 95% declared they were satisfied with their Institute’s oncological management. The feelings reported most often were peacefulness or anxiety/worry; the majority of the sample reported high levels of loneliness, which tended to increase with age, whilst the psychological distress was correlated with age and with having a recurrence of the disease. Half of the sample declared severe worry about their oncological condition, in particular subjects with a recurrence or who were receiving adjuvant therapies. Patients with recurrence tended to worry more about the possibility of contracting COVID-19, and its effects. Conclusion: Our findings illustrate how fragile and in need of care patients with a brain tumour may be, especially those with more severe clinical conditions. These data may help boost healthcare professionals’s knowledge about brain tumour patients’s needs and fears, so as to be able to offer them a better hospital experience and improve their clinical management, while possibly also reducing the psychological burden on patients and their families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is a tragic and difficult experience for families. It involves not only the death of the baby but also the loss of a future as a parent, sibling or grandparent. The subsequent grief is multifaceted and each family member has different needs and resources. Through a systematic review of literature, we identified 24 studies between 1982 and 2021: they dealt with individual, family and couple experience when a SIDS occurs; in addition, some studies compared perinatal loss and neonatal loss with SIDS loss. Our results point out the need for an intervention that focuses on the needs of each family member and tailored around the specifics of SIDS loss rather than general grief.

BackgroundSince the outbreak, in 2019, of COVID-19, the world has experienced marked changes in daily habits, partly reflecting the exceptional social restrictions and health measures adopted to contain the disease. All these measures significantly affected not only peoples’s daily lives and psychological well-being but also the possibility for the healthcare system to function properly. In this setting, brain tumour patients were at risk due to their higher physical and mental fragility and their need for regular care. The aim of the present study was to assess, using a self-reported online questionnaire, the patients’s perceptions regarding their disease experience.Materials and methodsWe developed an online anonymous self-report survey to assess patients’s disease experience during the pandemic. We investigated the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on patients’s cancer care schedules, their psychological distress and emotions felt during the pandemic, their levels of worry about COVID-19, and their oncological conditions.Results107 patients answered our survey, most of them suffering from a glioma. Less than one-third of the sample had their appointments cancelled, delayed or converted into online visits due to the pandemic. Of the patients who answered the survey, 95% declared they were satisfied with their Institute’s oncological management. The feelings reported most often were peacefulness or anxiety/worry; the majority of the sample reported high levels of loneliness, which tended to increase with age, whilst the psychological distress was correlated with age and with having a recurrence of the disease. Half of the sample declared severe worry about their oncological condition, in particular subjects with a recurrence or who were receiving adjuvant therapies. Patients with recurrence tended to worry more about the possibility of contracting COVID-19, and its effects.ConclusionOur findings illustrate how fragile and in need of care patients with a brain tumour may be, especially those with more severe clinical conditions. These data may help boost healthcare professionals’s knowledge about brain tumour patients’s needs and fears, so as to be able to offer them a better hospital experience and improve their clinical management, while possibly also reducing the psychological burden on patients and their families.

Objective: The psychological impact of screening is unclear and has been ignored. This study aimed to evaluate the psychological impact of esophageal cancer (EC) screening on anxiety and depression in China. Materials and methods: A multicenter, population-based study in five highrisk regions of EC was conducted from 2019 to 2020. Residents were recruited and underwent endoscopic screening and then were diagnosed with normal, esophagitis, low-grade intraepithelial neoplasia (LGIN), high-grade intraepithelial neoplasia (HGIN) and EC. Subjects who did not participate in the screening were referred to as the control group. We surveyed their anxiety and depression levels at baseline and after endoscopy and informed them of different pathological results to evaluate the psychological impact of the screening process. Results: A total of 2,337 subjects completed all surveys in the screening process (normal: 355, esophagitis: 1,713, LGIN: 213, HGIN: 43 and EC: 13), with 63 controls. The levels of anxiety and depression of screeners were significantly higher than those of controls (P < 0.001). The fluctuation of anxiety and depression showed a "V" pattern in the screening process. The prevalence of anxiety symptoms at baseline, after endoscopy and after knowing the pathological results was 5.6, 0.3, and 3.2%, respectively (P < 0.001), and the corresponding prevalence of depression was 3.6, 0.2, and 2.1%, respectively (P < 0.001). With the aggravation of pathological results, the levels of anxiety and depression increased significantly (P < 0.001), especially in patients informed of HGIN (16.3 and 9.3%) and EC (23.1 and 30.8%). Conclusion: Participation in endoscopic screening may bring short-term adverse psychological effects, especially at baseline and knowing the pathological results. More attention should be given to participants waiting for endoscopic screening. The method of informing the screening results of HGIN and EC should be improved. Further precise screening is needed to concentrate on high-risk groups to reduce the psychological impact of screening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Individuals with psychiatric disorders may be both vulnerable and sensitive to rapid societal changes that have occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic. To fully understand these impacts, repeated measurements of these individuals are warranted. The current longitudinal study set out to perform monthly assessment of individuals with common psychiatric disorders using established questionnaires with a possibility for them to selfrate their symptoms, over time. Methods: Recruitment of individuals who identified themselves as struggling with mental health problems, living in Sweden between July 2020 and June 2021 using an online survey. The individuals answered questions on demographics, psychiatric history, current psychiatric symptoms (e.g., Patient Health Questionnaire, PHQ-9; General Anxiety Disorder, GAD-7), somatic health, health-care contacts and any changes therein during the pandemic. Monthly, longitudinal assessments are still ongoing (consenting participants provide data for 1 year), and here we present descriptive statistics from the baseline measurement. All measurements from baseline (>400 items), and follow-ups are presented in detail. Results: A total of 6.095 participants (average age 35 years) submitted complete baseline data. Marital status (43% single) and number of years of education (48% highest degree being high school) were evenly distributed in this population. The most common lifetime psychiatric disorder in the sample was depressive disorder (80.5%) and generalized anxiety disorder (45.9%), with a substantial proportion having severe symptoms of depression. (30.5%) and anxiety (37.1%). Lifetime suicidal ideation (75.0%) and non-suicidal self-harm (57.7%) were prevalent in the group and 14.5% reported drug use during the pandemic. Allergies (36.8%) were the most common somatic condition, followed by irritable bowel syndrome (18.7%). For those having experienced a traumatic event, 39% showed symptoms during the pandemic indicating PTSD. Regarding contact with mental health services during the pandemic, 22% had established a new contact, and 20% reported to have increased their psychiatric medication compared to before the pandemic. Conclusion: Baseline data collected during the pandemic from individuals in Sweden with pre-existing psychiatric disorders demonstrate that this sample represents a population suitable for an investigation on the long-term impact of the pandemic, as intended by the longitudinal investigation that is ongoing. Follow-up questionnaires over a 12-month period are being collected and will indicate how the health and well-being of this population was impacted during the changes and uncertainties that have been characteristic of the past 2 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coronavirus disease pandemic has caused untold distress owing to both its physical and psychological sequelae, and such distress is further exacerbated by multiple socioeconomic ramifications. The Stress and Anxiety to Viral Epidemics-6 Items (SAVE-6). Scale was developed to specifically assess the anxiety response of the general population to viral epidemics. This study aimed to establish the psychometric properties of the Malay version of the SAVE-6 Scale in the general population. Herein, a total of 257 individuals participated. World Health Organization instrument validation protocols were used to translate and back-translate the Malay SAVE-6 Scale. Subsequently, the classical test theory and Rasch analysis were used to ascertain the validity and reliability of the scale. Cronbach a was used to measure the internal consistency, which was found to be satisfactory (a = 0.866). The correlations between the SAVE-6 Scale and other scales, including the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 Items Scale (r = 0.421, p < 0.001) and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 Items (r = 0.354, p < 0.001) were significant. Taken together, the Malay version of the SAVE-6 Scale is valid and reliable for use in the general population and is psychometrically suitable for assessing stress and anxiety specific to viral epidemics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, the world experienced dramatic changes due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Working remotely led to employees feeling isolated and experiencing fatigue and depression. The responsibility of addressing the psychological wellbeing of employees lies with industrial psychology practitioners. They support line management by counseling employees experiencing social and psychological problems. The objective of the present study was to explore the role of the industrial psychology practitioner in managing the psychological impact of COVID-19 on employees. Using a homogeneous sampling technique, a qualitative research design was employed based on social constructivism. Semi-structured interviews and a qualitative survey were utilized to gather the data from industrial psychology practitioners (n = 22) registered as psychologists and interns. Thematic analysis was employed to analyze the data. Most participants believed that the onset of COVID-19 led to accelerated change in the workplace. The findings suggest that an industrial psychology practitioner’s role in the changing world of work enables organizations to be prepared for the changes by providing multi-level interventions. Recommendations are made to organizations to implement interventions to facilitate support for employees in their attempt to deal with the psychological impact of COVID-19 on employees.

Objective: Studies from the past decades have shown that mood disorders are common during childhood and adolescence. This study aimed to estimate the point prevalence of depression in Omani children and adolescents during social distancing and lockdown and identify the risk factors for developing depressive symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic.Methods: This is an analytical cross-sectional study conducted in May 2020, in which all young Omani people attending a mainstream school aged 8–18 years old were eligible to participate. Parents were asked to complete the online survey, which consisted of the parent version of the Mood and Feelings Questionnaire (MFQ-Parent). In addition, the option of a self-reported version (MFQ-Self) was provided in cases where children preferred to fill out the survey themselves. Logistic regression was used to identify the contributing socio-demographic variables associated with depressive symptoms.Results: A total of 445 participants completed the MFQ, out of which 72.1% were parents, and 27.9% were children, adolescents and young people. 13.9% of children and adolescents exhibited depressive symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic in Oman. The presence of depressive symptoms was associated with increased food intake (OR 1.81, 95% CI 1.00–3.29, p-value

ObjectiveIndividuals with psychiatric disorders may be both vulnerable and sensitive to rapid societal changes that have occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic. To fully understand these impacts, repeated measurements of these individuals are warranted. The current longitudinal study set out to perform monthly assessment of individuals with common psychiatric disorders using established questionnaires with a possibility for them to self- rate their symptoms, over time.MethodsRecruitment of individuals who identified themselves as struggling with mental health problems, living in Sweden between July 2020 and June 2021 using an online survey. The individuals answered questions on demographics, psychiatric history, current psychiatric symptoms (e.g., Patient Health Questionnaire, PHQ-9; General Anxiety Disorder, GAD-7), somatic health, health-care contacts and any changes therein during the pandemic. Monthly, longitudinal assessments are still ongoing (consenting participants provide data for 1 year), and here we present descriptive statistics from the baseline measurement. All measurements from baseline (>400 items), and follow-ups are presented in detail.ResultsA total of 6.095 participants (average age 35 years) submitted complete baseline data. Marital status (43% single) and number of years of education (48% highest degree being high school) were evenly distributed in this population. The most common lifetime psychiatric disorder in the sample was depressive disorder (80.5%) and generalized anxiety disorder (45.9%), with a substantial proportion having severe symptoms of depression. (30.5%) and anxiety (37.1%). Lifetime suicidal ideation (75.0%) and non-suicidal self-harm (57.7%) were prevalent in the group and 14.5% reported drug use during the pandemic. Allergies (36.8%) were the most common somatic condition, followed by irritable bowel syndrome (18.7%). For those having experienced a traumatic event, 39% showed symptoms during the pandemic indicating PTSD. Regarding contact with mental health services during the pandemic, 22% had established a new contact, and 20% reported to have increased their psychiatric medication compared to before the pandemic.ConclusionBaseline data collected during the pandemic from individuals in Sweden with pre-existing psychiatric disorders demonstrate that this sample represents a population suitable for an investigation on the long-term impact of the pandemic, as intended by the longitudinal investigation that is ongoing. Follow-up questionnaires over a 12-month period are being collected and will indicate how the health and well-being of this population was impacted during the changes and uncertainties that have been characteristic of the past 2 years.

COVID-19 has greatly challenged many areas, including those affecting educational systems. Teachers have had to cope with tremendous pressure, stress, and anxiety. The objective of this study is to analyze how primary education teachers in the Autonomous Region of the Basque Country (Spain) perceive the impact that moods and the ensuing consequences of COVID-19 have on their personal and professional spheres. This study used a quantitative methodology based on a dedicated questionnaire. A total of 849 teachers answered the questionnaire and reported that they had felt nervous (x¯: 8.77) and tense (x¯: 8.57), and that they had been shocked by the excessive length of the lockdown (x¯: 7.70) and the restrictions in sports and leisure activities (x¯: 7.59). Significant differences were found according to gender, type of school, socioeconomic environment, age, and years of experience. The study highlights the need to educate both teachers and students so that they can manage and regulate their emotions in unexpected situations. An additional need was identified to enhance teachers’ digital skills to better enable them to face the challenges of the Information and Knowledge Society.

The coronavirus disease pandemic has caused untold distress owing to both its physical and psychological sequelae, and such distress is further exacerbated by multiple socioeconomic ramifications. The Stress and Anxiety to Viral Epidemics-6 Items (SAVE-6). Scale was developed to specifically assess the anxiety response of the general population to viral epidemics. This study aimed to establish the psychometric properties of the Malay version of the SAVE-6 Scale in the general population. Herein, a total of 257 individuals participated. World Health Organization instrument validation protocols were used to translate and back-translate the Malay SAVE-6 Scale. Subsequently, the classical test theory and Rasch analysis were used to ascertain the validity and reliability of the scale. Cronbach α was used to measure the internal consistency, which was found to be satisfactory (α = 0.866). The correlations between the SAVE-6 Scale and other scales, including the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 Items Scale (r = 0.421, p < 0.001) and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 Items (r = 0.354, p < 0.001) were significant. Taken together, the Malay version of the SAVE-6 Scale is valid and reliable for use in the general population and is psychometrically suitable for assessing stress and anxiety specific to viral epidemics.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has caused overwhelming changes in individual and community daily-life, resulting from the public health measures implemented to contain it, and also from its psychological and socio-economic consequences. These shifts and consequences impacted the entire population, but some groups are more likely to be affected by these changes, including higher education students. Objectives: a) to investigate mental health status and its determinants among higher-education students in Portugal and Switzerland; and b) to explore adjustment patterns used by these students to overcome the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A cross-sectional study with a mixed-methods sequential explanatory design was conducted in two phases. First, an online survey was conducted among higher education students in Portugal and Switzerland, in Portuguese and French respectively. A convenience sampling method was used. Second, some participants from the first phase were invited to participate in four online focus group discussions (two in each country) using a maximum variation sampling method. Results: The survey was answered by 1,880 students. Portuguese students revealed higher levels of stress and anxiety, but lower depression symptoms and less resilient coping compared to Swiss respondents. Hope was identified as an explanatory variable for mental health symptoms in students from both countries. In the focus groups (n = 27), 13 adjustment strategies were found, which were subdivided into three spheres: personal, social, and contextual. Conclusions: The results suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic had a mild to moderate impact on most of the evaluated mental health variables. Nevertheless, the students reacted and mobilized positive short-term strategies, which need to be reinforced in order to prevent long-term psychological harm. In addition, our results can inform psychosocial interventions to minimize psychological impact, anxiety, depression, and stress due to sanitary crises or other population-wide problems or disasters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For scholars, practitioners, and legislators concerned about sexual minority adolescents, one of the main goals is to create more positive and inclusive learning environments for this minority group. Numerous factors, such as repeated patterns of homophobic bullying by classmates and others in school, have been a significant barrier to achieving this goal. In addition, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) adolescents encounter substantial inequality across a broad spectrum of wellbeing and education consequences. Compared with their heterosexual counterparts, LGBTQ adolescents experience more anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts, antisocial behavior, poorer academic performance, less school attachment and protection, and a weaker desire to finish their studies. Such discrepancies based on gender and sexuality were linked to more maltreatment encountered by LGBTQ adolescents. It is crucial to recognize the backgrounds and expectations of LGBTQ adolescents to offer them the best resources. To overcome the inequality and obstacles faced by these LGBTQ adolescents, it is essential to examine tools and techniques that can be utilized. This study examined the literature that explains why society fails to provide enough support to LGBTQ students. Specifically, mechanisms explaining how LGBTQ adolescents interact with others in the learning environment and how such discrepancies arise will be examined. Following that, violence and prejudice, which are fundamental causes of psychological problems among LGBTQ adolescents, will be explored. This review paper thus provides supportive strategies for schools to develop more inclusive learning environments for LGBTQ adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The COVID-19 outbreak imposed an overwhelming workload as well as emotional burdens on Healthcare workers (HCWs). In May 2020, an online survey was administered to HCWs in Italy to assess the pandemic's psychological impact and to investigate possible predictive factors that led to individual differences. Methods: The psychological experience was measured based on the prevalence of self-reported feelings during the pandemic, including negative and positive emotional states. We analyzed the relationship between factors of gender, age, geographic region, professional role, and operational unit, and the four-point scale used to rate the frequency of each emotional state experienced by performing several multinomial logistic regressions, one for each emotion. Results: Our findings suggest that more than half of HCWs experienced psychological distress during the first COVID-19 outbreak in Italy. Female and younger respondents, especially those operating in northern Italy experienced more frequently negative emotional states such as irritability, anxiety, loneliness, and insecurity. However, positive feelings, first of all solidarity, were also reported especially by female and older workers. The majority of the negative as well as positive emotional states were experienced almost equally by both doctors and nurses, and independently of the operational unit in which they operated. Conclusions: This study can be very useful as a contribution to the current literature on the psychological effects of this pandemic on health workers. Moreover, our findings can provide useful information in planning more tailored psychological interventions to support this category of workers in the ongoing and future emergencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impacts of COVID-19 may be magnified in a shared environment like the household, especially with people spending extended time at home during the pandemic. Family resilience is the ability of a family to adapt to crisis and can be a protective factor against stress and negative affect. While there have been calls to address family resilience during the pandemic, there is a lack of empirical study on its benefit. In this dyadic observational study, we sought to investigate the concordance of family members' psychological responses to COVID-19, whether dyad members' risk factors (COVID-19 exposure and financial impact) mutually affected each other's psychological responses, and importantly, whether family resilience was a significant factor in these responses. A total of 200 family dyads from the same household completed the Family Resilience Assessment Scale and questionnaires on COVID-19 threat perception, impacts, and exposure. We found concordant dyad responses for COVID-19 threat perception, but not for psychological impact. Using the Actor-Partner-Interdependence Model framework, we found that one's psychological impact was affected by the financial impact from both dyad members. After controlling for risk factors and demographic covariates, we found that family resilience significantly associated with lower COVID-19 psychological impact, though not with threat perception. The findings suggest that both family and individual factors need to be addressed and there may be benefit in addressing multilevel risk and protective factors using an ecological systems approach, which may help prepare the population for future crises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BackgroundCOVID-19 survivor's population is often associated with a long term impact on mental and psychological health. Recent included studies have also stated affliction of mental health due to fear of virus and preventive policies among the college students.ObjectivesThe research was conducted to find the psychological and mental impacts of SARS-CoV-2 affliction among the students' survivors in the university.MethodsThe study design of the experiment was cross-sectional, sampling technique was non probability and sampling method being applied was convenience sampling. IBM Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 20 was used for analyses. Descriptive data was examined and results were showed as mean and standard deviations, percentages, frequencies for continuous variables of IES-R scale (Intrusion, Avoidance, and Hyperarousal) using the total sample of n = 34.ResultsOut of 34 only 24 student survivors responded to the online survey post COVID-19 recovery, with an overall participation level of 71%. Grading was given for the total IES-R score which was subdivided into a predefined range. Out of 24 participants, 9 (38%) participants showed the symptoms of mild (n = 2)–severe (n = 7) psychological impacts. On correlation of factors total IES-R score and taste and sense of smell were moderately correlated. The ordinal regression for complete loss of sense of taste and smell was also significant.ConclusionThe results from IES-R evaluation clearly outlines the presence of psychological sequels post recovery of COVID-19 episodes among the young college survivors. Complete loss of sense of smell and taste may be an indicator of psychological sequelae as compared to reduce sense of smell.

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has caused overwhelming changes in individual and community daily-life, resulting from the public health measures implemented to contain it, and also from its psychological and socio-economic consequences. These shifts and consequences impacted the entire population, but some groups are more likely to be affected by these changes, including higher education students.Objectivesa) to investigate mental health status and its determinants among higher-education students in Portugal and Switzerland; and b) to explore adjustment patterns used by these students to overcome the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsA cross-sectional study with a mixed-methods sequential explanatory design was conducted in two phases. First, an online survey was conducted among higher education students in Portugal and Switzerland, in Portuguese and French respectively. A convenience sampling method was used. Second, some participants from the first phase were invited to participate in four online focus group discussions (two in each country) using a maximum variation sampling method.ResultsThe survey was answered by 1,880 students. Portuguese students revealed higher levels of stress and anxiety, but lower depression symptoms and less resilient coping compared to Swiss respondents. Hope was identified as an explanatory variable for mental health symptoms in students from both countries. In the focus groups (n = 27), 13 adjustment strategies were found, which were subdivided into three spheres: personal, social, and contextual.ConclusionsThe results suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic had a mild to moderate impact on most of the evaluated mental health variables. Nevertheless, the students reacted and mobilized positive short-term strategies, which need to be reinforced in order to prevent long-term psychological harm. In addition, our results can inform psychosocial interventions to minimize psychological impact, anxiety, depression, and stress due to sanitary crises or other population-wide problems or disasters.

For scholars, practitioners, and legislators concerned about sexual minority adolescents, one of the main goals is to create more positive and inclusive learning environments for this minority group. Numerous factors, such as repeated patterns of homophobic bullying by classmates and others in school, have been a significant barrier to achieving this goal. In addition, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) adolescents encounter substantial inequality across a broad spectrum of wellbeing and education consequences. Compared with their heterosexual counterparts, LGBTQ adolescents experience more anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts, antisocial behavior, poorer academic performance, less school attachment and protection, and a weaker desire to finish their studies. Such discrepancies based on gender and sexuality were linked to more maltreatment encountered by LGBTQ adolescents. It is crucial to recognize the backgrounds and expectations of LGBTQ adolescents to offer them the best resources. To overcome the inequality and obstacles faced by these LGBTQ adolescents, it is essential to examine tools and techniques that can be utilized. This study examined the literature that explains why society fails to provide enough support to LGBTQ students. Specifically, mechanisms explaining how LGBTQ adolescents interact with others in the learning environment and how such discrepancies arise will be examined. Following that, violence and prejudice, which are fundamental causes of psychological problems among LGBTQ adolescents, will be explored. This review paper thus provides supportive strategies for schools to develop more inclusive learning environments for LGBTQ adolescents.

ObjectiveThe aim of this study is to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health, type of delivery, and neonatal feeding of pregnant women with or without SARS-CoV-2 infection during gestation.Study DesignThe study was conducted online, and anonymous survey was distributed to mothers that delivered during the COVID-19 pandemic.ResultsThe survey was completed by 286 women, and 64 women (22.4%) had COVID-19 during pregnancy. Women that had SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy or at time of delivery had a significantly higher probability of being separated from the newborn (p < 0.0001) and a significantly lower probability of breastfeeding (p < 0.0001). The Edinburg Postnatal Depression Scale, to assess if mothers had symptoms of postnatal depression, showed that items suggestive of postnatal depression were relatively frequent in the whole cohort. However, women with SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy reported higher probability of responses suggestive of postnatal depression in eight out of 10 items, with statistically significant differences in three items.ConclusionThe COVID-19 pandemic affected the type of delivery and breastfeeding of pregnant women, particularly when they had SARS-CoV-2 infection. This, in turn, had an impact on the psychological status of the interviewed mothers, aspects that could benefit of special support.

The impacts of COVID-19 may be magnified in a shared environment like the household, especially with people spending extended time at home during the pandemic. Family resilience is the ability of a family to adapt to crisis and can be a protective factor against stress and negative affect. While there have been calls to address family resilience during the pandemic, there is a lack of empirical study on its benefit. In this dyadic observational study, we sought to investigate the concordance of family members’ psychological responses to COVID-19, whether dyad members’ risk factors (COVID-19 exposure and financial impact) mutually affected each other’s psychological responses, and importantly, whether family resilience was a significant factor in these responses. A total of 200 family dyads from the same household completed the Family Resilience Assessment Scale and questionnaires on COVID-19 threat perception, impacts, and exposure. We found concordant dyad responses for COVID-19 threat perception, but not for psychological impact. Using the Actor-Partner-Interdependence Model framework, we found that one’s psychological impact was affected by the financial impact from both dyad members. After controlling for risk factors and demographic covariates, we found that family resilience significantly associated with lower COVID-19 psychological impact, though not with threat perception. The findings suggest that both family and individual factors need to be addressed and there may be benefit in addressing multilevel risk and protective factors using an ecological systems approach, which may help prepare the population for future crises.

BackgroundThe COVID-19 outbreak imposed an overwhelming workload as well as emotional burdens on Healthcare workers (HCWs). In May 2020, an online survey was administered to HCWs in Italy to assess the pandemic's psychological impact and to investigate possible predictive factors that led to individual differences.MethodsThe psychological experience was measured based on the prevalence of self-reported feelings during the pandemic, including negative and positive emotional states. We analyzed the relationship between factors of gender, age, geographic region, professional role, and operational unit, and the four-point scale used to rate the frequency of each emotional state experienced by performing several multinomial logistic regressions, one for each emotion.ResultsOur findings suggest that more than half of HCWs experienced psychological distress during the first COVID-19 outbreak in Italy. Female and younger respondents, especially those operating in northern Italy experienced more frequently negative emotional states such as irritability, anxiety, loneliness, and insecurity. However, positive feelings, first of all solidarity, were also reported especially by female and older workers. The majority of the negative as well as positive emotional states were experienced almost equally by both doctors and nurses, and independently of the operational unit in which they operated.ConclusionsThis study can be very useful as a contribution to the current literature on the psychological effects of this pandemic on health workers. Moreover, our findings can provide useful information in planning more tailored psychological interventions to support this category of workers in the ongoing and future emergencies.

The pandemic nature of COVID-19 has caused major changes in health, economy, and society globally. Albeit to a lesser extent, contingent access to shops and places to socialize the imposition of social distancing and the use of indoor masks is measures still in force today (more than a year after the start of the pandemic), with repercussions on economic, social, and psychological levels. The fear of contagion, in fact, has led us to be increasingly suspicious and to isolate ourselves from the remainder of the community. This has had repercussions on the perception of loneliness, with significant psychological consequences, such as the development of stress, anxiety, and, in extreme cases, depressive symptoms. Starting from these assumptions, this research was developed with the aim of deepening the perceptions that the participants have of their own mental health, loneliness, fear linked to contagion, and attitudes toward imposed social distancing. In particular, we wanted to analyze whether there is a relationship between perceived fear and the perceived level of mental health, loneliness, and attitude toward social distancing. Finally, we wanted to analyze whether there are differences related to gender, age, marital status, current working mode, and educational qualifications. The research, performed after the diffusion of the vaccination in Italy, lasted 14 days. The participants were 500 Italians who voluntarily joined the study and were recruited with random cascade sampling. The research followed a quantitative approach. The analyzed data, from participants residing throughout the national territory, allow us to return the picture of the perceptions that Italians have of the fear of contagion, of their level of mental health, of loneliness and of their attitude toward social distancing. In particular, the data show that fear of COVID-19 is an emotional state experienced by the entire population and that young people have suffered more from loneliness and have been less inclined to accept the imposed social distancing. The data that emerged should make policymakers reflect on the need to find functional strategies to combat COVID-19 or other health emergency crises whose effects do not affect the psychological wellbeing of the population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The aim of this research is to focus on gaining an insight into the knowledge, attitudes, behavioural practises (KAP), and psychological impact relating to COVID-19 among the people living with spinal cord injury receiving in-patient rehabilitation. Methods: A prospective, cross-sectional survey of people with SCI (N = 207), who were in active in-patient rehabilitation from two tertiary SCI Rehabilitation Centres in Bangladesh. Data were collected via face-to-face interviews, after voluntary consent, using a pretested, language validated questionnaire on Knowledge, Attitude and Behavioural practises (KAP) and the Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale (DASS-21). Ethical approval and trial registration were obtained prospectively. Results: A total of 207 people with SCI responded, among which 87% were men and 13% were women, with a mean age of 34.18 ± 12.9 years. Within the sample group, people living with tetraplegia comprised 33.8%, and people living with paraplegia comprised 66.2%. Overall, 63.8% of the participants were diagnosed with an SCI categorised as ASIA-A. Overall, the "knowledge score" was 8.59 ± 2.3 out of 12, "depression" was 11.18 ± 8, "anxiety" was 7.72 ± 5.1, and "stress" was 9.32 ± 6.7 from a total of 21 scores each category. The strong correlation was between knowledge, DASS scores, and age (p < 0.05). In addition, there was a strong correlation between knowledge, gender (p < 0.05) and education (p < 0.01). Binary logistic regression found a stronger association of knowledge and DASS scores with gender, young age, illiteracy (p < 0.01), and rural residence (p < 0.05). A positive relationship was found between depression and anxiety scores (p < 0.01) and a moderate positive relationship was found between depression and stress scores (p < 0.01). A positive attitude was reported by the majority of participants (p < 0.05). In terms of behavioural practises, participants reported both self and caregiver had followed health advice with regard to consulting health professionals (65.7%), implementing isolation (63.8%), taking droplet precaution care (87.4%), and hygiene care (90.3%). Conclusion: Participants in this study reported high levels of knowledge, adoption of positive attitudes, and the practise of positive health advisory behaviours related to COVID-19 prevention procedures. However, high levels of depression, anxiety, and stress were also reported. Overall, women and younger participants were more likely to have high KAP, whereas those living in rural areas and with literacy challenges were less likely to report high knowledge scores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Participation in victim-offender mediation (VOM) can reduce the risk of reoffending. However, relatively little is known about how VOM affects the intermediate psychological changes underlying this effect. It was hypothesized that VOM increases feelings of responsibility, guilt, and shame among offenders as well as empathy toward the victim. It was also expected that VOM leads to feelings of moral failure among offenders, increasing their intention to desist, and improving their relation with the victim, relatives, and community. Lastly, it was hypothesized that offenders may experience reduced rejection, concerns about condemnation, threat to their social moral identity, and victim blame following VOM. To this end, we compared psychological changes in offenders who participated in a VOM program in the Netherlands with those of offenders who were willing to but did not participate (total N = 86). A quasi-experimental, pre- and postmeasure research design was used to compare these groups. Our findings tentatively suggest that offenders who participate in VOM have more responsibility-taking and victim empathy, feel more guilt and shame, and experience higher moral failure than offenders who do not participate in VOM do. Offenders also reported feeling significantly less awkward about meeting the victim again after VOM. Future research should address how and to what degree these psychological changes translate into a lower risk of reoffending. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AimThe aim of this research is to focus on gaining an insight into the knowledge, attitudes, behavioural practises (KAP), and psychological impact relating to COVID-19 among the people living with spinal cord injury receiving in-patient rehabilitation.MethodsA prospective, cross-sectional survey of people with SCI (N = 207), who were in active in-patient rehabilitation from two tertiary SCI Rehabilitation Centres in Bangladesh. Data were collected via face-to-face interviews, after voluntary consent, using a pretested, language validated questionnaire on Knowledge, Attitude and Behavioural practises (KAP) and the Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale (DASS-21). Ethical approval and trial registration were obtained prospectively.ResultsA total of 207 people with SCI responded, among which 87% were men and 13% were women, with a mean age of 34.18 ± 12.9 years. Within the sample group, people living with tetraplegia comprised 33.8%, and people living with paraplegia comprised 66.2%. Overall, 63.8% of the participants were diagnosed with an SCI categorised as ASIA-A. Overall, the “knowledge score” was 8.59 ± 2.3 out of 12, “depression” was 11.18 ± 8, “anxiety” was 7.72 ± 5.1, and “stress” was 9.32 ± 6.7 from a total of 21 scores each category. The strong correlation was between knowledge, DASS scores, and age (p < 0.05). In addition, there was a strong correlation between knowledge, gender (p < 0.05) and education (p < 0.01). Binary logistic regression found a stronger association of knowledge and DASS scores with gender, young age, illiteracy (p < 0.01), and rural residence (p < 0.05). A positive relationship was found between depression and anxiety scores (p < 0.01) and a moderate positive relationship was found between depression and stress scores (p < 0.01). A positive attitude was reported by the majority of participants (p < 0.05). In terms of behavioural practises, participants reported both self and caregiver had followed health advice with regard to consulting health professionals (65.7%), implementing isolation (63.8%), taking droplet precaution care (87.4%), and hygiene care (90.3%).ConclusionParticipants in this study reported high levels of knowledge, adoption of positive attitudes, and the practise of positive health advisory behaviours related to COVID-19 prevention procedures. However, high levels of depression, anxiety, and stress were also reported. Overall, women and younger participants were more likely to have high KAP, whereas those living in rural areas and with literacy challenges were less likely to report high knowledge scores.

The pandemic nature of COVID-19 has caused major changes in health, economy, and society globally. Albeit to a lesser extent, contingent access to shops and places to socialize the imposition of social distancing and the use of indoor masks is measures still in force today (more than a year after the start of the pandemic), with repercussions on economic, social, and psychological levels. The fear of contagion, in fact, has led us to be increasingly suspicious and to isolate ourselves from the remainder of the community. This has had repercussions on the perception of loneliness, with significant psychological consequences, such as the development of stress, anxiety, and, in extreme cases, depressive symptoms. Starting from these assumptions, this research was developed with the aim of deepening the perceptions that the participants have of their own mental health, loneliness, fear linked to contagion, and attitudes toward imposed social distancing. In particular, we wanted to analyze whether there is a relationship between perceived fear and the perceived level of mental health, loneliness, and attitude toward social distancing. Finally, we wanted to analyze whether there are differences related to gender, age, marital status, current working mode, and educational qualifications. The research, performed after the diffusion of the vaccination in Italy, lasted 14 days. The participants were 500 Italians who voluntarily joined the study and were recruited with random cascade sampling. The research followed a quantitative approach. The analyzed data, from participants residing throughout the national territory, allow us to return the picture of the perceptions that Italians have of the fear of contagion, of their level of mental health, of loneliness and of their attitude toward social distancing. In particular, the data show that fear of COVID-19 is an emotional state experienced by the entire population and that young people have suffered more from loneliness and have been less inclined to accept the imposed social distancing. The data that emerged should make policymakers reflect on the need to find functional strategies to combat COVID-19 or other health emergency crises whose effects do not affect the psychological wellbeing of the population.

Participation in victim-offender mediation (VOM) can reduce the risk of reoffending. However, relatively little is known about how VOM affects the intermediate psychological changes underlying this effect. It was hypothesized that VOM increases feelings of responsibility, guilt, and shame among offenders as well as empathy toward the victim. It was also expected that VOM leads to feelings of moral failure among offenders, increasing their intention to desist, and improving their relation with the victim, relatives, and community. Lastly, it was hypothesized that offenders may experience reduced rejection, concerns about condemnation, threat to their social moral identity, and victim blame following VOM. To this end, we compared psychological changes in offenders who participated in a VOM program in the Netherlands with those of offenders who were willing to but did not participate (total N = 86). A quasi-experimental, pre- and postmeasure research design was used to compare these groups. Our findings tentatively suggest that offenders who participate in VOM have more responsibility-taking and victim empathy, feel more guilt and shame, and experience higher moral failure than offenders who do not participate in VOM do. Offenders also reported feeling significantly less awkward about meeting the victim again after VOM. Future research should address how and to what degree these psychological changes translate into a lower risk of reoffending.

Objective: To identify a spectrum of perspectives on functioning and health of patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) from the five European countries in order to reveal commonalities and insights in their experiences.Methods: A multicenter focus group study on the patients with pSS about their perspectives of functioning and health was performed. Focus groups were chaired by trained moderators based on an interview guide, audiotaped, and transcribed. After conducting a meaning condensation analysis of each focus group, we subsequently combined the extracted concepts from each country and mapped them to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF).Results: Fifty-one patients with pSS participated in 12 focus groups. We identified a total of 82 concepts meaningful to people with pSS. Of these, 55 (67%) were mentioned by the patients with pSS in at least four of five countries and 36 (44%) emerged in all the five countries. Most concepts were assigned to the ICF components activities and participation (n = 25, 30%), followed by 22 concepts (27%) that were considered to be not definable or not covered by the ICF; 15 concepts (18%) linked to body structures and functions. Participants reported several limitations in the daily life due to a mismatch between the capabilities of the person, the demands of the environment and the requirements of the activities.Conclusion: Concepts that emerged in all the five non-English speaking countries may be used to guide the development and adaption of the patient-reported outcome measures and to enhance the provision of treatment options based on the aspects meaningful to patients with pSS in clinical routine.

The effect of social lockdown during the COVID-19 outbreak on female aggressiveness is not well known. The strict measures of lockdown have resulted in millions of people, worldwide, confined to their homes during the pandemic. However, the consequence of lockdown strategies on females' psychological status including aggressiveness has not yet been investigated. We conducted a cross-sectional study on 31 Russian females' homemakers who are participants in an online fitness platform to investigate the immediate anxiety, depression, and aggression experienced under strict lockdown measures. The participants were surveyed using the hospital anxiety depression scale (HADS) and the Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire. We used descriptive and statistical methods to investigate the prevalence of these emotions among two age groups (20–35 and 36–65 years). We found that moderate anxiety prevalence was 77.4% in the entire group while mild depression was 54.8%. Interestingly, the whole sample showed a high level of angriness (p = 0.0002) and physical aggression (p = 0.019). These two emotions seem to be more prevalent than other negative emotions such as hostility, verbal aggression. This relationship was not dependent on age. Overall, there is a significant worsening in female aggression that could lead to higher chances of female victimization and being subjected to partner violence. Future policies designing lockdown strategies should consider this effect on active female homemakers. Due to the small size of our cohort, our results are only indicative of data trends. Larger studies are still needed to confirm the current findings.

Background: The COVID-19 has grown into a global pandemic. This study investigated the public psychosocial and behavioral responses through different time periods of the pandemic, and assessed whether these changes are different in age, gender, and region.Methods: A three-phase survey was conducted through the DaDui Social Q&A Software for COVID-19. A total of 13,214 effective responses of COVID-19 were collected. Statistical analysis was performed based on their basic information and psychosocial responses.Results: The degree of attention, understanding, and cooperation with preventive and control measures of the disease increased and then decreased. The panic level gradually increased with the epidemic process. The degree of satisfaction with management measures and of confidence in defeating COVID-19 increased throughout the survey. Compared with residents in other areas, respondents from the COVID-19 epicenter (Wuhan) reported a higher degree of self-protection during the outbreak and a significantly lower degree of satisfaction with respect to government prevention and control measures during all phases. Shortages of medical supplies and low testing capacity were reported as the biggest shortcoming in the prevention and control strategies during COVID-19, and an abundance of disorderly and inaccurate information from different sources was the primary cause of panic.Conclusions and Relevance: Major public health events elicit psychosocial and behavioral changes that reflect the different phases of the biologic curve. Sufficient medical supplies and improved organization and accurate information during epidemics may reduce panic and improve compliance with requested changes in behavior. We need to recognize this natural phenomenon and our public policy preparedness should attempt to move the social/psychological curve to the left in order to minimize and flatten the biologic curve.