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Background: Several studies conducted since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic have shown its harmful effects on young people's mental health. In Québec and Canada, few studies have focussed on adolescents, and even fewer of these studies have examined this subject using a methodology that involved comparisons of data obtained before and during the pandemic, which is the purpose of this study. Objective: The objective of this study is to determine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the anxiety of secondary 1 and 2 students in Québec, using data obtained before and during the pandemic. Method: Participants were 2990 French Canadian students in secondary 1 (grade 7) and secondary 2 (grade 8) in Québec. Two independent samples completed the questionnaires, one sample before the pandemic (fall 2019) and one sample during the pandemic (fall 2020). Their answers were subjected to descriptive analysis and multivariate analysis of variance. Results: Results show that the pandemic has had variable impacts on the student's mental health, with some of them reporting negative effects on their lives, others reporting no effect, and some reporting positive effect. However, the students surveyed during the pandemic generally reported more symptoms of generalized anxiety, and higher levels of test anxiety, fear of judgment and perfectionism than the ones surveyed before the pandemic. Conclusions: The discussion puts forward possible explanations for the results obtained, which contribute to a better understanding of young adolescents' experience during the COVID-19 pandemic. It also discusses the importance of developing interventions for adolescents affected by this pandemic.

Intolerance of uncertainty (IU) is related to anxiety, depression, worry, and anxiety sensitivity. Precedent IU measures were criticized for psychometric instability and redundancy; alternative measures include the novel 45-item measure (Intolerance of Uncertainty Index; IUI). The IUI was developed in French with 2 parts, assessing general unacceptability of uncertainty (15 items, Part A) and manifestations of uncertainty approximating more common anxiety disorder symptoms (30 items, Part B). The psychometric stability of the back-translated English items of the IUI as well as the incremental variance of Parts A and B remain to be assessed. The current study involved 2 samples of English-speaking community participants (n = 437 and n = 309; 73% women and 27% men) who completed the IUI and several related measures. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses suggested a refinement of IUI items as well as a unitary structure for Part A and a 3-factor structure for Part B. Regression results suggested Parts A and B each provide incremental validity in measures of worry, generalized anxiety disorder symptoms, negative problem orientation, and depression. Comprehensive results, implications, and future research directions are discussed. (Contains 6 tables.)

Background:The Geriatric Anxiety Inventory (GAI) and a short form of this instrument (GAI-SF) were developed to assess the severity of anxiety symptoms in older adults in order to compensate for the lack of validated screening tools adapted to the elderly population. This study examined the psychometric properties of the French Canadian version of the GAI, in its complete (GAI-FC) and short form (GAI-FC-SF). Method:A total of 331 community-dwelling seniors between 65 and 92 years old participated in this study. Results:Both the GAI-FC and the GAI-FC-SF have sound psychometric properties with, respectively, a high internal consistency (α = .94 and .83), an adequate convergent validity (r= .50 to .86 with instruments known to evaluate constructs similar to the GAI or related to anxiety), a good test–retest reliability (r= .89 and .85), in addition to a single-factor structure. Conclusions:The results support the use of both the GAI-FC and the GAI-FC-SF. The GAI-FC-SF seems to be an interesting alternative to the GAI-FC as a screening tool when time available for assessment is limited. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Although many challenges inherent to the birth of a first child are likely to interfere with new parent couples' sexuality, sexual well-being has often been neglected during the transition to parenthood. Considering the numerous uncertainties arising in this period, it is relevant to study whether first-time parents' intolerance of uncertainty could contribute to their lower sexual well-being and explore whether their perception of intimacy could explain this association. The aim of this study was to investigate the roles of intolerance of uncertainty and intimacy in first-time parents' sexual well-being (i.e., sexual desire and sexual satisfaction). A total of 211 couples expecting their first child were recruited in a province of Canada to participate in a broader longitudinal study. Bearing mothers and their partners answered validated questionnaires measuring sexual desire, sexual satisfaction, intolerance of uncertainty, depression symptoms, and perceived intimacy at 4, 8, and 12 months postpartum. Dyadic path analyses revealed that, controlling for postpartum depression symptoms at 12 months postpartum, mothers' intolerance of uncertainty at 4 months postpartum was associated with both partners' lower sexual satisfaction at 12 months postpartum through their own lower perception of intimacy at 8 months postpartum. Mothers' intolerance of uncertainty at 4 months postpartum was also associated with partners' lower sexual desire at 12 months postpartum through their own lower perception of intimacy at 8 months postpartum. Better understanding these individual and interpersonal factors associated with first-time parents' sexual well-being could help in educating expecting couples and preventing sexual challenges they may encounter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aim of this study was to examine the temporal and dyadic associations between anxiety and depressive symptoms during the transition to parenthood (TTP), while exploring the antecedence of attachment insecurities in these associations., Method: Couples of first-time parents (N = 211) completed the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, the Experiences in Close Relationships scale, and a sociodemographic questionnaire during the second trimester of pregnancy and at four and twelve months postpartum., Results: Both prenatal anxiety and depressive symptoms predicted postnatal depressive and anxiety symptoms. Prenatal attachment-related anxiety predicted higher postnatal anxiety and depressive symptoms whereas prenatal attachment-related avoidance predicted higher postnatal depressive symptoms only. Parents whose partners had a higher level of prenatal attachment-related anxiety experienced higher postnatal anxious and depressive symptoms via their own's prenatal depressive symptoms. Parents whose partners had a higher level of prenatal attachment-related avoidance experienced higher postnatal depressive symptoms via their own's prenatal anxious symptoms. No gender differences were found for these associations., Limitations: The sample was predominantly composed of educated heterosexual French-Canadian Caucasian couples and all measures were self-reported., Conclusions: Our original findings suggest that professionals should routinely screen for anxiety and depressive symptoms in both partners from pregnancy up to one year postpartum. Also, our findings suggest addressing attachment insecurities with both partners to prevent the development of future symptoms during pregnancy or after childbirth. Finally, our study supports the relevance of considering these symptoms at subclinical levels during the TTP., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest None., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)