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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]

Introduction: We examined the associations and proportionate contributions of three well-validated models of stressful psychosocial work environment (job strain, effort-reward imbalance, and organizational injustice) in explaining depressive symptoms among primary school teachers. In addition, we tested the mediating role of different types of sleep problems. Method: The participants included 76 Finnish primary school teachers. The associations between the three work-related psychosocial factors, sleep problems, and depressive symptoms were examined using multiple linear regression analyses and bootstrap mediation analyses, adjusting for gender and age. Relative weight analyses were performed to examine the proportionate contributions of the work-related psychosocial factors on depressive symptoms. Results: Both effort-reward imbalance and job strain showed positive associations with depressive symptoms, whereas the association between organizational injustice and depressive symptoms was not significant. When the proportionate contributions of job strain, effort-reward imbalance, and organizational injustice on depressive symptoms were analysed simultaneously, effort-reward imbalance was found to be the most important predictor. According to bootstrap mediation analyses, sleep problems in terms of nonrestorative sleep explained 18% of the association between job strain and depressive symptoms and 11% of the association between effort-reward imbalance and depressive symptoms. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that, for primary school teachers, particularly effort-reward imbalance but also job strain may be risk factors for depressive symptoms, and that this association might be partly explained by impaired sleep. Adjusting work demands and increasing the rewarding aspects of teachers' work may enhance sleep quality and reduce depressive symptoms in primary school teachers' occupation.

For young people, not being in education, employment or training (NEET) may be detrimental to self-esteem and limit possibilities for achieving financial security and a respectable position in society. One major educational problem in Estonia is low academic achievement at the upper level of basic education (Grades 7-9), reflected in a large number of drop-outs and "grade repeaters" (students who are not transferred to the next grade because of poor study results and who thus need to remain in the same grade for a second year). In this article (through an Estonian case study placed in the context of the relationships between Estonia and the neighbouring country Finland), we analyse the essence of the NEET process in the light of family factors. (Contains 2 notes.)

Introduction: This prospective longitudinal study examined several selected family- and school-related factors simultaneously in order to investigate the importance of well known and less examined predictors of educational attainment. Method: The participants were 844 (486 girls) nine-, 12-, and 15-years old comprehensive school students. Family- and school-related factors were assessed by parent- and self-reports in 1980. Educational attainment was assessed 27 years later in 2007 as educational level and years of completed education. Results: Linear regression analyses showed that lower educational attainment was predicted by mother's and father's low education, strict disciplinary style of the mother, student's low school achievement, by student having received detention and by having taken part in remedial instruction. Conclusion: Our findings stress the importance of early school achievement and the role of the family in supporting educational attainment. Furthermore, our results indicate that more research should be directed to examining school detention and remedial instruction and their effectiveness. (Contains 2 tables.)