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Abstract Background Before the pandemic, research had already established the potential impact of perceived life stress and social support on the mental health status of Chinese students. However, in the Post-COVID Era, the specific mechanisms linking these variables and the distinct role of online social support remain relatively unexplored. Methods After the cessation of China’s dynamic zeroing policy, a total of 1180 university students from Northwestern China participated in this study by completing a demographic questionnaire, as well as self-report measures assessing mental health, perceived life stress, and online social support. Results Approximately 25% of students exhibited psychological symptoms. When examining different categories of perceived life stress, males reported experiencing a significantly greater impact in terms of punishment and interpersonal relationships compared to females. Females experienced significantly higher levels of learning pressure compared to males. Specific types of perceived life stress were found to be significant predictors of students’ mental health status. Moreover, online social support was identified as a significant moderator in the relationship between all types of perceived life stress and mental health, irrespective of gender. Conclusion Our study findings unveiled two significant aspects: Firstly, the impact of perceived life stress on the mental health of students was identified as a risk factor. Secondly, the role of online social support emerged as a protective factor, particularly in the post-pandemic context. Additionally, gender-specific patterns were observed in these relationships.

The present study examines (1) whether perceived life stress mediates the associations between length of residence in Canada and self-rated mental health and general health and (2) how these processes differ across levels of perceived local community belonging. Data are from the 2017–2018 Canadian Community Health Survey (N = 14,570)—a nationally representative survey collected by Statistics Canada. Simple mediation and moderated mediation models are employed. The simple mediated associations are evaluated first and found to be statistically significant for both self-rated mental health (b = 0.046, 95% PBCI = 0.035, 0.058) and general health (b = 0.045, 95% PBCI = 0.034, 0.056). Moderated mediation analysis then reveals that while perceived local community belonging does not moderate the effects of length of residence on perceived life stress, it does moderate the effects of perceived life stress on self-rated mental health (b = − 0.042, 95% PBCI = − 0.057, − 0.028) and general health (b = − 0.026, 95% PBCI = − 0.042, − 0.011), suggesting that the adverse associations between perceived life stress and self-rated mental health and general health are weaker among immigrants with greater perceived local community belonging. Consistent with the predictions, the indirect effects are significant at all levels of local community belonging. Findings from this study highlight the need to focus more research and policy interventions on community-based coping resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. The impact of perceived life stress on subjective well-being has been well- established; while few studies have explored the mediating and moderating mechanisms of the association between perceived life stress and subjective well-being among perimenopausal women. This study is aimed at exploring the mediating effect of depressive symptoms and the role of interests/hobbies as a moderator in the association between perceived life stress and subjective well-being among perimenopausal women. Methods. The participants were 1,104 perimenopausal women at the age of 40 to 60, who were asked to complete a paper-based questionnaire. A single item was used to measure self-perceived life stress and interests/hobbies. The Zung Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS) and Subjective Well-being Scale for Chinese Citizens (SWBS- CC) were applied to assess both depressive symptoms and subjective well-being. Multiple linear regression analysis and the PROCESS macro were adopted to analyse not only the mediating effect of depressive symptoms but also the moderating role of interests/hobbies. Results. Perceived life stress was negatively associated with subjective well-being (β = -1:424, β =-0:101, P <0:001). The impact of perceived life stress on subjective well- being was partially mediated by depressive symptoms (mediation effect = -0.760, 95% confidence intervals (CI) [-1.129, -0.415]). In addition, the interaction term between depressive symptoms and interests/hobbies was significantly related to subjective well- being (β = -0:060, P <0:05), indicating moderating effect. Moderated mediation had a significant index (Index = -0.220, SE D 0.099, 95% CI [ -0.460, -0.060]). Conclusions. Perceived life stress was negatively related to subjective well-being. The impact of perceived life stress on subjective well-being was mediated by depressive symptoms. Besides, interests/hobbies moderated the indirect effect of depressive symptoms on the relationship between perceived life stress and subjective well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Maternal disposition and behaviors are critical to children's emotional adjustment, and exploring the differential effects of supportive and unsupportive maternal factors on children's emotion regulation and the underlying mechanisms can provide us with a better understanding of mother-child interactions. This study examined the mediating role of maternal positive parenting practices on the link between maternal mindfulness and children's emotion regulation and whether maternal perceived life stress moderated the proposed links in a sample of Chinese families with school-aged children. Methods: In all, 1723 biological mothers aged between 26 and 63 years (Mage = 37.96) completed questionnaires assessing maternal mindfulness disposition, perceived life stress, positive parenting practices, and their children's emotion regulation. A moderated mediation analysis was used to delineate the relationships among the study variables. Results: The results showed that a higher level of maternal perceived life stress weakened the positive links between maternal mindfulness and positive parenting practices and between maternal mindfulness and school-aged children's emotion regulation. Conclusions: These findings help us better understand the associations between the comparatively understudied maternal supportive/unsupportive factors and school-aged children's emotion regulation in Chinese families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study investigated the effects of prior levels of general life stress on young adults' cognitive and emotional reactions to media coverage of terrorism. University students (n = 94) completed an online baseline survey, after which they were randomly assigned to a terrorism or non-terrorism media exposure condition. Approximately 1–2 weeks later, participants attended an experimental session in which they were shown a real life news clip about a recent terrorist event (terrorism media exposure) or a non-violent societal risk (non-terrorism media exposure). Participants filled out a brief online survey immediately before and after the intervention. Socio-demographic factors and perceived life stress were assessed at baseline. Perceived susceptibility to terrorism, terrorism-related worry, and support for security measures were measured at pre- and post-intervention. Data were analyzed using a series of two-way analyses of covariance (ANCOVA) controlling for pretest scores and relevant socio-demographic factors. Significant interaction effects were found between media exposure and perceived life stress on support for the following security measures: video surveillance, mandatory bag checks at universities, and security patrols at universities during the day. More specifically, participants with lower levels of stress scored similarly on these measures in the terrorism and non-terrorism media exposure groups, whereas among those with higher stress levels, scores were significantly greater in the terrorism compared to non-terrorism media exposure group. Thus, young adults with elevated levels of perceived life stress were more responsive to media coverage of terrorism compared to those with lesser life stress when it comes to a desire for regulatory action. This indicates that higher levels of general life stress may sensitize young people towards the impact of threatening information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The aim of the paper was to analyse the prevalence of the occupational burnout syndrome (OBS) amongst physicians specialising in psychiatry and identification of factors which may at one hand facilitate the development of job burnout or at the other, protect against it. The hypothesis on the coexistence of OBS and overall high level of stress was verified. Material and methods: The study involved a group of 57 psychiatry specialists: 41 females and 16 males, aged from 27 to 86 years. The study participants were asked to complete three online questionnaires: a proprietary (sociodemographic) questionnaire, Link Burnout Questionnaire (LBQ) and Experienced Stress Scale (PSS-10). Results and conclusions: The average result of the measurement of perceived stress in the examined group was at a high level. Every second medical doctor declared a high degree of occupational burnout in each of the 4 aspects. Significant differences were found between psychiatrists with high and low levels of perceived stress. Psychiatrists experiencing high levels of perceived stress showed higher levels of OBS across all its dimensions. Moreover, physicians with low levels of stress have used their holiday allowance more frequently than those with high levels of stress. Whereas no statistically significant differences were found between perceived stress levels and: age, sex, marital status, number of years in the medical profession, number of years of work at the primary workplace, number of working hours per week, number of hours on duty per month, having a social media account, having a pet or taking antidepressants. In this paper the authors demonstrate that perceived stress of Polish psychiatrists is a strong factor contributing to the development of the OBS. The level of perceived life stress depends on mental features of a given person which determine resourcefulness and ability to cope with both occupational and life stressors. Thus, prophylaxis should target positive changes in work environment as well as psychological profiles of health care professionals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The stress-eating relationship is mediated by the release of cortisol from the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis. Variability in stress-induced eating, and consequently, obesity, may be explained in part by individual differences in chronic stress, which disrupts the regulatory effects of the HPA axis on stress-induced eating. A greater understanding of the physiological mechanisms by which chronic stress affects acute stress-induced eating is critical in order to inform efforts to prevent and treat obesity. The current study examined the relationship between physiological responses to acute stress (cortisol and cardiovascular factors) and the drive to eat (ratings of hunger and desire to eat) in female undergraduates with high and low perceived life stress. Participants (n = 64) rated their perceived life stress in an online screening and, on a separate visit, rated their drive to eat before and after a mental stress task. The present report focused on only participants in the lowest (n = 16) and highest (n = 14) quartiles of perceived life stress. Women with high perceived life stress showed greater stress-induced cortisol responses, but no significant changes in blood pressure or heart rate. The heightened cortisol responses were not associated with hunger and desire to eat, but the cardiovascular responses were positively associated with the drive to eat. Women with low perceived life stress showed no relationships between physiological stress markers and the drive to eat. These results suggest that the cortisol stress response is dissociated from the drive to eat in chronically stressed women, although due to the small sample size the data should be regarded as preliminary. Further studies are needed to explore how cortisol and cardiovascular reactivity affect stress-induced eating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study attempts to see the relationship of Health, Happiness, Personality, Emotion work and Perceived Life Stress with Compassion among Resident Doctors of Government Hospitals. A sample of 100 Resident Doctors from Jaipur and Kota Districts, Rajasthan was administered in the study. Pearson's Correlation was used to analyze the data. It can be concluded that compassion was significantly correlated with health, happiness, personality, emotion work and presumptive life stress among resident doctors of government hospitals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The impact of perceived life stress on subjective well-being has been well-established; while few studies have explored the mediating and moderating mechanisms of the association between perceived life stress and subjective well-being among perimenopausal women. This study is aimed at exploring the mediating effect of depressive symptoms and the role of interests/hobbies as a moderator in the association between perceived life stress and subjective well-being among perimenopausal women., Methods: The participants were 1,104 perimenopausal women at the age of 40 to 60, who were asked to complete a paper-based questionnaire. A single item was used to measure self-perceived life stress and interests/hobbies. The Zung Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS) and Subjective Well-being Scale for Chinese Citizens (SWBS-CC) were applied to assess both depressive symptoms and subjective well-being. Multiple linear regression analysis and the PROCESS macro were adopted to analyse not only the mediating effect of depressive symptoms but also the moderating role of interests/hobbies., Results: Perceived life stress was negatively associated with subjective well-being ( B  =  - 1.424, β  =  - 0.101, P  < 0.001). The impact of perceived life stress on subjective well-being was partially mediated by depressive symptoms (mediation effect = -0.760, 95% confidence intervals (CI) [-1.129, -0.415]). In addition, the interaction term between depressive symptoms and interests/hobbies was significantly related to subjective well-being ( β  =  - 0.060, P  < 0.05), indicating moderating effect. Moderated mediation had a significant index (Index = -0.220, SE = 0.099, 95% CI [-0.460, -0.060])., Conclusions: Perceived life stress was negatively related to subjective well-being. The impact of perceived life stress on subjective well-being was mediated by depressive symptoms. Besides, interests/hobbies moderated the indirect effect of depressive symptoms on the relationship between perceived life stress and subjective well-being., Competing Interests: The authors declare there are no competing interests., (©2022 Li et al.)