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Background: The COVID-19 pandemic. In this framework, digital self-help interventions have the potential to provide flexible and scalable solutions for delivering evidence-based treatments that do not necessitate face-to-face meetings. Objective: as part of a multicentric project, the purpose of the current randomized controlled trial was to evaluate the efficacy of a Virtual-Reality-based self-help intervention (namely, COVID Feel Good) in lowering the psychological distress experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic in Iran. Methods: 60 participants were randomly assigned to the experimental (COVID Feel Good intervention group) or the control (no-treatment control group) condition. At the beginning of the intervention (Day 0), at the end of the intervention (Day 7), and after a 2-week follow-up (Day 21), measurements of depressive and anxiety levels, general distress, perceived levels of stress, hopelessness (primary outcome measures), perceived interpersonal closeness with the social world, and fear of COVID-19 (secondary outcome measure) were collected. The protocol consists of two integrated parts: the first part includes a relaxing 10-min three-hundred-sixty-degree (360°) video, while the second one includes social tasks with specified objectives. Results: In terms of the primary outcomes, participants in the COVID Feel Good intervention group improved in depression, stress, anxiety, and perceived stress but not hopelessness. Secondary outcome results showed an improvement in perceived social connectedness and a substantial decrease in fear of COVID-19. Conclusions: these findings on the efficacy of COVID Feel Good training add to the growing body of evidence demonstrating the feasibility of digital self-help interventions in promoting well-being during this unique period.

The COVID-19 pandemic might affect mental health. Data from population-representative panel surveys with multiple waves including pre-COVID data investigating risk and protective factors are still rare. Methods: In a stratified random sample of the German household population (n=6,684), we conducted survey-weighted multiple linear regressions to determine the association of various psychological risk and protective factors assessed between 2015 and 2020 with changes in psychological distress (PD; measured via PHQ-4) from pre-pandemic (average of 2016 and 2019) to peri-pandemic (both 2020 and 2021) time points. Control analyses on PD change between two pre-pandemic time points (2016 and 2019) were conducted. Regularized regressions were computed to inform on which factors were statistically most influential in the multicollinear setting. Results: PHQ-4 scores in 2020 (M=2.45) and 2021 (M=2.21) were elevated compared to 2019 (M=1.79). Several risk factors (catastrophizing, neuroticism, asking for instrumental support) and protective factors (perceived stress recovery, positive reappraisal, optimism) were identified for the peri-pandemic outcomes. Control analyses revealed that in pre-pandemic times, neuroticism and optimism were predominantly related to PD changes. Regularized regression mostly confirmed the results and highlighted perceived stress recovery as most consistent influential protective factor across peri-pandemic outcomes. Conclusions: We identified several psychological risk and protective factors related to PD outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Comparison to pre-pandemic data stress the relevance of longitudinal assessments to potentially reconcile contradictory findings. Implications and suggestions for targeted prevention and intervention programs during highly stressful times such as pandemics are discussed, This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under Grant Agreement numbers 777084 (DynaMORE) and 101016127 (RESPOND). ‘SOEP-CoV: The Spread of the Coronavirus in Germany: Socio-Economic Factors and Consequences’ was funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). AR was supported by Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes. HK was supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Science Foundation) Grants – 415809395, 427279591, and 40965412. The data can be accessed via the research data center of the SOEP

We investigated whether, and to what extent, spiritual well-being was associated with psychological distress, traumatic response, and professional burnout in practitioners working in the Palestinian healthcare sector. Participants were 131 in-service healthcare workers employed in public and private health facilities in Gaza and the West Bank. Analysis of the statistical effects revealed that spiritual well-being was associated with psychological distress and burnout. On the contrary, it did not appear to be strongly associated with trauma symptoms. These findings point up the key role of spiritual well-being in the experience of healthcare professionals operating in contexts of low-intensity warfare.

The “Healthcare workers’ wellbeing [Benessere Operatori]” project is an exploratory longitudinal study assessing healthcare workers’ mental health at three different time points over a 14-month period during the COVID-19 pandemic. We collected socio-demographic and work-related information and assessed the perceived social support, coping strategies, and levels of depression, anxiety, insomnia, anger, burnout, and PTSD symptoms. In total, 325 Italian healthcare workers (i.e. physicians, nurses, other healthcare workers, and clerks) participated in the first initial survey and either the second or third subsequent survey. Participants reported subclinical levels of psychiatric symptoms that remained mostly unchanged across time, except for an increase in stress, depression, state anger, and emotional exhaustion symptoms. Despite subclinical levels, healthcare workers’ distress can adversely affect the quality of care, patient satisfaction, and medical error rates. Therefore, implementing interventions to improve healthcare workers’ wellbeing is required.

Background Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) often causes chemosensory impairment, and olfactory dysfunctions may have negative consequences on psychological distress. This study aimed at assessing which dimension of perceived olfactory disfunctions (i.e., subjective olfactory capability, smell-related problems, or olfactory-related quality of life [QoL]) was most associated with psychological distress in people diagnosed with COVID-19. Methods 364 participants (65 men and 299 women) diagnosed with COVID-19 on average 7 months prior to the beginning of the study were recruited between June 5 and 21, 2021, to take part in an online cross-sectional survey. Participants answered questions on demographics, clinical factors, perceived olfactory functioning, and psychological distress. Hierarchical multiple linear regression analysis was conducted, assessing the role of demographics, clinical factors, and perceived olfactory functioning dimensions on psychological distress. Results More than half of the participants met the cut-off for all perceived olfactory dysfunctions scales and psychological distress. Being women, smoker, with comorbidities, and greater severity of COVID-19 symptoms were associated with higher scores on psychological distress. Among perceived olfactory functioning scales, only impairment in olfaction QoL was associated with psychological distress. Limitations Limitations concerned the cross-sectional nature of the study and the unbalanced sample in terms of gender. Conclusions The study confirmed the core intertwining between mood, perceived QoL, and olfactory functioning, showing how impairments in olfactory processing are strongly correlated with psychological distress through the impact they have on the perceived QoL.

Background: The relationships between problematic smartphone use and psychological factors have been extensively investigated. However, previous studies generally used variable-centered approaches, which hinder an examination of the heterogeneity of smartphone impact on everyday life. Objective: In the present study, we capitalized on latent profile analysis to identify various classes of smartphone owners based on the impact associated with smartphone use (e.g., unregulated usage, preference for smartphone-mediated social relationships) and to compare these classes in terms of established psychological risk factors for problematic smartphone use. Method: We surveyed 934 young adults with validated psychometric questionnaires to assess the impact of smartphones, psychopathological symptoms, self-esteem and impulsivity traits. Results: Smartphone users fall into four latent profiles: users with low smartphone impact, users with average smartphone impact, problematic smartphone users, and users favoring online interactions. Individuals distributed in the problematic smartphone user profile were characterized by heightened psychopathological symptoms (stress, anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive tendencies) and impulsivity traits. Moreover, users who preferred online interactions exhibited the highest symptoms of social anxiety and the lowest levels of self-esteem. Conclusions: These findings further demonstrate the multidimensionality and heterogeneity of the impact of smartphone use, calling for tailored prevention and intervention strategies.

Objective: This is the first study applying Clinimetric Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (CLIPROM) criteria to evaluate the construct validity, sensitivity, and clinical utility of the SCL-90-R in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD). Methods: A Rasch analysis was conducted using a sample of 488 PD outpatients. Results: Testing for dimensionality revealed that less than 5% of t-tests were significant, indicating that the SCL-90-R subscales entailed the property of construct validity. As to the total score, a Person Separation Reliability Index of .96 was found. Conclusions: The SCL-90-R total score is a sensitive screening measure that can be used not only to differentiate healthy stress reactions from symptoms of psychological distress but also to detect PD patients with an increased risk for psychiatric complications. As to the subscales, the brief versions that did not include misfitting items should be used to assess the severity of specific symptoms of psychological distress affecting PD patients.

Background COVID-19 has placed additional stressors on mothers during an already vulnerable lifecourse transition. Initial social distancing restrictions (Timepoint 1; T1) and initial changes to those social distancing restrictions (Timepoint 2; T2) have disrupted postpartum access to practical and emotional support. This qualitative study explores the postpartum psychological experiences of UK women during different phases of the COVID-19 pandemic and associated ‘lockdowns’. Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 women, approximately 30 days after initial social distancing guidelines were imposed in the UK (22 April 2020). A separate 12 women were interviewed approximately 30 days after the initial easing of social distancing restrictions (10 June 2020). Data were transcribed verbatim, uploaded into NVivo for management and analysis, which followed a recurrent cross-sectional approach to thematic analysis. Results Two main themes were identified for T1: ‘Motherhood is Much Like Lockdown’ and ‘A Self-Contained Family Unit’. Each main T1 theme contained two sub-themes. Two main themes were also identified for T2: ‘Incongruously Held Views of COVID-19’ and ‘Mothering Amidst the Pandemic’. Each main T2 theme contained three sub-themes. Comparisons between data gathered at each timepoint identified increased emotional distress over time. Current findings call for the improvement of postpartum care by improving accessibility to social support, and prioritising the re-opening of schools, and face-to-face healthcare appointments and visitation. Conclusion Social distancing restrictions associated with COVID-19 have had a cumulative, negative effect on postpartum mental health. Recommendations such as: Allowing mothers to ‘bubble’ with a primary support provider even at their healthcare appointments; allowing one support partner to attend all necessary healthcare appointments; and providing tailored informational resources, may help to support postpartum emotional wellbeing during this, and similar health crises in the future.

COVID-19 has brought considerable changes and caused critical psychological responses, especially among frail populations. So far, researchers have explored the predictive effect of diverse factors on pandemic-related psychological distress, but none have focused on the impact of prior depression and anxiety symptomatology adopting an extended (10-year) longitudinal design. 105 patients aged over 60, affected by hypertension who participated in a previous longitudinal study were assessed through a follow-up telephone structured interview. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) were used for assessing depression and anxiety symptoms and the psychological impact of COVID-19, respectively. Multiple linear regression analyses were conducted. At the assessment, participants did not report clinically relevant depression, anxiety, and psychological pandemic-related distress symptoms. However, significant mean differences between baseline and current follow-up evaluations for both depression and anxiety were found, reflecting a decrease in symptomatology over time (p β = 1.483, p = .005) significantly predicted the psychological impact of COVID-19 after 10 years. Conversely, their decrease (β = −1.640, p β = −7.274, p = .041) significantly contributed to lower psychological distress scores. Our findings provide insight into the predisposing influence of depressive symptoms on pandemic-related psychological distress ten years later. Preventive interventions and strategies considering these factors are needed to better pre-empt the severe mental consequences of the pandemic.

Balanced levels of Psychological Well-Being (PWB) can represent protective factors for human functioning. PWB has not been investigated among young adolescents who practice binge drinking (BD), a popular pattern of alcohol intake, defined as the consumption of five or more alcoholic units in one session. The negative impact of BD on psychophysical health has been extensively studied, but there is scarcity of studies investigating the influence of psychological variables on BD in early adolescence. The main aim of this study was to fill the gap in the literature, focusing on PWB as a new possible target of preventive interventions. One thousand six hundred and eighty-seven Italian adolescents completed questionnaires assessing BD, cannabis use, lifestyle, allostatic overload, subclinical psychological distress, problem-solving, and PWB. Binge drinkers represented 9% of the sample. Among them, 71%, 26%, and 3% binge drank monthly, weekly, and daily, respectively. Stress (higher frequency of stressful life events), psychological distress (higher hostility), and PWB dimensions (higher scores on positive relations and lower on purpose in life) were associated with BD. These new findings on unbalanced levels of PWB could represent the potential target of longitudinal studies aimed to implement specific preventive interventions among young adolescents. Implications for research and prevention are discussed.

Purpose: Although drunkorexia seems to represent a new form of eating disorder, it shares several features with traditional eating disorders. However, very little is known about the association between drunkorexia and a widely studied correlate of eating disorders, such as psychological distress and about mechanisms underlying this association. The present study aimed to investigate the relation between symptoms of anxiety and depression and drunkorexia, and to explore the role of emotional dysregulation as moderator of this relationship. Methods: The sample was composed of 402 adolescents (222 females, 180 males; range 15–21) who completed self-reported measures: Drunkorexia Motives and Behaviors Scale, which assesses different behaviors and motivations associated with drunkorexia, Emotional dysregulation scale from the Eating Disorder Inventory-3, reflecting difficulties regulating emotions, and Anxiety and Depression scales from the Symptom CheckList-90 Revised, assessing general signs of anxious and depressive symptoms. Results: Anxious symptomatology resulted a significant statistical predictor of drunkorexia behaviors (β =.28, p =.001). Furthermore, emotional dysregulation moderated the relation between anxiety and drunkorexia; specifically, a positive relation was found both at medium levels (β =.22, p =.007) and at higher levels of emotional dysregulation (β =.38, p =.000), whereas at lower levels of emotional dysregulation, this association became nonsignificant. Conclusions: Findings suggest that adolescents who experience both elevated anxiety and emotional dysregulation may be more likely to turn to drunkorexia to reduce their unregulated negative affect in the absence of more adaptive emotion regulation strategies. Implications for intervention and prevention programs are discussed. Level of evidence: Level V, descriptive study.

There has been concern about the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on women’s mental health during the perinatal period. We conducted a cross-sectional web-based study aimed at evaluating the psychological impact (BSI-18) of the COVID-19 pandemic on this population and collecting information on the perinatal experiences (COPE-IS) during the second Italian wave. Overall, 1168 pregnant women, and 940 within the first six months after childbirth, were recruited in selected Italian Family Care Centers from October 2020 to May 2021. The prevalence of psychological distress symptoms during pregnancy was 12.1% and 9.3% in the postnatal group. Financial difficulties, a previous mood or anxiety disorder and lack of perceived social support and of support provided by health professionals were associated to psychological distress symptoms in both groups. A third of the women felt unsupported by their social network; 61.7% of the pregnant women experienced changes in antenatal care; 21.2% of those in the postnatal period gave birth alone; more than 80% of the participants identified access to medical and mental health care and self-help as important resources in the present context. Health services should assure enhanced support to the most vulnerable women who face the perinatal period during the pandemic.

IntroductionItaly is one of the high-income countries hit hardest by Covid-19. During the first months of the pandemic, Italian healthcare workers were praised by media and the public for their efforts to face the emergency, although with limited knowledge and resources. However, healthcare workers soon had to face new challenges at a time when the national health system was working hard to recover. This study focuses on this difficult period to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of Italian healthcare workers.Materials and MethodsHealthcare workers from all Italian regions [n = 5,502] completed an online questionnaire during the reopening phase after the first wave lockdown. We assessed a set of individual-level factors (e.g., stigma and violence against HCWs) and a set of workplace-level factors (e.g., trust in the workplace capacity to handle COVID-19) that were especially relevant in this context. The primary outcomes assessed were score ≥15 on the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and score ≥4 on the General Health Questionnaire-12, indicators of clinically significant depressive symptoms and psychological distress, respectively. Logistic regression analyses were performed on depressive symptoms and psychological distress for each individual- and workplace-level factor adjusting for gender, age, and profession.ResultsClinically significant depressive symptoms were observed in 7.5% and psychological distress in 37.9% of HCWs. 30.5% of healthcare workers reported having felt stigmatized or discriminated, while 5.7% reported having experienced violence. Feeling stigmatized or discriminated and experiencing violence due to being a healthcare worker were strongly associated with clinically significant depressive symptoms [OR 2.98, 95%CI 2.36–3.77 and OR 4.72 95%CI 3.41–6.54] and psychological distress [OR 2.30, 95%CI 2.01–2.64 and OR 2.85 95%CI 2.16–3.75]. Numerous workplace-level factors, e.g., trust in the workplace capacity to handle COVID-19 [OR 2.43, 95%CI 1.92–3.07] and close contact with a co-worker who died of COVID-19 [OR 2.05, 95%CI 1.56–2.70] were also associated with clinically significant depressive symptoms. Similar results were found for psychological distress.ConclusionsOur study emphasizes the need to address discrimination and violence against healthcare professionals and improve healthcare work environments to strengthen the national health system's capacity to manage future emergencies.

International audience; The COVID-19 pandemic introduced changes in people’s lives that affected their mental health. Our study aimed to explore the level of psychological distress in the academic population during the lockdown period and investigate its association with the new working or studying conditions. The study sample included 9364 students and 2159 employees from five Italian universities from the study IO CONTO 2020. We applied linear regression models to investigate the association between home learning or remote working conditions and psychological distress, separately for students and employees. Psychological distress was assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). In both students and employees, higher levels of distress were significantly associated with study/work–family conflicts, concerns about their future careers, and inadequacy of equipment; in employees, higher levels of distress were significantly associated with a lack of clarity on work objectives. Our results are in line with previous research on the impact of spaces and equipment in remote working/studying from home. Moreover, the study contributes to deepening the association between well-being and telework–family conflict, which in the literature is still equivocal. Practical implications require academic governance to promote sustainable environments both in remote and hybrid work conditions, by referring to a specific management by objectives approach.

Background: The mental health of the Italian population declined at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, nationwide population prevalence estimates may not effectively reproduce the heterogeneity in distress responses to the pandemic. In particular, contextual determinants specific to COVID-19 pandemic need to be considered. We thus aimed to explore the association between local COVID-19 mortality rates and mental health response among the general population. Methods: We capitalised on data (N = 17,628) from a large, cross-sectional, national survey, the COMET study, run between March and May 2020. While psychological distress was measured by General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12), the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 Items (DASS-21) was used to assess relevant domains. In addition, a Covid-19 mortality ratio was built to compare single regional mortality rates to the national estimate and official statistics were used to control for other area-level determinants. Results: Adjusted ordered regression analyses showed an association between mortality ratio and moderate (OR = 1.10, 95%CI 1.03-1.18) and severe (OR = 1.11, 95%CI 1.03-1.21) DASS-21 anxiety levels. No effects of mortality ratio on GHQ-12 scores and DASS-21 depression and stress levels, uniformly high across the country, were estimated. Conclusions: Although we could not find any association between regional COVID-19 mortality ratio and depression or psychological distress, anxiety levels were significantly increased among subjects from areas with the highest mortality rates. Local mortality rate seems a meaningful driver for anxiety among the general population. Considering the potentially long-lasting scenario, local public health authorities should provide neighbouring communities with preventive interventions reducing psychological isolation and anxiety levels.

Shame is an intense, difficult to regulate, self-conscious emotion that predicts aspects of poor psychological functioning and is also strongly related to early relationships. Attachment insecurities, which constitute non-specific risk factors for psychological maladjustment, have been associated with an individual’s tendency to experience shame. In this study, we sought to examine the serial mediating roles of dispositional shame and shame-coping styles (i.e., attack other, attack self, withdrawal and avoidance) in the association between anxious and avoidant attachment, and psychological distress. Using a cross-sectional design, self-reported data were collected. The study sample included 978 respondents (57% female) with a mean age of 32.17 ± 13.48 years. The results of the path analysis indicated that both attachment dimensions were sequentially associated with dispositional shame and then with the attack self shame-coping style, which was, in turn, positively related to psychological distress. Further, attachment insecurities were sequentially associated with dispositional shame and then with the avoidance shame-coping style, which was, in turn, negatively related to psychological distress. The model was gender invariant, suggesting that the serial mediation worked in a similar way for men and women. The practical implications of these findings are discussed.

Although a few years have passed since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, a large body of scientific literature is already present on the impact that the worldwide spread of the virus has had on people’s quality of life [...]

Although social distancing measures could be potentially perceived as thwarting conditions for basic psychological needs and thus causing psychological distress, off(on)line social support could compensate for this frustration by providing psychological proximity. Using self-determination theory, in this study, we aimed (a) to evaluate the change of perception in need satisfaction over time (before and during home-confinement and after a month of lockdown) and (b) to test the short-term longitudinal association between off(on)line social support, basic needs, and anxiety during social distancing measures in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. During the lockdown period decreed by Italy in March 2019 to confront the COVID-19 emergency, 1344 participants completed an online questionnaireand 131 participants completed a follow-up after 1 month. Results showed a decrease in need satisfaction during home confinement and a further reduction after a month of lockdown. Cross-sectional path analysis showed that both online and offline social support were associated with higher need satisfaction, which, in turn, was related to a lower level of anxiety. Longitudinal paths also confirmed the association between need satisfaction and anxiety. Collectively, these results suggest that maintaining psychological proximity despite social distancing measures may provide important avenues for reducing negative outcomes during forced home confinement.

Background Euthymia is characterized by the lack of mood disorders, the presence of positive affects, psychological flexibility and well-being, a unifying outlook on life, and resistance to stress. The Euthymia Scale (ES) is a 10-item self-rating clinimetric index assessing euthymia. Objectives The present study was conducted to examine the clinimetric sensitivity and concurrent validity of the Japanese version of the Euthymia Scale (ES-J). Methods A cross-sectional online survey was conducted. The Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview was used to determine the presence of past or current major depressive episodes (MDE). The clinimetric sensitivity was evaluated using the Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). Pearson’s correlation coefficients were performed to examine the concurrent validity of the ES-J. Results A total of 1030 eligible participants completed the survey. The ES-J differentiated healthy subjects from complete remission (i.e., those with a past history of MDE without current MDE) (p, Highlights • The ES-J was a highly sensitive clinimetric index. • The ES-J distinguished healthy subjects from those with past or current major depression. • The ES-J was highly sensitive to sub-threshold symptoms of depression. • The ES-J was a valid screening measure. • The ES-J can be used to detect a kind of vulnerability and risk of relapse.

Few large nationwide studies have investigated the relationship between shiftwork and cognitive performance, and little is known about whether and how psychological distress may impact this relationship. This study aimed to examine: (1) the cross-sectional relationship between shiftwork (yes/no) and some aspects of cognitive performance (declarative memory and executive functioning) and (2) the potential moderating effect of psychological distress among 20,610 community-dwelling adults from the comprehensive cohort of the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA). Differences by sex and retirement status were also explored. Shiftwork was significantly associated with poorer performance for executive functioning (interference condition: ß = 0.47, 95% CI: 0.31 to 0.63; MAT: ß = −0.85, 95% CI: −1.21 to −0.50) but not for declarative memory. Completely and not/partly retired males showed poorer cognitive performance on executive functioning. However, no evidence of a moderating effect by psychological distress was found. Our findings confirm the association between shiftwork and cognitive performance and highlight important health correlates of shiftwork.

Il COVID-19 ha messo a dura prova la popolazione con un impatto rilevante su bambini e adolescenti. Per questi ultimi, nel nostro paese, le ricerche hanno focalizzato l’attenzione sulle conseguenze derivanti dal prolungato distanziamento sociale, evidenziando l’emergere di varie forme di disagio psicologico, mentre a livello mediale la didattica a distanza (DAD) è stata indicata come la causa di questo malessere. Sulla base di tali premesse, l’autore propone una riflessione non tanto sugli adolescenti quanto sul ruolo giocato dagli adulti nello sfruttare (o meno) questo tempo sospeso per interrogarsi su alcune questioni fondamentali che li interpellano quali figure di riferimento autorevoli. L’ipotesi è che si sia persa una occasione a causa della eccessiva cristallizzazione dei discorsi proprio intorno alla DAD. has put the population to test with a relevant impact on children and adolescents. For the latter, in our country, research has focused its attention on the consequences of prolonged social distancing, highlighting the emergence of various forms of psychological distress. At the global level Distance Learning (DL) has been indicated as the cause of this discomfort. On the basis of these premises, the author proposes a reflection not so much on adolescents but on the role played by adults in exploiting (or not) this suspended time in order to question themselves on some fundamental matters linked to them as authoritative reference figures. The hypothesis is that an opportunity has been missed due to the excessive crystallization of discourse around DL.

The detrimental effects of sexism on women’s professional lives are well known. However, what is still under-investigated is whether women would all be affected to the same extent by exposure to sexist manifestations in the workplace, or individual variables, such as ideological standpoints, moderate women’s reactions to such events. We conducted two experimental vignette studies aimed to analyze the relations between sexism and women’s psychological distress. In Study 1, performed with 179 Italian adult women (Mage = 24.17, SD = 9.45), exposure to a hostile sexist message and to a benevolent sexist message fostered participants’ anxiety and depression. The effects of hostile sexist message were significantly stronger than the effects of benevolent sexist message. In Study 2, performed with 514 Italian adult women (Mage = 24.80, SD = 7.30), we confirmed the links above. Moreover, we showed that the individual level of sexism (that had negative associations with the dependent variables) partially buffered them: The effects on anxiety and depression of exposure to a hostile sexist message were stronger among participants with low versus individual levels of hostile sexism. Analogously, the effects of exposure to a benevolent sexist message were stronger among participants with low versus individual levels of benevolent sexism. Strengths, limitations, and possible developments of this research are discussed.

COVID-19 pandemic involved several psychosocial consequences. We aimed at monitoring the mental health of Italian adults during the lockdown imposed by the government. We present here results from the baseline assessment of the "EmotionalThermometer [TermometroEmotivo] project on a sample of 1548 Italian adults. We assessed the socio-demographic conditions of participants, individuals' perception of the COVID-19-situation, psychological distress, emotion regulation strategies, and perceived social support. Having a worse representation of COVID-19 and consulting news more frequently, with higher anxiety and less credibility of different sources of information, were positively associated with psychological distress and post-traumatic responses. Being female, younger age, living in high-risk regions, having symptoms of COVID-19, and having relatives/friends with such symptoms represented risk factors for a worse perception of COVID-19 and distress. Social support and cognitive reappraisal represented protective factors for mental health.

Testicular cancer (TC) is the most frequent solid tumor diagnosed in young adult males. Although it is a curable tumor, it is frequently associated with considerable short-term and long-term morbidity. Both biological and psychological stress experienced during cancer therapy may be responsible for stimulating molecular processes that induce premature aging and deterioration of immune system (immunosenescence) in TC survivors, leading to an increased susceptibility to infections, cancer, and autoimmune diseases. Immunosenescence is a remodeling of immune cell populations with inversion of the CD4:CD8 ratio, accumulation of highly differentiated memory cells, shrinkage of telomeres, shift of T-cell response to Th2 type, and release of pro-inflammatory signals. TC survivors exposed to chemotherapy show features of immunological aging, including an increase in memory T-cells (CD4+ and CD8+) and high expression of the senescence biomarker p16INK4a in CD3+ lymphocytes. However, the plethora of factors involved in the premature aging of TC survivors make the situation more complex if we also take into account the psychological stress and hormonal changes experienced by patients, as well as the high-dose chemotherapy and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation that some individuals may be required to undergo. The relatively young age and the long life expectancy of TC patients bear witness to the importance of improving quality of life and of alleviating long-term side-effects of cancer treatments. Within this context, the present review takes an in-depth look at the molecular mechanisms of immunosenescence, describing experimental evidence of cancer survivor aging and highlighting the interconnected relationship between the many factors modulating the aging of the immune system of TC survivors.

The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between psychological distress and taste and sense of smell dysfunctions on healthcare workers (HCW) who contracted the COVID-19 infection in the midst of the disease outbreak. Reports of sudden loss of taste and smell which persist even after recovery from COVID-19 infection are increasingly recognized as critical symptoms for COVID-19 infections. Therefore, we conducted a cross-sectional study on COVID-19 HCW (N = 104) who adhered to respond to a phone semistructured interview addressing the virus symptoms and associated psychological distress. Data were collected from June to September 2020. Findings confirm the association between experienced taste/olfactory loss and emotional distress and suggest that dysfunctions of taste and smell correlate positively with anxiety and depression. Furthermore, their psychological impact tends to persist even after the recovery from the disease, suggesting the need for appropriate psychological interventions to prevent people from developing more serious or long-lasting psychological disorders and, as far as HCW, to reduce the risk of work-related distress.

In recent years we have witnessed a growing interest in the analysis of social media data under different perspectives, since these online platforms have become the preferred tool for generating and sharing content across different users organized into virtual communities, based on their common interests, needs, and perceptions. In the current study, by considering a collection of social textual contents related to COVID-19 gathered on the Twitter microblogging platform in the period between August and December 2020, we aimed at evaluating the possible effects of some critical factors related to the pandemic on the mental well-being of the population. In particular, we aimed at investigating potential lexicon identifiers of vulnerability to psychological distress in digital social interactions with respect to distinct COVID-related scenarios, which could be “at risk” from a psychological discomfort point of view. Such scenarios have been associated with peculiar topics discussed on Twitter. For this purpose, two approaches based on a “top-down” and a “bottom-up” strategy were adopted. In the top-down approach, three potential scenarios were initially selected by medical experts, and associated with topics extracted from the Twitter dataset in a hybrid unsupervised-supervised way. On the other hand, in the bottom-up approach, three topics were extracted in a totally unsupervised way capitalizing on a Twitter dataset filtered according to the presence of keywords related to vulnerability to psychological distress, and associated with at-risk scenarios. The identification of such scenarios with both approaches made it possible to capture and analyze the potential psychological vulnerability in critical situations.

Background: Recent research postulated that organizational identification plays an important role in employees’ health and well-being. Building on the Social Identity Approach as a framework, we test the so-called social cure hypothesis, according to which group-based processes of social support should reduce employees’ psychological distress. Design and Methods: While there is a considerable amount of cross-sectional evidence concerning the positive role played by organizational identification in this dynamic, there is a lack of full panel studies. This study tries to fill this gap by using data from a sample of technical and administrative staff of a University in Italy at three time points (N = 96). Data were analyzed using Autoregressive Cross-Lagged Panel models. Results: We found support for the hypothesized longitudinal mediational model. Specifically, strongly identified employees tend to receive more social support, and this in turn reduces psychological distress over time. Conclusions: This study is the first test of the social cure hypothesis in an organizational context that uses a panel study design. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications for management.

Purpose of Review We aim to provide quantitative evidence on the psychological impact of epidemic/pandemic outbreaks (i.e., SARS, MERS, COVID-19, ebola, and influenza A) on healthcare workers (HCWs). Recent Findings Forty-four studies are included in this review. Between 11 and 73.4% of HCWs, mainly including physicians, nurses, and auxiliary staff, reported post-traumatic stress symptoms during outbreaks, with symptoms lasting after 1–3 years in 10–40%. Depressive symptoms are reported in 27.5–50.7%, insomnia symptoms in 34–36.1%, and severe anxiety symptoms in 45%. General psychiatric symptoms during outbreaks have a range comprised between 17.3 and 75.3%; high levels of stress related to working are reported in 18.1 to 80.1%. Several individual and work-related features can be considered risk or protective factors, such as personality characteristics, the level of exposure to affected patients, and organizational support. Summary Empirical evidence underlines the need to address the detrimental effects of epidemic/pandemic outbreaks on HCWs’ mental health. Recommendations should include the assessment and promotion of coping strategies and resilience, special attention to frontline HCWs, provision of adequate protective supplies, and organization of online support services. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1007/s11920-020-01166-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Highlights • Psychiatric patients are more vulnerable to psychological impact of COVID-19 outbreak. • Hypovitaminosis D is frequent among patients with affective disorders. • A substantial rate of subjects with mood disorders displayed psychological distress during the pandemic. • Low 25(OH)D levels and Major Depression diagnosis predicted psychological distress severity. • Vitamin D might mediate the response to psychological stress in patients with affective disorders., Background. The COVID-19 pandemic has given rise to stress worldwide, especially in vulnerable people like those suffering from mental illness. This study aims to investigate the psychological distress perceived by a cohort of patients with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) or Bipolar Disorder (BD) after a seven-week period of lockdown measures, and to analyze serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] levels as a potential predictor of distress severity. Methods. Fifty-nine remitted MDD and fifty-three euthymic BD patients were enrolled. An online dedicated survey was administered to obtain lockdown-related information and to evaluate COVID-19 related distress by using the Kessler 10 Psychological Distress Scale (K10). Patients’ medical records were reviewed to collect sociodemographic and clinical data, including serum 25(OH)D levels dosed in the three months preceding the outbreak. A multivariate general linear model was adopted to test the effect of factors of interest on psychological distress. Results. In our sample (n = 112), 29 subjects (25.9 %) reported no likelihood of psychological distress, whereas 35 (31.2 %) and 48 (42.9 %) displayed mild and moderate-to-severe likelihood of psychological distress, respectively. Low serum 25(OH)D levels (p = 0.005) and MDD diagnosis (p = 0.001) specifically predicted the severity of psychological distress. Living alone during the lockdown, a longer duration of illness, and smoking habits were more frequently detected in subjects with COVID-19 related distress. Conclusions. Low serum 25(OH)D levels and MDD diagnosis predicted an increased vulnerability to the stressful impact of the COVID-19 outbreak. Our results suggest that vitamin D may represent a biological factor mediating the psychological response to stress in individuals with affective disorders and provide further insight into tailoring intervention strategies.

Background: Family functioning relies on different factors that are related to the individual characteristics of each member, the social context in which the family nucleus is integrated, and the internal and interpersonal family factors. The Short Version of the Family Assessment Measure-III, Dyadic Adjustment Scale, Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment, Twenty-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support are among the most commonly employed self-report measures for the assessment of family functioning and related factors. Traditionally, these scales have been administered using paper-and-pencil versions. However, with increased access to the Internet, online administration of questionnaires has become more common. The present study aimed to validate an online version of each of the above-mentioned questionnaires in a heterogeneous sample of Italian healthy individuals. Methods: One-hundred participants were recruited for each questionnaire. A crossover design was used in each validation. The minimum important difference (MID) was applied to evaluate the differences in the variances of the paper-and-pencil and online format scores. A MID >0.5 is a reasonable first approximation of a threshold of important change. Taking into account the cross over design, mean difference between pencil-and-paper and online versions, and Intraclass Correlation Coefficient were also estimated by mixed models. Results: The MID was