The benefits of personal strengths in mental health of stressed students: A longitudinal investigation

Do Virtues Influence Well-Being: The Role of Perceived Stress

The positive results of life satisfaction among university students have been well studied in the literature. However, the forecasters of the phenomenon have not been thoroughly investigated. In the current study, multiple models were tested to investigate the mediating role of perceived stress in the relationships between virtues and life satisfaction to fill this gap. When testing the model, the effect of demographic variables was controlled. Data were collected through an online survey from a sample of 235 undergraduates. The participants responded to measures of character strengths, perceived stress, and life satisfaction. The findings reveal that perceived stress partially mediates the relationship between leadership, wisdom and life satisfaction controlling for age and gender. The leadership skills of students can be improved, and age and gender should be considered when studying life satisfaction.

Know and use your personal strengths! A Spanish validation of the strengths knowledge and use scales and their relationship with meaningful work and work-related well-being

Introduction

Research in the field of work and organizational psychology increasingly highlights the role of meaningful work as a protector of well-being at work. This study tests the role of strengths knowledge and use as new pathways through which meaningful work may have a positive effect on work engagement and mental health.

Methods

Study 1 and Study 2 report the validation of the Spanish Strengths Use and Knowledge Scales respectively, with samples of N = 617 (Study 1) and N = 365 (Study 2) employees. Study 3 tests the mediating effects of strengths use and knowledge in a model with different work-related constructs in another sample of N = 798 employees.

Results

Findings from Studies 1 and 2 indicate that the instruments offer adequate evidence of reliability and validity. Results from Study 3 revealed that strengths knowledge is a mediator in the relationship between meaningful work and strengths use. Findings also confirmed the mediating roles of strengths use in the relationship between meaningful work and work engagement, and between meaningful work and mental health.

Discussion

This study highlights the ability to be aware of and apply signature strengths as effective and novel pathways to foster well-being at work through the cultivation of meaningful work.

Character strengths sustain mental health and post-traumatic growth during the COVID-19 pandemic. A longitudinal analysis

OBJECTIVE

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought negative and positive changes in the general population, with some people experiencing post-traumatic growth after the first wave. Little research has focused, however, on personal factors potentially helping individuals cope with COVID-related difficulties. This study investigates the relations between character strengths, mental health, and post-traumatic growth.

DESIGN

Longitudinal (T1: April 2020; T2: December 2020-January 2021).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

254 Italian adults (54 males; mean age = 36.05, SD = 14.04) completed questionnaires on character and mental health at T1, and on mental health and post-traumatic growth at T2.

RESULTS

General mental health was worse at T2 than at T1. Structural equation modelling showed that character, as a whole, had a significant direct effect on post-traumatic growth and mental health at T2, and an indirect effect mediated by post-traumatic growth. Furthermore, regression analyses evidenced that the virtue of transcendence was uniquely related to mental health at T2, while humanity was specifically associated with post-traumatic growth (after accounting for the other virtues).

CONCLUSION

Individuals' character strengths related to their mental health and post-traumatic growth during the COVID-19 pandemic, with evidence of post-traumatic growth mediating the relation between character and mental health.

Life satisfaction and the mediating role of character strengths and gains in informal caregivers

WHAT IS KNOWN ON THE SUBJECT?: The role of informal caregiver can have both negative and positive consequences for a person's well-being. The main theoretical framework for explaining these consequences is the stress process model, which considers contextual variables, stressors and mediating/moderating factors. The latter are psychosocial factors such as coping strategies, personal mastery, social support or beliefs and values which may influence caregiver well-being. The perception of gains in caregiving has also been proposed as a mediating variable since it may act as a coping strategy. However, few studies have examined values and perceived gains as mediating variables with life satisfaction as the outcome. WHAT THE PAPER ADDS TO EXISTING KNOWLEDGE?: This study explores the role of character strengths and caregiver gains as mediators between stressors and life satisfaction in informal caregivers of persons with dementia. The results identify hope as a key character strength, its lack being one pathway through which stress may lead to low life satisfaction and low perceived gains from caregiving. WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE?: Caregivers who experience a lack of hope may be less able to generate goals and be less motivated to achieve them. Our findings are relevant to gerontological nursing based on the Senses Framework as they confirm the importance of the senses of purpose and achievement. Nursing and care staff can play an active role in helping informal caregivers to meet their goals by promoting these two senses, thereby fostering a more positive caregiving experience. ABSTRACT: Introduction Being an informal caregiver can have both negative and positive consequences for well-being. Within the framework of the stress process model, few studies have examined values and perceived gains of caregiving as mediating variables of life satisfaction. Aim To explore the role of character strengths and perceived gains as mediators in the association between life satisfaction and primary and secondary stressors in informal caregivers of persons with dementia. Method Participants were 112 informal caregivers. Hierarchical regression, correlation and mediation analyses were performed. Results Lower life satisfaction was associated with being female, unmarried, caring for someone with greater cognitive impairment, a higher level of stress, having restricted leisure time and perceiving financial difficulties. Hope mediated the associations between perceived stress and both life satisfaction and perceived gains of caregiving. Discussion Hope is a key strength and its lack is one pathway through which stress may cause low satisfaction and low perceived gains from caregiving. Implications for practice Without hope, it is difficult for caregivers to generate goals and be motivated to achieve them. Nursing and care staff should aim to promote a sense of purpose and achievement among informal caregivers so as to foster a more positive caring experience.

The mediating role of psychological capital in relations between spiritual well-being and mental health among nursing students

BACKGROUND

Nursing students face mental and emotional issues due to the nature of their profession. The role of protective factors such as psychological capital and spiritual well-being is vital in improving mental health. This study investigated the mediating role of psychological capital as a mediator in the relationships between spiritual well-being and mental health in Iran.

METHODS

The present study was descriptive, cross-sectional research conducted on 426 undergraduate nursing students within a four-year educational program in Iran from July to December 2021. The participants were selected via convenience sampling. This research used psychological capital scale, spiritual well-being, and general health questionnaire. The collected data were then analyzed using descriptive tests, Pearson correlation, and a structural equation model.

RESULTS

Spiritual well-being positively affects mental health and psychological capital. Psychological capital also is positively related to mental health. Psychological capital partially mediated the effect of spiritual well-being on mental health.

CONCLUSION

According to the results, High level of spiritual well-being can improve nursing students' mental health and the relationship is partially mediated Psychological capital. Therefore, psychological capital is an important factor in improving nursing students' mental health.

Age Difference in Roles of Perceived Social Support and Psychological Capital on Mental Health During COVID-19

Due to the outbreak of the Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and consequent confinement measures, young people are vulnerable to mental health problems. The current study compared a group of 440 young adolescents (10-12 years) and a group of 330 emerging adults (18-25 years) to investigate the extent to which perceived social support and psychological capital (PsyCap) were differentially associated with mental health problems. Participants were asked to report their current psychosocial adaptation status during the COVID-19 pandemic, and data were collected via online questionnaires during a relatively severe period of COVID-19 in China. Results of the multi-group path analysis indicated that the effect of perceived social support on mental health problems was mediated by PsyCap for young adolescents, but not for emerging adults. These results were discussed with respect to the mechanism of how social support and PsyCap serve as protective mental health factors for youth in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Adaptation and Preliminary Validation of a Positive Psychology Assessment Tool: Character Strengths Semantic Differential Scale

Character strengths are a protective factor against psychological symptoms. However, there is a lack of research that has investigated the psychometric properties of abbreviated character strengths scales. The purpose of this study was to adapt and validate the Character Strengths Semantic Differential Scale (CS-SDS) with a sample of 235 college students. Using the back-translation method, the CS-SDS was translated from English into Turkish and then adapted. Next, exploratory factor analysis was conducted to determine the factorial structure of the Turkish version of CS-SDS (T-CS-SDS). The results indicated that the T-CS-SDS had a four-factor structure, namely, leadership, humanity, wisdom, and vitality. Significant moderate correlations were found for the character strengths factors with perceived stress, depression, and life satisfaction. Cronbach’s alpha coefficients for the factors were above .70. This is the first study that supported the use of the T-CS-SDS as a positive psychology assessment tool to design and implement innovative interventions to increase the well-being of college students.

The relationship between psychological capital and mental health during the Covid-19 pandemic: A longitudinal mediation model

The new Coronavirus has impacted people's lifestyles, stress, and well-being. Thus, they need personal positive resources to help them during challenging circumstances. With this longitudinal study on 290 participants, we analyzed the relationship between psychological capital (PsyCap), measured at the beginning of the lockdown period and some indicators of mental health (depression, anxiety, satisfaction with life) measured after 2 months. Moreover, we examined whether stress (at Time 2) mediates the relationships. Following structural equation modeling (SEM) analyses, the results show that PsyCap has a significant positive effect on satisfaction with life and significant negative effects on depression and anxiety. Stress mediated all the relationships.

"Andrà tutto bene": Associations Between Character Strengths, Psychological Distress and Self-efficacy During Covid-19 Lockdown

The Covid-19 pandemic obliged people around the world to stay home and self-isolate, with a number of negative psychological consequences. This study focuses on the protective role of character strengths in sustaining mental health and self-efficacy during lockdown. Data were collected from 944 Italian respondents (mean age = 37.24 years, SD = 14.50) by means of an online survey investigating character strengths, psychological distress and Covid-19-related self-efficacy one month after lockdown began. Using principal component analysis, four strengths factors were extracted, namely transcendence, interpersonal, openness and restraint. Regression models with second-order factors showed that transcendence strengths had a strong inverse association with psychological distress, and a positive association with self-efficacy. Regression models with single strengths identified hope, zest, prudence, love and forgiveness as the strengths most associated with distress, love and zest as the most related to self-efficacy and zest to general mental health. Openness factor and appreciation of beauty showed an unexpected direct relation with psychological distress. These results provide original evidence of the association of character strengths, and transcendence strengths in particular, with mental health and self-efficacy in a pandemic and are discussed within the field of positive psychology.

Developing a Computerized Adaptive Test to Assess Stress in Chinese College Students

Stress is among the most prevalent problems in life; thus, measurement of stress is of great importance for disease prevention and evaluation. This work aims to develop a computerized adaptive test (CAT) application to measure stress (CAT-S) based on item response theory (IRT). Two types of analyses were performed. The first analysis was to meet the psychometric requirements of the CAT-S. A Paper and Pencil (P&P) test involving 226 items was developed based on eight stress-related scales, and 972 Chinese college students completed the test. The first seven scales were used to build the item bank, and the last scale (i.e., the Perceived Stress Scale, PSS) was used to determine the convergent validity of the CAT-S. With some statistical considerations, such as item fit, discrimination, differential item functioning (DIF), and the assumption of unidimensionality, the final item bank comprised 93 items. The second analysis was to simulate the CAT adaptively using the existing item response. A Bayesian method called Expected a Posterior method (EAP) was used to estimate θ. For the item selection strategy, the greatest item information was considered at each step. The stopping rule was determined by the fixed length (10, 11, 12, …, 20, and 93) or the prespecified level of measurement precision (standard errors of 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, 0.6, 0.7, and 0.8). Finally, the criterion validity was tested by using PSS as a criterion and analyzing the effect of CAT-S diagnosis with a receiver operating curve (ROC). The results showed that (1) the final stress item bank had good quality based on the psychometric evaluation, (2) the CAT-scores were highly correlated with the scores of the final item bank, (3) the scores of the P&P form of PSS were correlated with those of the CAT-S (r > 0.5), (4) the value of the area under the ROC curve (AUC) was greater than 0.7 under each stopping rule, and (5) the CAT-S needed only a small number of items to obtain a highly precise measure of stress. Therefore, the CAT-S presented the theoretically expected advantages, which enabled a rapid, accurate, and efficient dynamic and intelligent measurement of stress.

Short-Term Effects of a Multidimensional Stress Prevention Program on Quality of Life, Well-Being and Psychological Resources. A Randomized Controlled Trial

It is well-documented that university students have an increased risk in developing psychological problems because they face multiple stressors. Cognitive, behavioral, and mindfulness-based stress prevention programs were shown to reduce symptoms of anxiety, depression, and perceived stress in university students. However, little is known of their effect on resource activation. Additionally, most validated interventions are unidimensional, i.e., including one stress-coping approach. In this study, we investigated the short-term effects of a multidimensional stress prevention program on students' quality of life, psychological symptoms and resources, and resilience factors against stress. Using an experimental design, 64 healthy undergraduate students (56 women), between 18 and 34 years old (M = 21.34, SD = 2.53), from the University of Fribourg, Switzerland, were randomly allocated either to the intervention or the wait-list control group. The intervention group participated in a multidimensional stress prevention program, integrating mindfulness-based activities, cognitive and behavioral strategies, social skills, and emotional regulation exercises. The program consisted of eight 2-h weekly sessions. Before and after the intervention, participants completed self-reported questionnaires evaluating quality of life; psychological symptoms such as depression, anxiety, social anxiety, and interpersonal problems; as well as psychological resources like self-efficacy, sense of coherence, self-compassion, and social support, presented online. A standardized clinical interview was performed at pre- and post-measurement times. To analyze the sort-term effects of the program, we used mixed, two-factorial ANOVAs (per-protocol analyses). In accordance with our hypotheses, our results showed significant reduction of psychological symptoms, including anxiety, interpersonal problems, and symptoms of pain; a significant increase in quality of life, sense of coherence, and self-compassion in students who participated in the intervention program compared to the control group, (all p < 0.05). No significant results were found for symptoms of depression, social anxiety, self-efficacy, and social support. These preliminary findings indicate specific short-term effects of our multidimensional stress prevention program on psychological symptoms and on quality of life as well as promising effects on psychological resources and factors associated with resilience against stress. Future studies should investigate the long-term effects of the intervention as well as the effects in clinical samples.

Latent profile analysis of the three-dimensional model of character strengths to distinguish at-strengths and at-risk populations

PURPOSE

Studies that focus on the development of the typology of individual strength profiles are limited. Thus, this study aimed to determine strength profiles with different health outcomes based on the Three-Dimensional Inventory of Character Strengths (TICS).

METHODS

The TICS was used to measure three-dimensional strengths: caring, inquisitiveness, and self-control. A total of 3536 community participants (1322 males and 2214 females with ages ranging from 17 to 50, M = 23.96, SD = 5.13) completed the TICS. A subsample (n = 853; female = 68.2%, male = 31.8%) was further required to complete the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale and Flourishing Scale. A latent profile analysis (LPA) was conducted in the total sample to identify the latent strength profiles. Then, a three-step method was implemented to compare the mental health outcomes between strength profiles in the subsample.

RESULTS

The LPA helped determine two subgroups based on the entire sample: the at-strengths group (high scores on all dimensions) and the at-risk group (low scores on all dimensions). As expected, the at-strengths group had less significant negative emotional symptoms (at-strengths group = 0.57, at-risk group = 0.83, χ² = 33.54, p < .001) and had better psychological well-being (at-strengths group = 5.81, at-risk group = 4.64, χ² = 276.64, p < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

This study identified two character strength profiles with different health outcomes. Specifically, populations with low-character strengths (caring, inquisitiveness, and self-control) were more likely to demonstrate poor mental health outcomes. Our findings also showed that a particular trait subtype can be considered in identifying high-risk populations and further implementing targeted strength-based interventions.

Evaluation of the relationships among happiness, stress, anxiety, and depression in pharmacy students

INTRODUCTION

To present the results of a survey on stress, anxiety, depression, subjective happiness, and academic satisfaction among pharmacy students.

METHODS

A total of 410 pharmacy students, were included. Sociodemographic characteristics, stress, anxiety and depressive symptoms, and happiness were evaluated using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and Subjective Happiness Scale (SHS), in May 2015.

RESULTS

First and second year student's (n = 200) presented higher levels of academic satisfaction (p = 0.003) and lower levels of stress (p < 0.001), anxiety (p = 0.011) and depression (p = 0.010) than third and fourth year students (n = 210). Academic satisfaction, HADS, and the PSS explained 36.7% of the students' happiness.

CONCLUSIONS

The student's psychological distress, academic satisfaction, and happiness varies through the school years. Monitoring a probable cumulative effect during pharmacy school may contribute to identify students at risk.

Flourishing: An Evolutionary Concept Analysis

PURPOSE

Mental health is an important measure of public health (WHO, 2004); however, nursing practice and research continues to prioritize mental illness, rather than well-being (Wand, 2011). Flourishing is a recent concept in the field of well-being. The term has been used sparingly in nursing practice and research, and conceptual clarification is needed to promote comprehensive understanding of the phenomenon. The purpose of this study is to critically analyze flourishing, assess the maturity of the concept, and provide recommendations for future research, education, and practice.

METHOD

The concept of flourishing was analyzed using the evolutionary approach to concept analysis (Rodgers, 2000). A search for articles on flourishing within the context of well-being was conducted through CINAHL, MEDLINE, and PsycINFO. A sample of 32 articles and 1 book was reviewed. Data were reviewed for concept attributes, antecedents, consequences, surrogate terms and related concepts.

FINDINGS

Four models of flourishing were identified with six overlapping attributes: meaning, positive relationships, engagement, competence, positive emotion, and self-esteem. Limited longitudinal and predictive studies have been conducted, but there is evidence for several antecedents and outcomes of flourishing. Research is ongoing primarily in psychology and sociology and is lacking in other disciplines.

DISCUSSION

The concept of flourishing is immature; however, evidence is building for related concepts. A lack of consistent terminology regarding flourishing prevents knowledge development of flourishing as a distinct concept. Further multidisciplinary research is needed to establish standard operational and conceptual definitions and develop effective interventions.

Validation of a Chinese version of the stress overload scale-short and its use as a screening tool for mental health status

PURPOSE

Although stress emerges when environmental demands exceed personal resources, existing measurement methods for stress focus only on one aspect. The newly-developed Short Stress Overload Scale (SOS-S) assesses the extent of stress by assessing both event load (i.e., environmental demands) and personal vulnerability (i.e., personal resources). The present study was designed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of Stress Overload Scale-Short (SOS-SC), and further examine its roles in screening mental health status.

METHODS

A total of 1364 participants were recruited from communities and colleges for scale validation.

RESULTS

Reliabilities were good throughout the subsamples (ω > 0.80). Confirmatory factor analysis indicated the acceptable goodness-of-fit for the two-factor correlated model (Sample 1: 560 community residents). Multi-group confirmatory factor analysis confirmed measurement invariance across community residents (Sample 1) and college students (Sample 2 and Sample 3). Criterion validity and convergent validity were established (Sample 2: 554 college students). Latent moderated structural equations demonstrated that the relationship between SOS-SC and depression is moderated by social support (Sample 2), further validating the SOS-SC. In addition, the SOS-SC effectively screened individuals in a population at different levels of mental health status (i.e., "at risk" vs. "at low risk" for depression symptoms and/or wellbeing).

CONCLUSION

The SOS-SC exhibits acceptable psychometric properties in the Chinese context. That said, the two aspects of stress can be differentiated by the Chinese context, therefore, the SOS-SC can be used to measure stress and screen mental health status among the Chinese population, and monitor and evaluate health-promoting interventions.

Character strengths, social anxiety, and physiological stress reactivity

In this paper, the effects of character strengths on the physiological reactivity to social anxiety induced by the Trier Social Stress Task were reported. On the basis of their scores in the Chinese Virtues Questionnaire, 30 college students were assigned to either high- (n = 15) or low-character-strength (n = 15) groups. Their psychological stress and physiological data across three laboratory stages (namely, baseline, stress exposure, and post-stress) were collected. Results indicated that individuals with high character strengths exhibited rapid cardiovascular recovery from baseline to post-stress even if high- and low-character-strength groups showed similar patterns of cardiovascular arousal in response to the stress at baseline and stress exposure. These results prove that character strengths are stress-defense factors that allow for psychological and physiological adaptation to stress.

Development and initial validation of a short three-dimensional inventory of character strengths

PURPOSE

Character strength is described as a positive and organized pattern of emotions, thoughts, and behaviors. It serves as a schema that organizes categories of information toward the self, others, and the world, and provides the self-aware knowledge that facilitates the pursuit of goals, values, and ethical principles. Recent research has suggested that three reliable factors emerge from the measures of character strengths: caring, inquisitiveness, and self-control. The goal of this paper is to develop a psychometrically sound short measure of character strength.

METHODS

The questions were addressed in two studies using two independent samples: a cross-cultural (i.e., 518 Asians and 556 Westerners) sample, and a cross-population (i.e., 175 community participants and 171 inpatients) sample in China.

RESULTS

Findings from the exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis suggested a cross-cultural three-factor model of character strength that could be measured by the Three-dimensional Inventory of Character Strengths (TICS). A multigroup confirmatory factor analysis further indicated that the number of factors and factor loadings was invariant in the medical and community samples. This result indicated that the brief inventory could be applied to a medical context. Internal reliability, content validity, and predictive validity were good, although the predictive validity of the three character strengths for psychological symptoms in the medical sample was more modest than that in the community sample.

CONCLUSIONS

TICS is expected to be used for screening populations at risk, and a tool to aid mental health professionals in group-based treatment/intervention planning. It also should be noted that this short inventory should be used with caution for individual decision making.

Protective Effect of Self-Compassion to Emotional Response among Students with Chronic Academic Stress

The literature has shown that self-compassion is a protective factor of an individual's emotional response to chronic stress. However, this stress-buffering effect has not been completely analyzed in individuals who report significantly high academic stress. The present study explored the role of self-compassion in a group of undergraduate students who experience chronic academic stress. A total of 208 undergraduate students who were preparing for the Postgraduate Entrance Examination (PEE) were recruited and completed the Self-Compassion Scale, Adolescent Self-Rating Life Event Check List, and Positive and Negative Affect Schedule. Differences analysis confirmed that the participants reported significantly higher academic stress than their peers who were not preparing for PEE. Self-compassion positively related to positive affect but negatively related to negative affect and learning stress. Further analysis showed that self-compassion negatively mediated the relationship between chronic academic stress and negative affect. Findings imply that self-compassion-centered interventions can be developed in the educational context to assist students cope with chronic academic stress.