Development and validation of the conservation of resources scale for COVID-19 in the Chinese adult general population

COR and CORONA: analysis of COVID-19's subjective lasting impact on wellbeing, employing conservation of resources theory

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic had widespread impact, with evidence indicating lasting effects on wellbeing. This study aims to examine enduring impacts through individual narratives, using Conservation of Resources (COR) theory that serves for studying crises.

METHODS

Analysis of narratives from 1148 responses to an open-ended question about pandemic's lasting effects, using qualitative and quantitative methods within COR theory framework including thematic analysis, Elastic Net Regression, word cloud visualization and sociodemographic analysis.

RESULTS

About 42% of respondents reported lasting effects, with almost equal distribution between 'Loss' and 'Gain' groups, and 7% reporting mixed experiences. COR resources manifested as: work-finance and social bonds showed both disruption and strengthening; mental health, physical health and protective habits characterized loss narratives. Gain narratives were predominantly characterized by renewed perspective and personalized time investment. Women reported more physical health impacts. Resource combinations exemplified resource caravans. 'Mixed' group revealed complex balance of loss-gain dynamics. Work-life balance emerged as a sustained valued asset. The findings align with COR theory principles.

CONCLUSION

Three years post-pandemic onset, while lasting losses persist, narratives indicate shifting dynamics toward gains, predominantly reflecting transformed perspectives. Findings enhance COR theory in pandemic context and inform policy by highlighting emotional toll management and work-life balance preservation.

Occupational burnout during war: The role of stress, disruptions in routine, sleep, work-family conflict, and organizational support as a moderator

BACKGROUND

Occupational burnout, resulting from long-term exposure to work-related stressors, is a significant risk factor for both physical and mental health of employees. Most research on burnout focuses on routine situations, with less attention given to its causes and manifestations during prolonged national crises such as war. According to the Conservation of Resources theory, wartime conditions are associated with a loss of resources, leading to accelerated burnout. This study aimed to examine burnout among employees during the war in Israel that broke out in October 2023, placing the population nationwide in a state of existential threat and functional crisis. The researchers hypothesized that Stress, work-to-family conflict, family-to-work conflict, sleep disruption, and routine disruption (H1-H5) would be positively associated with occupational burnout. In addition, the study examined whether organizational strategies, such as flexibility and volunteering, would be negatively associated with burnout (H6) and whether they would moderate the relationship between work-family conflict and burnout during wartime (H7).

METHODS

The study involved 374 employees recruited through social networks via a snowball sampling method during the war. Participants completed a questionnaire assessing demographic details, burnout, stress, routine disruptions, work family conflict (work-to-family and family-to-work conflict), sleep disturbances, and organizational support measures. Hierarchical linear regression and Pearson correlation were utilized to model the outcome variable of occupational burnout and Process Model 1 was utilized for the moderation hypothesis.

RESULTS

Findings revealed a notable level of burnout during wartime (M = 3.95, SD = 1.15). Routine disruptions, work-to-family conflict, and sleep disturbances significantly contributed to burnout beyond stress levels, thus hypotheses H1 to H5 were partly supported. Additionally, the organizational resource variable of offering volunteering opportunities was associated with lower burnout levels and moderated the relationship between work-to-family conflict and burnout, thus partially supporting hypotheses H6 and H7.

CONCLUSION

The findings enhance the understanding of burnout during prolonged crises like war, highlighting the importance of maintaining routine as a key resource for order and control. They also emphasize the role of organizational volunteering in preventing burnout. The theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Loss of resources and gambling during the COVID-19 pandemic: a three-wave longitudinal study

This study is based on the Conservation of Resources theory and investigates the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and associated resource loss on gambling behaviour among Polish gamblers. The study surveyed 585 individuals engaged in land-based gambling before the pandemic. Participants completed computer-assisted web interviews, responding to questions regarding land-based and online gambling frequencies, the Problem Gambling Severity Index, and the Inventory of Loss of Resources in Pandemics. The findings revealed significant shifts in gambling behaviour due to pandemic-related restrictions. Land-based gambling declined during lockdowns and the third wave of the study, while online gambling surged as gamblers transitioned from land-based venues. Gamblers tended to return to land-based options as restrictions eased. Over consecutive waves, participants reported decreasing resource loss levels. Significantly, resource loss was influenced by gambling frequency rather than vice versa. Both types of gambling experienced parallel declines at the beginning of the pandemic, which subsided as the new situation became normalised. Players engaging more in gambling experienced more significant resource losses during the pandemic. Those with more resources at the pandemic's onset adapted more readily, whereas individuals with limited resources faced resource loss. Conclusions Even with stable gambling levels, heavy gamblers at baseline were at higher risk for issues. The dynamics between resource loss and gambling and problem gambling supported the resource loss spiral concept.

COVID-19 Symptoms and Mental Health Outcomes among Italian Healthcare Workers: A Latent Class Analysis

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to long-lasting consequences for workers leading to what has been termed a "psychological pandemic". Some categories, such as healthcare workers (HCWs), are considered high risk due to factors such as increased exposure and stressful working conditions. In this study, we investigate whether levels of posttraumatic stress symptoms and COVID-19-related fear (IES-6 and PSI-4) are associated with illness severity in a sample of 318 infected HCWs in Italy. To investigate the presence of different profiles of COVID-19 severity, Latent Class Analysis (LCA) was performed based on 11 symptoms. Differences in the IES-6 and PSI-4 scores across the latent classes were compared using the non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis (KW) test with Dunn's multiple comparison post hoc testing. Our analyses show that the LCA identified three classes of symptoms, reflecting no/low, mild and severe symptoms. The classes include vomiting, confusion, conjunctivitis, diarrhea, dyspnea, headache, ageusia, fever, anosmia, osteo muscle articular pain and asthenia. We found that HCWs who experienced more intense symptoms reported significantly higher IES-6 and PSI-4 scores. Moreover, we found gender-related differences in IES-6 and PSI-4 scores as females exhibited higher levels than males. Indeed, these findings are useful for developing health prevention and emergency management programs.

Hidden work, frustration and multiple layers of occupational health in emergency situations: a longitudinal study during the COVID-19 pandemic

This study examines the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic over time. Specifically, we derive from the organizational model of frustration to propose and test a model of pandemic-induced hidden work affecting employees' emotional responses of frustration along with behavioral responses and outcomes with respect to occupational health. We thereby develop a concept of multiple layers of occupational health that spans across stress, satisfaction with work-life balance (SWLB), burnout, subjective well-being, and physical health. Based on a longitudinal web-based survey of 198 working professionals conducted at seven points in time (1,143 data points, with 118 fully completed responses across all time points) for a wide range of industries in 2020, the study tests the proposed relationships using random coefficient modeling. The results show that COVID-19-situation-induced hidden work invokes emotional responses of frustration, which in turn influence outcomes referring to multiple layers of occupational health-positively affecting stress and burnout, and negatively influencing SWLB, subjective well-being, and physical health. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

Illness representation of COVID-19 affected public's support and anticipated panic regarding the living with the virus policy: a cross-sectional study in a Chinese general population

Background

There is a global trend for countries to adopt the Living with the Virus (LWV) policy regarding COVID-19. Little is known about the public's supportiveness and emotional responses (e.g., anticipated panic) related to this policy. Such responses may be associated with illness representations of COVID-19 (i.e., how people think and feel about COVID-19). This novel topic was investigated in this study to facilitate policy-making and health communication.

Methods

A random, population-based telephone survey interviewed 500 adults aged ≥18 of the Hong Kong general adult population from March to April 2022.

Results

The prevalence of the public's support and anticipated panic regarding the LWV policy, which were negatively correlated with each other, was 39.6 and 24.2%, respectively. The illness representation constructs of consequences, timeline, identity, illness concern, and emotional representations were negatively associated with supportiveness and positively associated with anticipated panic regarding the LWV policy. Illness coherence was significantly associated with policy support but not with anticipated panic. The associations between personal control/treatment control and supportiveness/anticipated panic were statistically non-significant. Moderation analyses showed that the above significant associations were invariant between those with and without previous COVID-19 infection.

Conclusion

Policymakers need to be sensitized about the public's supportive/unsupportive attitude and potential worry (panic) when adopting the LWV policy. Such attitudes/emotional responses may be affected by people's illness representations of COVID-19. In general, those who found COVID-19 involving a milder nature and less negative emotions would be more supportive and anticipated less panic under the LWV policy.

The effect of resource loss on depression and peritraumatic distress during the early period of the COVID-19: considering the pandemic-situational and social context

BACKGROUND

The public experienced loss of resources, including their health and property during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Conservation of Resources (COR) theory is a useful tool to explain the effect of resource loss on mental health. This paper examines the effect of resource loss on depression and peritraumatic distress considering the situational and social context of the COVID-19 pandemic applying COR theory.

METHODS

An online survey was conducted for Gyeonggi residents when the second wave of COVID-19 in South Korea declined (5 October to 13 October 2020); 2,548 subjects were included in the hierarchical linear regression analysis.

RESULTS

COVID-19 infection-related experiences, resource losses (e.g., financial burden, deterioration of health, and decline of self-esteem), and fear of stigma were related to elevated levels of peritraumatic distress and depression. Risk perception was associated with peritraumatic distress. Reduced income or job loss were related to depression. Social support was a protective factor for mental health.

CONCLUSIONS

This study suggests that we need to focus on COVID-19 infection-related experiences and loss of daily resources in order to understand mental health deterioration during the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, it is important to monitor the mental health of medically and socially vulnerable groups and those who have lost resources due to the pandemic and to provide them with social support services.

The interrelations between psychological outcome trajectories and resource changes amid large-scale disasters: A growth mixture modeling analysis

Currently little is known about the interrelations between changes in psychiatric symptoms and changes in resources (personal, social, financial) amid large-scale disasters. This study investigated trajectories of psychiatric symptoms and their relationships with different patterns of changes in personal, social, and financial resources between 2020 and 2022 amid the COVID-19 pandemic. A population-representative sample (N = 1333) was recruited to complete self-report instruments at the pandemic's acute phase (February-July 2020, T1), and again at 1-year (March-August 2021, T2) and 1.5-year (September 2021-February 2022, T3) follow-ups. Respondents reported depressive and anxiety symptoms, self-efficacy, perceived social support, and financial capacity. Growth mixture modeling (GMM) identified four trajectories of depressive and anxiety symptoms: resilience (72.39-74.19%), recovery (8.40-11.93%), delayed distress (7.20-7.35%), and chronic distress (8.33-10.20%). Four patterns were demonstrated in resource changes: persistent high resources (40.89-47.64%), resource gain (12.08-15.60%), resource loss (6.30-10.43%), and persistent low resources (28.73-36.61%). Loss and gain in financial resources characterized chronic distress and resilience, respectively. Loss in personal resources characterized delayed distress, whereas loss or no gain in social resources was related to chronic/delayed distress. Respondents in resilience were also more likely to have persistent high resources while those with delayed/chronic distress were more likely to have persistent low resources. These results provide an initial evidence base for advancing current understanding on trajectories of resilience and psychopathology in the context of resource changes during and after large-scale disasters.

Co-worker support and community of practice: the role of concern for team member and preference for teamwork

Purpose

The aim of this article is to empirically investigate the effect of co-worker support on communities of practice with a sequential mediating effect of concern for team members and preference for teamwork.

Design/methodology/approach

The data of 216 were gathered from respondents employed as full-time personnel in public and private sector organizations in India using a survey questionnaire. Confirmatory factor analysis, structured equation modelling and regression analysis were applied to test the formulated hypothesis. Hayes PROCESS macro model was also used to estimate the indirect effects with bootstrap resamples.

Findings

The study's findings revealed the mediating effect of concern for team members and preference for teamwork on the relationship between co-worker support and communities of practice in a sequential manner. The total and direct consequence of co-worker support on communities of practice was also substantial.

Originality/value

This article offers an understanding of the process through which co-worker support is related to communities of practice. This study is the first of its type, basically in the Indian context to the best of the authors’ knowledge.

Out of Sight, Out of Mind? A Longitudinal Investigation of Smart Working and Burnout in the Context of the Job Demands–Resources Model during the COVID-19 Pandemic

The academic interest in smart working, a form of flexible work characterized by the use of technology to conduct one’s work, has dramatically increased over recent years, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Building on the job demands–resources (JD-R) model, in this study we investigate whether smart working affects the longitudinal association between perceived work characteristics, such as workload and social support (SS), and workers’ health and well-being, in terms of exhaustion. Overall, 185 workers completed a self-report questionnaire at two time points (four-month time-lag) during the COVID-19 outbreak. The results from moderated multiple regression analysis partially support our predictions. The longitudinal association between workload and exhaustion was positive—although marginally significant—for smart workers, but nonsignificant for in-person workers. Contrarily, the longitudinal association between SS and exhaustion was negative for in-person workers, but nonsignificant for smart workers. Overall, this study suggests that, to support employees’ health and productivity, work characteristics—both physical and psychosocial—should fit the new way of working as well as remote workers’ specific needs and expectations. Hence, to promote sustainable work, interventions should be aimed at helping smart workers to manage their workload effectively, as well as reducing professional and social isolation.

"Furry tales": pet ownership's influence on subjective well-being during Covid-19 times

The social distancing required during Covid-19 times tended to make people feel lonelier than usual. Those with pets might, however, have experienced this less, because pets are known for fostering their owners’ subjective well-being. Building on a recently published structural equation model, our study enhances the understanding of subjective well-being by including the construct social distancing during Covid-19 times. In order to answer our research question—How does human-pet relationship need support influence subjective well-being by considering social isolation during Covid-19 times?—we build on the basic needs theory, assuming that humans as well as their pets have an inherent need of autonomy, relatedness, and competence. Using a multivariate data analysis method, namely partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM), we establish a path model and examine the relationship between human-pet relationship need support and subjective well-being by including psychological distress and social isolation during Covid-19 times as mediators. We operationalize subjective well-being as a three-dimensional construct consisting of positive affect, happiness, and life satisfaction. In a sample of 215 pet owners in the USA, supporting their need increases subjective well-being, and decreases the psychological distress and loneliness caused by social isolation during Covid-19 times. Furthermore, psychological distress decreases subjective well-being, whereas perceived loneliness during Covid-19 times does not. Our main contributions are to not only enhance our knowledge on the importance of human-pet relationships in critical times, but also to provide policy makers with insights into what influences people’s subjective well-being, which is closely related to their psychological health.