Family functioning and mental wellbeing impairment during initial quarantining for the COVID-19 pandemic: A study of Canadian families

Exploring Anxiety and Depression Among Medical Undergraduates in South Africa: A Cross-Sectional Survey

Background/Objectives: Globally, there has been an increase in the prevalence of anxiety and depression among university students, and medical students are no exception. Medical students are especially susceptible to these mental health challenges, primarily due to multifaceted stressors, which can significantly impact their academic achievements and future career. There is a pressing need for comprehensive research that not only investigates the prevalence of anxiety and depression among medical students but also explores strategies for developing effective mental health interventions and support systems that can enhance the well-being of medical students. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the prevalence and severity of anxiety and depression among medical students at a university in South Africa, evaluating the association of socio-demographic, student, and clinical variables with total general anxiety disorder (GAD-7) and patient health questionnaire (PHQ-9) scores. Methods: A survey-based quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted with 208 medical undergraduate students at a South African university. Participants who provided written consent completed GAD-7 and PHQ-9 questionnaires together with socio-demographic, student, and clinical variable information. The relationship between socio-demographic, student, and clinical variables and total GAD-7 and PHQ-9 scores was determined using the Mann-Whitney U test and Kruskal-Wallis H test. Correlation analysis was used to establish the relationship between total anxiety and depression scores. The threshold for statistical significance was set at p ≤ 0.05. Results: More than half of the participants were female (n = 130; 62.5%), single (n = 123; 59.1%), and belonged to the Pedi ethnic group. A majority of the students were Christian (n = 183; 88.0%), received a bursary (n = 183; 88.0%), and had a rural background (n = 155; 74.5%). However, a small percentage of students reported a history of psychiatric and chronic illnesses (n = 26; 12.5%) and previously received professional psychological support (n = 38; 18.3%). In this study, 38% (n = 79) of the participants reported GAD and 67.8% (n = 141) reported symptoms of depression. Significant associations (p <0.05) were observed between variables such as year of study, repeating a module, and history of psychiatric illness with total GAD-7 and PHQ-9 scores. Correlation analysis revealed a moderate positive correlation (rs = 0.400, df = 206, p < 0.001) between total GAD-7 and PHQ-9 scores. Conclusions: This study identified a high level of depression and anxiety among medical students and found a positive correlation between anxiety and depression scores. Addressing these mental health challenges is crucial not only for the well-being of the students but also for the future of healthcare, as the mental health of medical professionals directly impacts patient care.

Prevalence and factors contributing to mental health challenges among school-going adolescents: a case of a climate-vulnerable Manafwa Watershed in Uganda

BACKGROUND

Globally, mental health challenges are common among school-going adolescents, with a prevalence of 50.2% and 43.6% for depression and anxiety disorders, respectively. In Northeastern Uganda, a prevalence of 26.6% and 8.6% for anxiety and depressive disorders respectively were reported among children. School-going adolescents are at higher risk of developing these mental health challenges and this could be worsened by natural disasters like landslides. We aimed to determine the prevalence and factors contributing to mental health challenges (having at least one of following; depression, anxiety, anger, disruptive behaviour and social concept) among school adolescents in the Manafwa Watershed area.

METHODS

This was a cross-sectional study in 3 districts of the Manafwa watershed area (Bududa, Manafwa, and Butaleja). We selected school-going adolescents aged 13-18 years because of the nature of study tools. Mental health challenges (anxiety, depression, anger, disruptive behaviour and self-concept) were assessed using the Beck Youth Inventory-II. Descriptive statistics and inferential analysis were performed to determine factors associated with mental health challenges.

RESULTS

A total of 762 adolescents participated, with a median age of 17 years (interquartile range =16-17 years). More than half of the students were females. The prevalence of mental health challenges was 65% with a (confidence interval) = 54.0% - 75.0%; the majority 44% of the participants had anxiety, and 31% had disruptive behaviour. Families with more than five children [adjusted odds ratio = 1.18, 95% confidence interval= 1.08-1.29, p value = <0.001] and substance abuse [adjusted odds ratio = 1.20, 95% confidence interval= 1.15-1.24, p value <0.001] were significantly associated with mental health challenges.

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of mental health challenges among students was high with majority having anxiety and disruptive behaviour. Adolescents from families with more than five children and those with substance abuse were more likely to have mental health challenges. We therefore recommend that various stakeholders such as the Ministry of Health, and the Ministry of Education, design a curriculum that caters to the mental health needs of children. Family planning awareness, awareness on Government laws prohibiting alcohol and substance use, and parenting skills should be raised by the local leaders.

Pathways from Family Functioning to Internet Gaming Disorder: The Mediating Role of the Dark Triad

With internet gaming disorder (IGD) becoming more common, there are growing worries about the health of those it affects. This study examines how traits like Machiavellianism, psychopathy, and narcissism might connect family functioning to IGD. The research involved 1190 young adults who answered an online survey, sharing their personal experiences. To examine the mediation effects, latent variable structural equation modeling (SEM) was used, revealing complex relationships among the variables under investigation. Although all direct and indirect paths were statistically significant, the mediation effects of narcissism were positive only when Machiavellianism and psychopathy were not included as parallel mediators, but negative otherwise. The findings suggest that individuals with strong family functioning could be less likely to internalize manipulative behaviors and show a lack of empathy, traits that could contribute to their involvement in IGD. The results underscore the importance of recognizing the multifaceted nature of this phenomenon and provide valuable insights for developing comprehensive strategies to prevent and tackle IGD. Therefore, prevention and intervention efforts should consider the combined influences of family functioning, personality traits, and individual and contextual factors in the online environment to effectively address this problem.

The Recover Study: A Cross-Sectional Examination of the Relationship Between Ontario Parents' Resilience and COVID-19-Related Stressors

Resilience, or the ability to bounce back despite facing adversities, may influence parents' abilities to handle the multitude of parent-specific COVID-19-related challenges that have faced them. This cross-sectional study examined (1) the relationship between parents' resilience and their COVID-19-related family stressors; (2) parents' perceptions of their greatest stressors throughout the pandemic; and (3) non-school-related challenges and their resultant impact on parents' and children's resilience. Via an online survey, data was collected from 63 parents (Mage = 37.09; 82.54% female). A significant relationship was found between parents' resilience and both their COVID-19-related stressors and family stressors. Parents described stressors challenging their resilience, including impacts on their mental health, managing occupational and educational responsibilities, social isolation, and economic setbacks, while also noting the impacts of social isolation, missing extracurricular activities, and lacking routines for their children. Overall, Ontario parents high in resilience are likely better positioned to adapt to pandemic-related stressors.

The impact of family function on post-traumatic reactions of Chinese adolescents infected with COVID-19: a latent profile study

Background

Since the end of 2019, Corona Virus Disease 2019, also known as COVID-19, has broken out in various countries. However, the change of China's COVID-19 prevention and control policy and the sharp increase in the number of infected people are making the teenagers have post-traumatic reactions. Negative post-traumatic reactions include: post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety. Positive post-traumatic reaction mainly refers to post-traumatic growth (PTG). The purpose of this study is to explore the post-traumatic reaction, which refers to PTSD, depression, anxiety and the co-occurrence pattern of growth after trauma and to further explore the influence of family function on different categories of Post-traumatic Reactions.

Methods

Latent profile analysis (LPA) was used to explore the co-occurrence of PTSD, depression, anxiety, and PTG. Multiple logistics regression was used to analyze the influence of family function on different categories of post-traumatic response.

Results

There were three categories of post-traumatic reactions in adolescents infected with COVID-19 adolescents infected with COVID-19, namely: growth class, struggling class, and pain class. Multivariate Logistic regression showed that the growth class and struggling class were affected by problem solving and behavior control in family function, while the growth class and pain class were affected by problem solving, roles, behavior control, and general functioning. Multiple logistic regression showed that the growth class and struggling class were affected by problem solving and roles.

Conclusions

The findings of this study provide evidence for the identification of high-risk individuals and the provision of effective interventions in clinical practice, as well as the influence of family functioning on the different categories of PTSD among adolescents infected with COVID-19.