A meta-analysis of the trait resilience and mental health

The influence of childhood trauma on social media-induced secondary traumatic stress among college students: the chain mediating effect of self-compassion and resilience

Background: Studies have shown that media exposure to critical public events can lead to secondary traumatic stress (STS). Personal trauma history, self-compassion and resilience are important factors influencing STS in healthy professionals. However, whether these variables are associated with social media-induced STS in college students and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. The purpose of this study was to explore the complex relationship linking childhood trauma to social media-induced STS in a large sample of college students.Methods: A total of 1151 Chinese college students from Chengdu, Sichuan Province of China completed a web-based cross-sectional survey, which included standard assessments of childhood trauma, self-compassion, resilience and social media-induced STS, as well as sociodemographic questionnaires. The chain mediation model was tested using the PROCESS macro programme in SPSS software.Results: There was a moderate correlation between childhood trauma and social media-induced STS (r = 0.34, p < .001). This association was significantly mediated by self-compassion (indirect effect [95% CI] = 0.14[0.11, 0.17]) and resilience (indirect effect = 0.03[0.01, 0.04]), respectively. Further, a chained mediating effect was observed with self-compassion and resilience consecutively mediated the relationship between childhood trauma and social media-induced STS (indirect effect = 0.02[0.01, 0.03]). These results persisted after sociodemographic characteristics were included as controlling variables.Conclusions: Early life trauma impacts STS induced by exposure to traumatic materials on social media through self-compassion and resilience among Chinese college students. Psychological interventions targeting self-compassion and resilience can be implemented to reduce the risk of STS, especially in vulnerable individuals.

Resilience and mental health among care leavers: Role of social inclusion, self-determination, and independent living skills

OBJECTIVE

Young people transitioning from out-of-home care (OHC) frequently experience poor mental health and resilience due to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). However, there is limited understanding of the factors that mediate and moderate these outcomes. This is the first study to integrate linked administrative and longitudinal data to examine the mediation and moderation effects of placement stability, independent living skills (ILS), social inclusion, and self-determination when examining the association between ACEs and care status on mental health and resilience.

METHOD

We integrated retrospective linked datasets with a prospective self-report longitudinal study involving 122 young people aged 15 to 25 transitioning from OHC between April 2019 and May 2022. Path analysis was used to model complex relationships involving moderators and mediators.

RESULTS

ILS moderated the association between ACEs and resilience, while social inclusion, self-determination, and mental health mediated the effects of care status and maltreatment exposure on resilience. Placement stability independently influenced mental health outcomes but did not mediate the ACEs-resilience relationship.

CONCLUSIONS

This study highlights the complex interplay of risk and protective factors in shaping resilience and mental health, emphasising the importance of skills development, social connectedness and autonomy among care leavers. Findings support early intervention, strength-based approaches, and trauma-informed interventions, including emotional regulation, therapeutic relationships, and stable support networks, to mitigate past trauma and enhance resilience and well-being.

The longitudinal association between problematic Internet use and psychotic-like experiences in adolescents: Mediated by sleep disturbance and moderated by psychological resilience

Problematic Internet use (PIU) has been empirically identified as a risk factor for future psychotic-like experiences (PLEs) among adolescents. This study aimed to examine the short-term predictive role of PIU on PLEs in adolescents and investigate their underlying mechanisms, focusing on the mediating role of sleep disturbance and the moderating role of psychological resilience. A total of 27,260 Chinese adolescents (52.2 % males, Meanage = 14.33 ± 1.49) were included for analyses in this two-wave longitudinal study conducted six months apart. The baseline survey (time 1, T1) was between December 17 and 26, 2021, and the follow-up survey (time 2, T2) was between May 17 and June 5, 2022. Participants reported their socio-demographics, T1 PIU, T1 sleep disturbance, T1 resilience, T1 PLEs, T2 PLEs, and T2 negative life events. After controlling for socio-demographics, T1 PLEs, and T2 negative life events, T1 PIU exacerbated T2 PLEs directly and indirectly through T1 sleep disturbance, with T1 resilience moderating both parts of the mediation pathway. These findings provide novel insights into the mechanisms linking PIU to PLEs among adolescents and offer valuable implications for clinical practice and school policy.

Resilience and its association with mental health among forcibly displaced populations: A systematic review and meta-analyses

BACKGROUND

Forcibly displaced populations are growing exponentially and are at increased risk of experiencing mental health difficulties. However, it remains unclear if, and how, their resilience and mental health are associated. This systematic review and meta-analyses investigated the relationship between resilience and mental health outcomes among forcibly displaced groups.

METHODS

MEDLINE Ultimate, APA PsycInfo and SCOPUS were searched up until January 2024. Peer-reviewed studies measuring a statistical association between resilience and mental health among forced migrants were eligible for inclusion. Random-effects meta-analyses for each identified mental health category were conducted. Study quality was evaluated using the National Institutes of Health Quality Assessment Tool for Observational Cohort and Cross-Sectional Studies.

RESULTS

Thirty-one studies were included in the review (n = 6656). Meta-analyses revealed a significant negative association between resilience and symptoms of post-traumatic stress (k = 13, n = 2446, r = -0.15, 95 % CI [-0.23; -0.06]), depression (k = 14; n = 2952, r = -0.34, 95 % CI [-0.41; -0.26]), anxiety (k = 7, n = 1516, r = -0.19, 95 % CI [-0.27; -0.11]), and psychological distress (k = 10; n = 2712, r = -0.29, 95 % CI [-0.36; -0.23]).

LIMITATIONS

Effect sizes were highly heterogenous, most studies recruited small samples using non-random sampling strategies, and data was collected cross-sectionally.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings point to an association between resilience and mental health difficulties in forcibly displaced groups. Directions for future research are discussed.

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION

PROSPERO (CRD42023395925).

Resilience-Focused Approaches for School-Age Australian First Nations Populations: A Systematic Review of Influential Factors

INTRODUCTION

Building resilience has been identified as a key way to improve the wellbeing of children. However, there are currently no reviews of the evidence that explore factors influencing resilience in Australian First Nations School-age youth.

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to review the literature on factors influencing resilience in school-age (5-19 years) Australian First Nations populations. We also explored how resilience is defined and operationalised, how factors identified mapped onto the Social and Emotional Wellbeing (SEWB) model and whether there were differences in factors depending on age and residential localities.

DESIGN

We conducted a systematic review of published peer-reviewed articles that included the identification or review of factors influencing resilience in our target population. We searched key databases and performed a narrative synthesis.

FINDINGS

Of the 1093 articles identified, 13 were found to meet inclusion criteria. Fifty-one different factors influencing resilience were identified across individual, interpersonal and community socio-ecological levels.

DISCUSSION

The 51 factors mapped cohesively onto the SEWB domains. There was inconclusive data to determine if factors were dependent on the participants' age and location. Key limitations of the literature on this topic included the limited number of available studies and the lack of definitions and consistent operationalisation of resilience within the few existing studies.

CONCLUSION

Our findings show the wide variety of factors that influence resilience in this population and demonstrate the importance of incorporating SEWB domains into wellbeing and resilience-focused programmes in Australian schools for First Nations populations.

Adolescents during wartime: Vulnerability-based profiles

Adolescents in war zones face the dual burden of normative developmental challenges and stressors from their proximity to active conflict, raising critical questions about their vulnerability during wartime. The aim of the current study was to identify distinct vulnerability profiles among Israeli adolescents (ages 11-18) during Israel's ongoing Swords of Iron War. Drawing on Hobfoll's conservation of resources theory, we assessed protective factors (positive affect, resilience, and perceived social support) and one risk factor (war-related adjustment disorder symptoms). Differences in profiles were also examined in relation to demographic variables and war impact variables (house damage, displacement, and injury). In this quantitative, cross-sectional study, we utilized self-report questionnaires from 305 Jewish Israeli adolescents (ages 11-18). LatentGold was employed to conduct a three-step latent profile analysis. Wald tests were used to explore differences between the various adolescent profiles in terms of protective and risk factors, as well as to assess associations with distal variables. Three distinct vulnerability profiles were identified: low, moderate, and high. Adolescents in the low-vulnerability group were younger, lived farther from conflict borders, experienced fewer war-related adjustment disorder symptoms, and reported higher levels of positive affect, resilience, and perceived social support. Among these factors, perceived social support emerged as the most sensitive variable differentiating profiles. These findings highlight the importance of internal and external resources in mitigating vulnerability and fostering resilience among adolescents in conflict-affected regions. The categorization into vulnerability levels enables faster identification of at-risk adolescents and more efficient resource allocation. Given the critical role of social support, clinicians should prioritize interventions that enhance such support to promote adolescents' well-being during wartime.

Factors affecting resilience in pregnant Lebanese women exposed to overlapping crises

BACKGROUND

Resilience is a critical determinant of individuals' psychological well-being and their ability to cope with adversity. Resilience has emerged as a point of clinical relevance when addressing the effects of extreme environmental adversity on vulnerable populations. Lebanon experienced an economic collapse, the COVID-19 pandemic and the Beirut Blast within the span of a single year, causing significant lasting damage. Pregnant women were particularly vulnerable during this period of time. This study aims to measure the resilience of pregnant women in Lebanon after exposure to multiple, large-scale traumatic events. It also examines the potential effect of obstetrical factors, perceived stress, perceived social support, and childhood experiences on resilience scores.

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional study among Lebanese pregnant women. A total of 257 pregnant Lebanese women who resided in Lebanon during all three crises were recruited to participate. Resilience, adverse and benevolent childhood experiences, and perceived social support were measured using validated scales: the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, the Adverse Childhood Experiences questionnaire, the Benevolent Childhood experiences scale, and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support respectively. We also included a section on perceived stress, which included questions about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the economic crisis, and the Beirut blast.

RESULTS

Our findings revealed a significant negative correlation between resilience and perceived stress (b=-0.157), suggesting resilience's protective role against the negative impact of stress during pregnancy. Furthermore, a positive correlation was demonstrated between perceived social support and resilience (b = 0.19), underscoring the importance of supportive networks in boosting resilience.

CONCLUSION

This research contributes vital knowledge to the understanding of resilience during the perinatal period. It emphasizes the need for comprehensive prenatal care that incorporates social and psychological support, thereby enhancing resilience and overall well-being in pregnant women amidst the multifaceted challenges faced in Lebanon.

The Critical Role of Resilience in the Onset of Major Depressive Disorder and Its Influence Through Eating Behaviors and Psychological Needs

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), a condition characterized by an undertreated trajectory and frequently marked by a chronic course, is broadly acknowledged to be a critical public health issue worldwide. While substantial evidence is available showing the significant role of resilience in depression, the current understanding of mediating factors influencing this relationship in the early stages of MDD remains limited. To fill this gap in the literature, in the present study, we explored the effect of eating behaviors and basic psychological needs in a cohort of individuals newly diagnosed with MDD. The model was tested using a sample of a total of 328 Turkish individuals newly diagnosed with MDD (87% women, Mage = 31.51 ± 11.03 years). The following four psychometrically sound instruments were employed to collect data immediately following diagnosis: Brief Resilience Scale (BRS), Depression-Anxiety-Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21), Basic Psychological Needs Scale (BPNS), and Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire (TFEQ). After controlling demographic variables, the results confirmed that resilience is significantly negatively associated with depression. Uncontrolled eating behavior and autonomy, competence, and relatedness needs were found to be four mediators and partially mediated the relation of resilience with depression. The results also revealed that cognitive restriction and emotional eating behaviors did not significantly mediate this relationship. These findings suggest that early interventions targeting eating behaviors, such as promoting healthy eating patterns and addressing unmet psychological needs could strengthen resilience and reduce the risk of chronic depression in individuals newly diagnosed with MDD.

How Does Nature Connectedness Improve Mental Health in College Students? A Study of Chain Mediating Effects

How does nature connectedness influence college students' mental health? To further understand the dynamics at play, this present study delves into the chain mediating roles of resilience and meaning in life, from the perspective of the natural environment's impact on mental health. In April 2024, researchers utilized quantitative research methods to analyze questionnaire data from 703 college students in China, assessing multiple dimensions such as nature connectedness, resilience, meaning in life, and mental health. The results show the following: (1) All pairs of variables showed significant correlations. (2) Resilience is partly mediated by nature connectedness and mental health. (3) Meaning in life is found to have a partial mediating effect, further elucidating this relationship. (4) A chain mediating role is played by resilience and meaning in life in the connection between nature connectedness and mental health. This study expands the research scope of health psychology, has interdisciplinary research significance, and furnishes theoretical support and important guidance, which are essential in improving college students' mental health.

Network analysis of depression emotion suppression digital burnout and protective psychological factors

This study employed network analysis to investigate the complex relationship between emotion regulation strategies and depression, with particular focus on digital burnout as a contemporary stressor and the moderating role of various psychological protective factors. Based on a large sample of 9400 Chinese participants, we constructed a psychological network model incorporating depression, digital burnout, psychological resilience, self-compassion, emotion suppression, mindfulness, and sleep quality using EBIC-GLASSO regularization technique. Results revealed emotion suppression as the most central node in the network, demonstrating the highest betweenness (2.268), closeness (1.302), and strength (1.157) centrality. The network exhibited significant positive connections between emotion suppression and depression (0.890), as well as between emotion suppression and digital burnout (0.848). Notable negative associations were observed between sleep quality and depression (- 0.780), and between resilience and digital burnout (- 0.665). Network stability analysis yielded CS-coefficients exceeding 0.75 for all centrality measures, substantially above the recommended threshold of 0.5, confirming the reliability of our findings. Community detection analysis identified two distinct clusters: a Risk Factor Community (depression, digital burnout, emotion suppression) and a Protective Factor Community (resilience, self-compassion, mindfulness). The average predictability of nodes was 39.5%, ranging from 23.8% for cognitive reappraisal to 74.4% for depression. The innovation of this research lies in being the first to integrate digital burnout into a depression network, revealing its significant role as a connecting variable. Our findings suggest that interventions targeting emotion regulation may be particularly effective; digital wellness initiatives might produce cascading benefits for mental health; and comprehensive interventions simultaneously addressing resilience, self-compassion, and mindfulness may be more effective than those focusing on single protective factors. These findings provide novel insights into understanding depression in the digital age and offer important implications for both clinical practice and public health policy.

Real-Time Assessment of Resilience in Individuals With Spinal Cord Injury and Chronic Pain: A Feasibility, Reliability, and Validity Study

OBJECTIVE

This observational study examined the feasibility, between-person reliability, and convergent and discriminant validity of an ecological momentary assessment (EMA) measure of resilience in individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) and chronic pain.

DESIGN

Participants completed self-report assessments of resilience twice a day for 7 days using a 6-item EMA measure adapted from the SCI Quality of Life (QOL) Resilience Item Bank. Data were collected via a smartphone.

SETTING

General community.

PARTICIPANTS

Individuals with SCI and chronic pain (N=53; 54.7% men and 45.3% women).

INTERVENTIONS

Not applicable.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Besides the 6-item EMA resilience measure, we included the full SCI-QOL Resilience Item Bank, the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Depression Short Form, the SCI-QOL Anxiety Short Form, the National Institutes of Health Toolbox Perceived Stress Survey, the SCI-QOL Positive Affect and Well-Being Short Form, and the SCI-QOL Ability to Participate in Social Roles and Activities.

RESULTS

Our results showed that the resilience EMA measure revealed high feasibility, with an overall response rate of 88%, and strong between-person reliability (>0.90). The measure also demonstrated good convergent validity with related constructs, such as depression, anxiety, and social participation, and good discriminant validity with unrelated factors, like age and injury level.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that the EMA resilience measure is a reliable and valid tool for capturing the dynamic nature of resilience in real-time. Our study highlights the importance of the application of a real-time assessment, given that understanding daily functioning contributes to more person-centered rehabilitation interventions for individuals with SCI and chronic pain.

Employment Stress and Mental Health Among College Graduates: Exploring the Mediating Role of Psychological Resilience and Moderating Role of Proactive Personality

Purpose

Previous research has established a strong correlation between employment stress and mental health; however, the internal mechanisms underlying this relationship remain underexplored. The present study aimed to elucidate the mediating role of resilience in the relationship between employment stress and mental health, as well as the moderating effect of proactive personality.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional questionnaire survey with 2348 college graduates from Central China. Mediation and moderated mediation analyses were employed to investigate the roles of psychological resilience and proactive personality in the relationship between employment stress and mental health.

Results

Employment stress significantly predicted negative outcomes in mental health among these graduates. Mediation model analysis revealed that resilience mediated the relationship between employment stress and adverse mental health. Furthermore, analysis of moderated mediation model suggested that proactive personality moderated the mediation pathway and also served as a moderator for the direct relationship between employment stress and mental health. Specifically, individuals with a high proactive personality exhibited a reduction in the adverse effects of employment stress on mental health.

Conclusion

The moderated mediation model of psychological resilience and proactive personality contributes to the existing literature by providing additional insights into the link between employment stress and mental health and by exploring potential intervention strategies to mitigate the impact of employment stress.

Better Mental Health and Fewer Depressive Symptoms Are Associated With Greater Psychological Resilience After Hip Fracture

BACKGROUND

High psychological resilience is associated with improved functional outcomes for older adults recovering from hip fractures. The objective of this study was to identify factors associated with increased psychological resilience in older women after hip fracture.

METHODS

In total, 129 women aged ≥65 years with recent surgically repaired hip fractures were enrolled in a trial of exercise and testosterone therapy. The Brief Resilience Scale (BRS) measured baseline resilience and was categorized as low (BRS < 4) or high (BRS ≥ 4). Sociodemographic (eg, education), medical, and neuropsychological factors (eg, cognition by Short Blessed Test, mental health by a Global Mental Health Score (PROMIS-GMH), and depressive symptoms by Geriatric Depression Score (GDS)) were considered as independent variables. Individual factors were evaluated for their association with resilience using bivariate regression, and those having a significance level of p ≤ .10 were entered into age-adjusted multivariate logistic regression models.

RESULTS

A total of 57 women (44%) reported high resilience. Neither education nor cognition was significantly associated with resilience. Lower GDS and better PROMIS-GMH scores were associated with high resilience in adjusted models. For every one-point worsening in GDS, the adjusted odds ratio (AOR) for high versus low resilience was 0.76 (95% CI, 0.61,0.93). In a model with GDS, PROMIS-GMH, and age, positive mental health remained significantly associated with higher resilience (AOR 1.34, 95% CI, 1.14,1.58).

CONCLUSIONS

In older women after hip fracture, fewer depressive symptoms and better mental health were associated with higher psychological resilience. Addressing overall mental health when recovering from a hip fracture could contribute to increasing psychological resilience thereby maximizing recovery potential.

The Problem With Resilience: Individualisation, Reductionism and Relationality in Health Discourses on Resilience

Narratives of resilience are proliferating in health policy and research where they are used to address problems threatening individuals and communities. Resilience approaches are often considered alternatives to other models of intervention because they signal a shift away from deficit assumptions to more empowering ways of promoting health. To date, however, there has been a lack of scrutiny of the nature, assumptions and effects of resilience discourse within the health field. This paper critically analyses the logics that underpin the use of such discourse, and the implications of their allure. Findings show that resilience discourse is largely understood and operationalised in neoliberal, individualistic and reductionist terms. Such logics create normative standards for what counts as 'proper resilience' and, by doing so, engender experiences of guilt and shame when individuals are not 'resilient enough'. Seen differently, through the logics of social relationality, for example, resilience can engender new forms of subjectivity and practice for individuals and communities as 'expert' and 'knowing'. Relational resilience is especially evident in First Nations scholarship, where it is conceptualised in terms of collective values, practices and identities rather than the attributes of individuals, offering opportunities to advance thinking about resilience and its use in health contexts.

An Evaluation of Resilience as a Protective Factor for Mental Health Among Sexual and Gender Minority Young People

Purpose: Sexual and gender minority (SGM) individuals often face minority stressors that negatively affect their mental health, making it important to identify protective factors against the adverse psychological effects of minority stress. We investigated the potential protective effect of trait resilience in SGM individuals assigned female at birth (SGM-AFAB), who are understudied despite being at particularly high risk for mental health problems. Methods: As part of an ongoing longitudinal cohort study, 452 SGM-AFAB young people (age 16-31 years) completed measures of resilience, minority stressors (victimization, microaggressions, internalized heterosexism, and cisgenderism), and mental health (depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation) in 2017-2018. Moderating effects of resilience on associations between the minority stressors and mental health outcomes were tested using regression analyses. Results: Resilience attenuated the positive associations of microaggressions with both depression and anxiety and of internalized cisgenderism with depression (in transgender and gender-diverse participants), suggesting protective effects. Resilience did not moderate any other associations. Conclusion: These findings suggest that resilience serves as a protective factor against depressive and anxiety symptoms following experiences of microaggressions and against depressive symptoms following internalized cisgenderism among diverse SGM-AFAB individuals. These results underscore the importance of identifying factors that bolster resilience and developing intervention strategies aimed at promoting resilience within SGM-AFAB individuals, especially following experiences of microaggressions and internalized cisgenderism.

Examining the Relationship Between Resilience, Mental Health and Fitness Outcomes in Firefighters

Background: Firefighters have an increased risk of both mental and physical health conditions due to experiencing various forms of extreme stress regularly. High levels of resiliency may help firefighters overcome stressful situations and promote better mental and physical health. Objectives: The primary aim of the present study was to examine the relationship between resilience and other psychological variables. The secondary aim was to determine the relationship between psychological variables and firefighter fitness outcomes. Methods: Participants included 79 full-time male firefighters with a mean age of 35.9. They completed the following psychological questionnaires in this order: PTSD checklist for DSM-5, Dispositional Resilience Scale 15-item, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Adults and Beck Depression Inventory. They completed the following fitness tests in this order: maximum number of push-ups in two minutes, maximum time holding a plank and minimum time completing running and/or walking 1.5 miles. Results: Resilience was correlated with and predicted significant variance in depression, trait anxiety, state anxiety and PTSD symptoms in firefighters (all p's < 0.025). Further, all psychological variables were significantly correlated with and predictive of each other. However, only scores on the Beck Depression Inventory were associated with push-ups completed (p = 0.014). No other psychological variable was related to fitness outcomes in firefighters. Conclusions: This study demonstrated resilience was significantly related to anxiety, depressive symptoms and PSTD symptoms in firefighters but not fitness outcomes. This highlights the protective effects of resilience on mental health, but future work needs to explore other psychological mechanisms to predict physiological performance variables in firefighters.

Authentic Inner Compass and Subjective Well-Being Among Chinese Emerging Adults: A Moderated Mediation Model

Originating from the self-determination theory, the authentic inner compass (AIC) enlightens people about their authentic values, interests, and life aspirations, functioning as an action-guiding schema. Previous studies have examined AIC among adolescents, but its significance for emerging adults is underexplored, especially in less autonomy-oriented cultures (e.g., Chinese cultures). Informed by the self-determination theory, the present study aimed to investigate the association between AIC and subjective well-being among Chinese emerging adults and examine further the mediating role of resilience and the moderating role of anxious attachment. A total of 155 Chinese emerging adults completed measures on AIC, resilience, anxious attachment, and subjective well-being. The results showed that AIC was positively associated with subjective well-being, and resilience fully mediated the association. Moreover, anxious attachment strengthened the positive link between AIC and resilience. The findings highlight the importance of AIC and resilience in boosting subjective well-being, emphasizing the significance of AIC for anxiously attached individuals. The moderated mediation model enriches the self-determination theory and resilience literature. Future practices aiming to promote the well-being of Chinese emerging adults may focus on fostering AIC and resilience and consider individual differences in attachment styles.

The Effect of Self-Regulation on Spiritual Well-Being Among Parents of Children with Hearing Impairment in China: Does Resilience Function as a Mediator?

This study explores spiritual well-being among parents of children with hearing impairment and how self-regulation and resilience relate to spiritual well-being in mainland China. The Self-Regulation Scale, the Resilience Scale, and the 4-Item Spiritual Well-Being Index were administered to 416 parents of children with hearing impairment. Results indicated that self-regulation positively affected resilience, and resilience positively affected spiritual well-being. Notably, resilience, as a mediating variable, weakened the effect of self-regulation on spiritual well-being. The contributions, limitations, and implications of the present research are discussed.

Work demands and mental health: the mediating effects of resilience and sense of belonging among college students

Objective: This study investigates the relationship between work demands and mental health among college students and the mediating effects of resilience and sense of belonging. Participants: Data was collected from 3,082 undergraduate students at a mid-sized public University in the Northeast on work demands, resilience, sense of belonging, and number of poor mental health days. Methods: Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to analyze the data for students who reported at least one job (n = 2,083). Results: Higher work demands were positively associated with more poor mental health days. Resilience significantly and negatively mediated this relationship. In multiple-group SEM analyses, students working one job (vs multiple jobs) and those working a higher number of work hours (vs lower) exhibited a stronger negative indirect effect through the resilience mediating factor. Conclusions: Findings highlight the crucial role of resilience in managing work-related stress and suggest areas for further research to enhance student well-being.

Moderate-to-Vigorous Physical Activity and Suicidal Ideation in Adolescents with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: the Mediating Effects of Mental Health

This study aimed to (a) examine whether device-assessed moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) was associated with suicidal ideation (SI) in adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorders (ADHD), (b) investigate whether the association was mediated by depression, and (c) assess whether anxiety, stress, and resilience would work with depression to constitute chain mediation paths between MVPA and SI. Sixty adolescents with ADHD aged 12-17 (Mage = 14.33 ± 1.43 years) met the inclusion criteria. MVPA data were assessed using accelerometers worn around the waist for seven consecutive days. SI, depression, anxiety, stress, and resilience were examined using self-report questionnaires. Bivariate correlations were estimated for all variables. Lavaan package was used to examine the association between MVPA and SI, and the mediating effects of depression, anxiety, stress, and resilience by adjusting for a minimally sufficient confounder set and applying the bootstrap method. MVPA was negatively associated with SI. Depression fully mediated this association. Anxiety, stress, and resilience combining with depression formed three chain mediation paths between MVPA and SI, respectively. The integrative mediation model, including anxiety, stress, resilience, and depression, revealed that anxiety and depression explained 38.2% of the variance in the association between MVPA and SI, and resilience and depression explained 22.1%, while stress did not. MVPA could serve as an alternative or adjunctive approach, particularly in conjunction with depression-focused interventions, to increase resilience, decrease anxiety and depression, and in turn to prevent or attenuate SI in adolescents with ADHD.

Psychometric properties of the 10-item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC-10) in adolescent and young adult psychiatric outpatients in the Texas Youth Depression and Suicide Research Network (TX-YDSRN)

BACKGROUND

This study assessed the psychometric properties of the 10-item Connor Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC-10), a self-report measure of resilience, in youth receiving treatment and/or screening positive for depression/suicidality in psychiatric outpatient settings.

METHODS

Data from 908 youth (age 12-20 years) were analyzed. A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) model was fit to the data, and goodness-of-fit was assessed using indices such as the comparative fit index (CFI). Psychometric analyses were performed through the lenses of classical test theory (CTT) and item response theory (IRT). Measurement invariance of the scale was assessed by classifying the sample by depression severity. Finally, intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) from test-retest were used to assess the reliability of the scale using data collected at baseline and one-month post-baseline.

RESULTS

The scale was unidimensional, representing a single latent trait. CFA demonstrated acceptable model fit (CFI = 0.94). CTT analyses showed good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha 0.85) and good item discrimination (item-total correlations between 0.38 and 0.66). The scale demonstrated good test-retest reliability over a one-month period (ICC = 0.82). IRT analyses exhibited good item performance on all but the three items related to versatility, humor and persistence. These items were also deterrent to the scale having full scalar invariance.

LIMITATIONS

Limitations include questionable generalizability beyond the sample and biases inherent in self-report scales.

CONCLUSIONS

CD-RISC-10 has acceptable reliability and validity. However, depressive symptom severity affected selected item performance. If these findings are confirmed in other independent samples, a seven-item version of the scale may be investigated for depressed samples.

The dual impact of physical exercise on university students' mental health: the chain mediating effects of mindfulness and psychological resilience

Introduction

Mental health issues among university students are increasingly prominent, and effective interventions are urgently needed. Physical exercise has shown potential in improving mental health, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Based on the Conservation of Resources (COR) theory and the Dual - Factor Model of Mental Health, this study aims to explore the dual impact of physical exercise on university students' mental health and the chain - mediating effects of mindfulness and psychological resilience.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey was carried out on 720 students from Chinese universities. Validated instruments were used to measure physical exercise, mindfulness, resilience, and mental health outcomes. SPSS 27.0 and Mplus 8.3 were employed for data analysis, including descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and mediation effect testing.

Results

The findings show that physical exercise is a proactive resource investment behavior. It significantly enhances students' mindfulness and resilience. These psychological resources promote positive mental health indicators such as life satisfaction and positive affect, and at the same time, reduce negative factors like psychological distress. The chain mediation analysis indicates that mindfulness and resilience act as interconnected resources, which is in line with the "gain spiral" and "resource caravan" effects in the COR theory.

Discussion

This study provides novel insights by demonstrating how mindfulness and resilience sequentially amplify the psychological benefits of physical exercise. It offers a more detailed understanding of the mechanisms behind the improvement of university students' mental health. The results have significant theoretical and practical implications, advocating for the integration of exercise, mindfulness, and resilience-building strategies in mental health interventions for university populations.

Validation and Spanish Adaptation of the Resilience Scale ER-23 in a University Population

Background: Resilience has received considerable attention in recent years and is a psychological characteristic that favors positive adaptation to adversity. Objective: The objective of this work is to generate a Spanish adaptation of the Resilience Scale (ER, acronym in Spanish) and to study the dimensionality of the scale through confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Methods: The ER was administered to 1058 young Spanish people. The original English version of the Resilience Scale (25 items) was translated into Spanish, and the translation was confirmed through a backtranslation. The original version consists of two major factors: personal competence and acceptance of oneself and life. Results: The results confirm the goodness of the psychometric characteristics of the scale (internal consistency and criterion validity) with 23 items and the original two-factor model proposed by the authors. There was a positive correlation between the ER-23 adaptation and the Connor-Davidson Resilience Questionnaire (2002) and subjective psychological well-being and a negative correlation between the ER-23 adaptation and anxiety. Conclusions: The ER-23 adaptation is a valid and reliable tool that can be used in future research in a university population.

The prospective association of adolescent loneliness and low resilience with anxiety and depression in young adulthood: The HUNT study

BACKGROUND

Loneliness is a recognized risk factor for anxiety and depression, yet research on its interaction with low resilience remains sparse, particularly across the adolescent-to-adult transition. This study investigates how adolescent loneliness, both independently and in interaction with low resilience, influences anxiety and depression in young adulthood.

METHODS

This study utilized longitudinal data from The Trøndelag Health Study (HUNT) to track adolescents (13-19 years) from Young-HUNT3 (2006-08) through to HUNT4 (2017-19). Loneliness was assessed via a single-item measure, while resilience was estimated using the Resilience Scale for Adolescents. Anxiety and depression outcomes at the 11-year follow-up were measured using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were done to analyze the associations. Moreover, interaction effects were evaluated using relative excess risk due to interaction (RERI).

RESULTS

Loneliness during adolescence independently predicted anxiety and depression in young adulthood. Adolescents experiencing both loneliness and low resilience showed notably higher risks compared to other groups (highly resilient adolescents without loneliness [reference], highly resilient adolescents with loneliness, and adolescents with low resilience and low loneliness). The combined effect of loneliness and low resilience exhibited a synergistic interaction on the additive scale, although it was not statistically significant (RERI 0.13, 95% CI -2.39-2.65).

CONCLUSION

Adolescent loneliness and low resilience independently predict anxiety and depression in young adulthood. The interaction between loneliness and low resilience further heightens these risks. This underscores the importance of early interventions that focus on resilience-building during adolescence and reducing the impacts of loneliness on mental health.

Resilience resources, coping, and health outcomes in college students during the Covid-19 pandemic

Background: Resilience resources are predispositions that promote individuals' abilities to cope with stress. Objective: The current cross-sectional study used path analysis with parallel multiple mediators to test whether coping behaviors mediated associations between resilience resources and somatic, depression, and anxiety symptoms during the Covid-19 pandemic. Method: Undergraduates at a small Northeastern college (n = 193) completed online surveys assessing resilience resources, coping, and symptoms. Results: Results support significant indirect effects from resilience resources to somatic symptoms through positive reinterpretation and growth, mental disengagement, and substance use. Total indirect effects for depressive symptoms were driven by mental disengagement and substance use, with a direct effect of resilience resources. The effect of resilience resources on anxiety symptoms was mediated by mental disengagement, and there was a direct effect of resilience resources. Conclusions: Findings demonstrate that some coping strategies link resilience resources to better outcomes, potentially informing interventions for adaptive coping during public health crises.

The acculturation challenge: A longitudinal investigation of acculturative stress and mental health of Chinese international students in Australia

The Australian university sector had almost one million international students in 2024. This population faces significant mental health challenges that affect their wellbeing and academic success, but these issues have received minimal empirical attention. Past research reports that international students experience acculturative stress due to language barriers, lack of social support, and discrimination, which contribute to poor mental health. Current evidence lacks insight into the progression of acculturative stress over time. To address this gap, this study conducted a longitudinal investigation of the mental health profiles of 140 Chinese international tertiary students in Australia and 84 Chinese tertiary students in China (Mage = 22.4, SD = 2.7). Participants in Australia were assessed in 2023 after their arrival (T1) and then five months later (T2). Contrary to expectations, the groups did not differ on standardised measures of distress, loneliness, wellbeing, social support, and resilience. However, Chinese students reported greater acculturative stress, as measured by the Acculturative Stress Scale for International Students (ASSIS), at T2 than at T1. Participants reported that the most significant challenge in adapting to life in Australia were language barriers and communication difficulties (84.3 %), which were rated more frequently than the academic demands of university (55.0 %). Potential methodological limitations aside, the results suggest that Chinese students may benefit from resources, supports, and interventions that target specific areas of acculturative stress, particularly in relation to language proficiency, to optimise their health and study.

Longitudinal Serial Mediation Study after the 2023 Earthquake in Türkiye: Associations Between Difficulties in Emotion Regulation, Psychological Distress, Resilience and Mental Well-Being

Although the concepts of mental well-being, difficulties in emotion regulation, resilience, and psychological distress have been investigated in cross-sectional studies, their absence from a longitudinal study demonstrates a gap in the literature. Following the earthquake disaster in Türkiye, addressing these concepts together in a longitudinal study may offer important implications for the field of mental health. The longitudinal mediation of resilience and psychological distress in the relationship between difficulties in emotion regulation and mental well-being was investigated in a Turkish adult sample. The study sample consisted of 219 participants aged between 18 and 45 (51.1% male, Mage = 31.60, SD = 7.19). To avoid the limitations of cross-sectional studies, data for the current study were examined at three-month intervals and at two time points in a cross-lagged panel model with a half-longitudinal design to investigate the mediating role of resilience and psychological distress between difficulties in emotion regulation and mental well-being. The analysis found that resilience and psychological distress played a longitudinal mediating role in the relationship between emotion regulation challenges and mental well-being. In conclusion, people's ability to regulate their emotions, be resilient, and avoid psychological distress may improve their mental health. These findings underscore the importance of integrative interventions that simultaneously target difficulties in emotion regulation, resilience, and psychological distress to better support mental well-being in post-disaster contexts.

Resilience as a moderator of the effects of types of workplace bullying and job performance

BACKGROUND

Workplace bullying is a problem that can occur in any occupation or organization and is a stressful and negative experience for employees; resilience helps employees to better resist workplace bullying. The purpose of this study was to examine whether resilience moderates the effects of workplace bullying on job performance and to determine whether this moderating effect differs between three types of bullying: personal, work-related, and physical bullying.

METHODS

A self-administered, paper-based questionnaire was distributed to full-time nurses at three regional hospitals in Taiwan. Cross-sectional data on workplace bullying behaviors, resilience and job performance were collected from 422 nurses using a questionnaire survey. Data were collected using the Job Performance Scale, the Negative Acts Questionnaire, and the Resilience Scale (CD-RISC-10), and the resulting data were analyzed using SPSS 21 and the PROCESS macro.

RESULTS

Resilience moderated the positive relationship between personal, physical bullying and job performance (b = .11, p < .05; b = .17, p < .05), but did not moderate the effects of work-related bullying.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings of this study highlight the need for organizations to be proactive in preventing work-related bullying and to promote and enhance individual resilience. Managers need to be aware of the detrimental effects of work-related bullying, which can damage employees' physical and mental health and contribute to workplace toxicity.

An evaluation of physical activity levels and mental health among young people: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to determine the role of physical activity on mental health. This topic is essential, as physical activity is widely recognized for its potential impact on mental health outcomes, including well-being and resilience. However, there remains a need for further research on how specific types and levels of activity contribute to mental health, particularly among young people.

METHODS

The study group consisted of 427 students studying at universities in Turkey. Data were collected through the Personal Information Form, the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form, the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale Short Form, the Psychological Resilience Scale (Short Form), and the Psychological Vulnerability Scale. Skewness and kurtosis values were used to analyze the normality of data distribution. MANOVA, Chi-Square Test, Pearson correlation coefficient, and Multiple Stepwise Regression tests were conducted for data analysis.

RESULTS

The results showed that female students were more inactive and engaged in less vigorous activities than males (p < 0.05). In contrast, the proportional distribution of physical activity levels by grade level was similar (p > 0.05). Descriptive findings indicated that students displayed relatively high levels of psychological vulnerability. Mental health components were found to be interrelated (p < 0.05). Physically active students exhibited higher levels of mental well-being and psychological resilience and lower levels of psychological vulnerability (p < 0.05). Finally, walking emerged as the best predictor of students' psychological resilience and mental well-being, and along with moderate levels of physical activity, it significantly contributed to improved mental well-being (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

This research shows that participation in physical activity increases university students' mental resilience, reduces their psychological vulnerability and supports their mental well-being. In particular, walking and moderate physical activity were found to have the strongest effects. The results emphasise that physical activity promotion is a critical requirement for improving students' mental health.

Well-being factors. An item-level analysis of the positive cognitive triad role, in the relationship between resilience and well-being

This study examines the impact of resilience and the positive cognitive triad (consisting of three components: view of the self, view of the world, and view of the future) on well-being, a subject that is presently understudied. The present study investigated well-being models that take into consideration the role of the positive cognitive triad, in the relationship between resilience and several concepts of well-being: subjective (general) happiness, subjective (hedonic) well-being, and psychological (eudaimonic) well-being (N = 742). Eudaimonic and hedonic well-being contribute to overall happiness through different mechanisms, while subjective happiness is people's assessment of their happiness. These distinctions bring forth a complete approach to well-being that integrates affects, life satisfaction, self-esteem, and long-term psychological health. Data was analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) in R. Results showed that resilience and the positive cognitive triad are predictors of well-being and there was a positive association between resilience and well-being, mediated by the positive cognitive triad factors. The fit indices in SEM indicated that the best fitting model is resilience ⇒ positive cognitive triad ⇒ subjective well-being. People who experience subjective (hedonic) well-being have an optimistic perspective on the world, while this perspective does not impact psychological (eudaimonic) well-being. Individuals experiencing psychological well-being have high self-esteem because well-being implies autonomy, self-acceptance, personal growth, and environmental mastery. Improved self-view also translates into increased subjective well-being. An optimistic view of the future fosters hope, and motivation, and it is associated with higher levels of well-being.

The Effect of Forgiveness and Resilience on Anxiety, Depression and Stress in Nursing Students

Purpose: To examine the effects of forgiveness and resilience on anxiety, depression, and stress in nursing students. Design: Cross-sectional correlational study. Methods: The convinient sample of the study consisted of 383 nursing students. Results: Significant predictors of nursing students' anxiety levels were experiencing an event where they could not forgive themselves or others and resilience. Significant predictors of nursing students' depression levels were gender, income level, experiencing an event where they could not forgive themselves or others, resilience, and self-forgiveness. Significant predictors of nursing students' stress levels were experiencing an event where they could not forgive themselves or others, resilience, and forgiveness of others. Conclusion: An increase in the level of self-forgiveness in nursing students reduced depression symptoms, and an increase in the level of forgiveness of others decreased stress symptoms. An increase in the level of resilience reduced symptoms of anxiety, depression, and stress. Female gender and a middle level of income reduced symptoms of depression. Interventions that increase forgiveness and resilience should be integrated into the curriculum to reduce nursing students' psychological symptoms in the context of holistic nursing.

An umbrella review of the characteristics of resiliency-enhancing interventions for children and youth with disabilities

PURPOSE

The current umbrella review aimed to identify key intervention characteristics that have been demonstrated to enhance resiliency in children and youth with disabilities.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

To identify these key ingredients, using JBI guidelines, we conducted comprehensive searches in the fall of 2022 and searches were re-run in June 2023. Using the PICO format, we searched for peer-reviewed review articles that included children and youth with disabilities (6 to 19 years of age), the intervention targeted resiliency, the context was home, school, or community, and the outcome was resiliency enhancement.

RESULTS

The initial searches produced 1031 articles, of which 4 met our inclusion criteria. These articles collectively had reviewed a total of 247 articles representing approximately 2756 participants. We found a wide range of disabilities represented in the studies and many activities that are included in the existing REIs. Our findings identified engagement, self-regulatory processes, capacity building, positive social connectedness, and a customized intervention approach as evidence-based resiliency enhancing features. We propose a model consolidating these findings into a multi-dimensional resiliency process which may help explain successful adaptation.

CONCLUSION

Our proposed model may be helpful in delineating entry points that different REIs have used to generate positive change.

The underlying mechanisms of family function on anxiety among nurses during the public health emergency

The occurrence of public health emergency in China often makes nurses more susceptible to anxiety. The present study aimed to investigate the prevalence of anxiety among Chinese nurses during the public health emergency and explore the association between family function and anxiety and its underlying mechanisms. Family care index questionnaire, Connor-Davidson Resilience scale, physical activity rating scale and 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale were employed to measure family function, resilience, physical activity and anxiety among 779 Chinese nurses during public health emergency. The prevalence of anxiety among nurses during public health emergency was 29.9%. Resilience partially mediated the association of anxiety with family function. Physical activity moderated the direct and indirect effects of family function on anxiety. The direct effect became insignificant when the standard scores of physical activity were 0.629 and over. In contrast, the indirect effect of family function on anxiety through resilience was stronger when the levels of physical activity increased. The present study suggested for nurses with low levels of physical activity, intervention enhancing family function should be designed to prevent anxiety. For those with higher levels of physical activity, programs aimed at strengthening family function and supporting resilience should be developed to manage anxiety.

Psychological Resilience Mediates the Impact of Childhood Trauma on Depressive Symptoms in Major Depressive Disorder

Background: This research aimed to investigate the mediating and moderating effects of psychological resilience (PR) on the association between childhood trauma (CT) and the development of depression. Methods: This study included 94 cases who consecutively applied to the outpatient psychiatry clinic of Rize Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University Training and Research Hospital in Turkey between 1 June 2023 and 1 December 2023 and were diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). In addition, 83 healthy individuals (control group) were also included. Participants administered the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS), the Resilience Scale for Adults (RSA), and the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ). Results: In the context of this research, the mediating effect of PR between CT and depression development was investigated. When examining the mediating role of PR on the association between CT and depression, it was found that CT statistically significantly influenced disease severity directly (B = 0.158, SE = 0.0398, z = 3.98, p < 0.001, 95% CI [0.0759, 0.232]), while it also influenced disease severity indirectly through PR (B = 0.193, SE = 0.028, z = 6.88, p < 0.001, 95% CI [0.1343, 0.244]). It was revealed that PR mediated the association between CT and depressive symptoms partially. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that PR has a mediating effect on the relationship between CT and MDD. These results provide new contributions to the existing literature. Interventions that increase psychological resilience may positively contribute to the treatment of patients with MDD who have suffered from CT.

Psychological Resilience and Future Anxiety Among University Students: The Mediating Role of Subjective Well-Being

Future anxiety is the worry and concern individuals experience regarding uncertainties and potential negative outcomes in their future. This emotional state can manifest at different stages of students' academic lives and can impact their academic performance and social relationships. In the process of coping with negative experiences and overcoming challenges, psychological resilience plays a crucial role. Students who struggle to manage stress and have high levels of anxiety tend to experience future anxiety more intensely. The aim of this study is to determine the mediating role of subjective well-being in the relationship between psychological resilience and future anxiety among university students. The study was conducted with a total of 483 university students, including 280 females and 203 males. Data were collected using the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC-10), Subjective Well-Being Scale (SWB-7), and Future Anxiety (Dark Future) Scale (Short Form). Analyses were performed using AMOS 22.0 and SPSS 27.0 software. The findings indicate that psychological resilience has a significant negative effect on future anxiety, a significant positive effect on subjective well-being, and that subjective well-being has a significant negative effect on future anxiety. Additionally, the study found that subjective well-being mediates the relationship between psychological resilience and future anxiety.

The correlation between resilience and mental health of adolescents and young adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

Adolescents and young adults (AYAs) aged 10-25 exhibit an increased prevalence of mental health disorders. Resilience has been well established as a positive factor in promoting and protecting mental health. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to quantify the correlation between resilience and mental health in AYAs by including relevant observational studies. Additionally, it explored potential moderators such as percentage of female participants, sample regions, and resilience measurements.

Methods

A comprehensive search of the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science and Scopus databases was conducted until September 2024. CMA 3.0 software was used to perform meta-analysis, publication bias and sensitivity analysis of the included studies, and the moderating effect was verified by meta-analysis of variance (ANOVA).

Result

Nineteen studies involving a total of 17,746 participants were included, and the summary effect sizes from the random effect model showed that resilience among AYAs had a correlation coefficient of -0.391 with negative indicators of mental health (95% CI: - 0.469, - 0.308, p < 0.001), and a correlation coefficient of 0.499 with positive indicators of mental health (95% CI: 0.400, 0.586, p < 0.001). Additionally, sample regions and resilience measurements significantly moderated the correlation between resilience and positive indicators of mental health.

Conclusion

Resilience in AYAs showed a moderately negative correlation with negative indicators of mental health and a moderately strong positive correlation with positive indicators of mental health. The findings strengthened the basis for future resilience research in AYAs aged 10-25, highlighting the potential of resilience to help mitigate the increasing mental health challenges faced by this population.

Social determinants of mental health in asthma: an exploratory study

Introduction

Asthma and mental health problems co-occur at high rates. In context of a holistic approach to health, considering the extent to which social determinants relate to mental health in people with asthma helps identify health inequity and inform population-level preventative strategies. The aim of the current exploratory study was to examine how social determinants are associated with depression, anxiety and resilience in people with mild-moderate and severe asthma.

Methods

A cross-sectional study of 144 adults (aged ≥18 years) with a diagnosis of asthma was conducted. Participants were classified as having mild-moderate asthma or severe asthma based on international guidelines. As part of a multidimensional assessment, participants self-reported age, sex, ethnicity, country of birth, living arrangements, employment, and postcode. They also completed validated self-report questionnaires for depression and anxiety [Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS)], and resilience [Resilience Scale (RS-25)]. Bayesian regression analyses were conducted to examine the extent to which social determinants were associated with depression, anxiety and resilience.

Results

74 participants had mild-moderate asthma and 70 participants had severe asthma. Participants were on average 60 years old (SD = 14), 72% were female, 94% were Caucasian, 94% were Australian-born, 26% lived alone, 42% were working full- or part-time, and 83% lived in a major city of Australia. Anxiety and depression were relatively common (35% anxiety; 16% depression using HADS threshold of scores ≥8). Few social determinants were associated with depression, anxiety and/or resilience. Older age was associated with greater resilience. Females had higher levels of anxiety compared to males. Compared to participants currently working full- or part-time, those who were not working or studying due to their health had worse depressive symptoms and those who were not working for other reasons such as retirement had greater resilience.

Discussion

As in the general population, age, sex and employment/student status were associated with components of mental health in people with asthma. Although limited by the small sample size and sociodemographic homogeneity, the findings of this exploratory study contribute to the large body of work fostering a holistic approach to health and striving for health equity in people with asthma, particularly those who experience mental health problems.

A meta-analysis of genome-wide studies of resilience in the German population

Resilience is the capacity to adapt to stressful life events. As such, this trait is associated with physical and mental functions and conditions. Here, we aimed to identify the genetic factors contributing to shape resilience. We performed variant- and gene-based meta-analyses of genome-wide association studies from six German cohorts (N = 15822) using the 11-item version of the Resilience Scale (RS-11) as outcome measure. Variant- and gene-level results were combined to explore the biological context using network analysis. In addition, we conducted tests of correlation between RS-11 and the polygenic scores (PGSs) for 12 personality and mental health traits in one of these cohorts (PROCAM-2, N = 3879). The variant-based analysis found no signals associated with resilience at the genome-wide level (p < 5 × 10-8), but suggested five genomic loci (p < 1 × 10-5). The gene-based analysis identified three genes (ROBO1, CIB3 and LYPD4) associated with resilience at genome-wide level (p < 2.48 × 10-6) and 32 potential candidates (p < 1 × 10-4). Network analysis revealed enrichment of biological pathways related to neuronal proliferation and differentiation, synaptic organization, immune responses and vascular homeostasis. We also found significant correlations (FDR < 0.05) between RS-11 and the PGSs for neuroticism and general happiness. Overall, our observations suggest low heritability of resilience. Large, international efforts will be required to uncover the genetic factors that contribute to shape trait resilience. Nevertheless, as the largest investigation of the genetics of resilience in general population to date, our study already offers valuable insights into the biology potentially underlying resilience and resilience's relationship with other personality traits and mental health.

Resilience-based interventions in the public sector workplace: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Previous studies have advocated the benefits of resilience-based interventions for creating a healthy and sustainable workforce. However, resilience is defined and measured in diverse ways. Therefore, the aim of this systematic review is (1) to identify how resilience is defined within different workplace interventions, translated into intervention content, and measured in these interventions; and (2) to synthesize the effectiveness of these interventions.

METHODS

A systematic literature search was conducted and included articles from 2013 - 2023. Twenty-four studies met the inclusion criteria, covering a total of 26 unique interventions. Definitions were categorized as: resilience as a trait, process, or outcome. Cohen's D was calculated to depict the effect sizes within the intervention groups from pre-test to post-test and, when possible, from pre-test to 3-month follow-up.

RESULTS

Included studies applied a wide range of definitions; most definitions fitted within the trait-orientation, conceptualizing resilience as an individual characteristic or ability, or the process-orientation, conceptualizing resilience as a dynamic process. No studies solely used the outcome-orientation, but some did combine elements of all three orientations. Various definitions, measures and intervention strategies were applied, however, almost half of the studies (46%) showed inconsistencies within these choices. Furthermore, findings show that most resilience-based interventions in the workplace have a positive impact. While educational workshops with a higher frequency and duration had medium to large effects, solely digital interventions had small effects, changing to small to medium when combined with non-digital elements.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings suggest that resilience-based can benefit employees by enhancing their psychological well-being. This, in turn, can lead to improved work-related outcomes such as productivity, thereby offering advantages to employers as well. This underscores the growing recognition that resilience should be viewed as a shared responsibility between the individual and the organization. Further advancement in the field of resilience-based interventions in the workplace calls for future research to focus on maintaining consistency when choosing a definition of resilience, developing intervention content, and choosing an outcome measure.

PREREGISTRATION

The search protocol was preregistered in the Open Science Framework, see Hollaar et al. (2023). https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/UKYF7 .

Exploring the correlations between social support, resilience, well-being, and mental health variables among youth in border areas of Jammu and Kashmir

BACKGROUND

The border areas of Jammu and Kashmir have long been affected by conflict, potentially impacting the mental health of youth. Understanding the relationships between social health factors and mental health outcomes in these regions is crucial for developing effective interventions.

AIM

This study aims to investigate the correlations between social health factors (social support, resilience, and well-being) and mental health outcomes (stress, anxiety, and depression) among youth living in the border areas of Jammu and Kashmir.

METHODS

A sample of 300 individuals aged 18 to 25 years was recruited, with 150 participants from the Line of Control (LoC) border in Rajouri district and 150 from the International Border (IB) in Jammu district. Participants completed six standardized measures: the Resilience Scale, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), the WHO-5 Well-Being Index, the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7). Pearson Correlation was computed with statistical significance at p < .05.

RESULTS

Significant positive correlations were found between social support, resilience, and well-being in both IB and LoC groups. Depression was positively correlated with anxiety in both groups. However, stress was positively correlated with depression and anxiety only in the LoC group.

CONCLUSION

These findings highlight the importance of social health factors in maintaining mental well-being among youth in conflict-affected regions. The study suggests that interventions targeting social support, resilience, and well-being may effectively promote mental health in these areas. Additionally, the results underscore the need for context-specific approaches in addressing mental health challenges in different conflict-affected environments.

Trajectories of Canadian Workers' Well-Being During the Onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Research regarding workers' well-being over time during COVID-19 has primarily used variable-centered approaches (e.g., ANOVA) to explore changes in negative well-being. However, variable-centered approaches provide insufficient information on the different well-being experiences that diverse workers may have experienced during COVID-19. Furthermore, researchers have understudied positive well-being in workers' general lives and work during COVID-19. We used latent trajectory analysis, a person-centered analysis, to explore diverse well-being trajectories Canadian workers experienced during the first few months of COVID-19 across distress, flourishing, presenteeism, and thriving at work measures. We hypothesized that: H1) Intragroup differences would be present on each well-being indicator at study onset; H2) Different longitudinal trajectories would emerge for each well-being indicator (i.e., some workers' scores would get better, some would get worse, and some would remain the same); and H3) Factors at different ecological levels (self, social, workplace, pandemic) would predict membership to the different trajectories. Canadian workers (N = 648) were surveyed March 20-27th, April 3rd-10th, and May 20-27th of 2020. Depending on the well-being indicator, and supporting H1, three to five well-being trajectories were identified. Providing some support for H2, distress and presenteeism trajectories improved over time or stayed stagnant; flourishing and thriving at work trajectories worsened or stayed stagnant. Providing some support for H3, self- (gender, age, disability status, trait resilience), social- (family functioning), workplace- (employment status, financial strain, sense of job security), and pandemic-related (perceived vulnerability to COVID-19) factors significantly predicted well-being trajectory membership. Recommendations for diverse stakeholders (e.g., employers, mental health organizations) are discussed.

How Physical Exercise Reduces Problematic Mobile Phone Use in Adolescents: The Roles of Expression Suppression, Depression, Anxiety, and Resilience

BACKGROUND

Problematic mobile phone use has become a pressing concern among adolescents due to its widespread prevalence and associated health risks. Physical exercise has been suggested as a potential intervention, but the psychological mechanisms underlying its effects remain unclear. This study explores how physical exercise impacts problematic mobile phone use through expression suppression, emotional problems (depression and anxiety), and resilience, offering actionable insights for intervention strategies.

METHODS

The study involved 2,032 Chinese adolescents who completed standardized self-report questionnaires assessing physical exercise, expression suppression, emotional problems, resilience, and problematic mobile phone use. Statistical analyses were conducted using a moderated serial mediation model.

RESULTS

Among the participants, 25.5% reported problematic mobile phone use, while 37.5% experienced both depression and anxiety. Physical exercise was negatively associated with problematic mobile phone use (β = -0.195, p < 0.001) through its effects on expressive suppression, depression, and anxiety. Indirect effects mediated by expressive suppression and depression/anxiety accounted for 52.0% and 44.4% of the total effect, respectively. Additionally, resilience moderated the pathway linking expressive suppression to depression and anxiety (interaction effect for depression: β = -0.080, 95% CI: -0.111 to -0.048; for anxiety: β = -0.065, 95% CI: -0.097 to -0.033), with low resilience amplifying the negative emotional impacts of expressive suppression.

CONCLUSION

Physical exercise can directly reduce problematic mobile phone use and indirectly alleviate its associated risks by improving emotion regulation and reducing emotional problems. Expressive suppression and depression/anxiety play significant mediating roles, while resilience moderates these pathways, highlighting its protective effect. By targeting both behavioral and psychological factors, interventions that combine physical activity promotion with resilience training show promise in addressing problematic mobile phone use and associated emotional issues in adolescents.

Protective factors against parental burnout during the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively influenced families across the world and contributed to the likelihood of increased parental burnout and decreased parental psychological well-being. However, not all parents experienced parental burnout during the pandemic. In the current study, we focused on protective factors that buffered the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on parents and supported parents' quality of life. Based on previous literature, we hypothesized optimism, humor, and resilience will be associated with lower levels of parental burnout. Two hundred and eighty-one Israeli parents participated in the study, completing questionnaires during the government-mandated lockdown. Questionnaires examined information pertaining to both participants' personal characteristics (optimism and pessimism, self-enhancing humor, resilience, parental stress, and perceptions of the youngest child's functioning) and background characteristics (parental age, gender, health condition, socioeconomic status, employment status, and youngest child's age) to examine the relationship between these variables and parental burnout. Findings indicate that resilience, optimism, and humor facilitated reduced parental burnout and enhanced parental well-being during the pandemic. However, these variables were not associated with parents' stress perception. This study sheds light on the importance of having an optimistic perspective, positive sense of humor, and resilience at times of prolonged stress. Implications for interventions targeting optimistic attitudes and humor are suggested.

The Relationship Between Self-Compassion and Resilience in the General Population: Protocol for a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

Resilience can protect individuals from the negative impact of adversity, facilitating a swift recovery. The exploration of protective factors contributing to resilience has been a central focus of research. Self-compassion, a positive psychological construct that involves treating oneself with kindness, holds the potential to bolster resilience. Although several studies have indicated an association between self-compassion and resilience, there is a lack of systematic reviews and meta-analyses examining this relationship and the potential moderators and mechanisms.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to systematically review the literature on the relationship between self-compassion and resilience in the general population, perform a meta-analysis to quantify the effect size of their association, and explore potential moderators (eg, age, gender, culture, and health status) and mediators.

METHODS

We will search the Web of Science, PsycINFO, MEDLINE, Scopus, CINAHL, and CNKI databases for peer-reviewed studies (including observational and experimental studies) that examined the relationship between self-compassion and resilience, with no language restrictions. There are no restrictions regarding participants' age, gender, culture, or health status. Qualitative studies, conference abstracts, review articles, case reports, and editorials will be excluded. Two reviewers (XL and JH) will independently screen the literature, extract data, and assess the quality of the eligible studies. If possible, the pooled effect size between self-compassion and resilience will be meta-analyzed using a random-effect model. Meta-regression and subgroup analysis will be conducted to examine the moderating roles of age, gender, culture, health status, and other potential moderators. The characteristics and main findings of eligible studies will be summarized in tables and narrative descriptions. Results from the meta-analysis, meta-regression, and subgroup analysis will be presented quantitatively.

RESULTS

We registered our protocol with PROSPERO, conducted the search, and initiated the screening in April 2024. We expect to start data analysis in October 2024 and finalize the review by March 2025.

CONCLUSIONS

The systematic review and meta-analysis will provide evidence on the protective role of self-compassion in resilience under adversity. Our investigation into potential moderators will highlight the contexts and groups where the benefits of self-compassion can be maximized. The findings are expected to provide valuable insights for health care professionals and stakeholders, informing the development of interventions aimed at enhancing resilience by fostering self-compassion.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

PROSPERO CRD42024534390; https://tinyurl.com/3j3rmcja.

INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID)

PRR1-10.2196/60154.

The Mediating Roles of Self-Compassion and Emotion Regulation in the Relationship Between Psychological Resilience and Mental Health Among College Teachers

Background

The compromised well-being of educators engenders a range of educational, social, and economic issues that cannot be adequately addressed through the mere awareness of risk factors. The present research explores the mediating roles of self-compassion and emotion regulation strategies (cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression) on the relationship between academic teachers' psychological resilience and mental health.

Methods

A total of 405 academic teachers from four colleges in Tabuk City, Saudi Arabia, participated in the study between September and November 2023. The standardized questionnaires measuring psychological resilience (The Brief Resilience Scale- BRS), self-compassion (The Self-Compassion Scale-SCS), emotion regulation (The Emotion Regulation Scale-ERS), and mental health (General Health Questionnaire-12) were used to collect data. The bivariate correlation, regression, and path analysis were employed to investigate their associations.

Results

The findings demonstrated a significant positive impact of psychological resilience on mental health (β=0.39, p<0.001). Self-compassion emerged as a significant positive mediator, strengthening the association between resilience and mental health (β=0.18, p<0.01). Cognitive reappraisal was found to have a positive mediating effect on this relationship (β=0.16, p<0.01), highlighting its functional significance in regulating emotions. Conversely, expressive suppression was found to negatively mediate the relationship, with an indirect effect of β=-0.12 (p<0.05), indicating a maladaptive influence on mental health.

Conclusion

The research emphasizes the significance of fostering self-compassion and adaptive regulatory strategies, like cognitive reappraisal, while mitigating maladaptive approaches, including expressive suppression, in order to enhance the mental health of university educators. These findings underscore the necessity for culturally sensitive mental health interventions within educational institutions in Saudi Arabia.

Assessing the psychometric properties of Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale 25 (CD-RISC 25) in pharmacy students and academics in the Eastern Mediterranean Region

Background

Resilience is a complex concept that is defined and influenced by the context of individuals, organisations, societies and cultures. The Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC) is a widely used validated tool to evaluate psychological resilience. CD-RISC is a self-administered scale of twenty-five items, each rated by a 5-point Likert scale. The scale evaluates overall personal resilience through assessing five main resilience-related constructs; personal competence, trust in one's instincts, positive acceptance of change, control and spiritual influences. As per the scale's developers, higher scores reflecting greater level of resilience. This particular tool has not previously been tested with a pharmacy student or academic population sample.

Objective

This study aims to assess the factor structure, validity, and reliability of the CD-RISC-25 in a sample of pharmacy students and academics from faculties drawn across the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR).

Methods

A cross-sectional study was carried out between October 2020 and January 2021 sampling pharmacy students and academics across the EMR who were invited to complete the self-administered CD-RISC 25 questionnaire. Confirmatory factor analysis using principal components analysis with oblique rotation was conducted on sample responses (n = 616). The internal consistency and reliability for each identified factor and from the CD-RISC scale was evaluated by using Cronbach's alpha coefficient.

Results

Five factors were isolated accounting for 51.5 % total cumulative model variance. Identification of factors showed high convergence with previous work on the CD-RISC resilience tool. The current study in our sample found a five-factor structure which differed from the original scale reliabilities. This study did identify a five-factor solution with differing item factor loadings. The reliability analysis on the CD-RISC-25 items in our study sample revealed an overall Cronbach Alpha value of 0.89; however, three items showed corrected Item-total correlations of <0.3. Our analysis, in this respondent sample, suggested a re-adjustment of the scale inclusions to improve overall scale stability and performance.

Conclusions

The current research findings propose a modified five-factor structure to resilience, with a 22-item unidimensional model of CD-RISC scale.

Discrimination Exposure, Neural Reactivity to Stress, and Psychological Distress

OBJECTIVE

Discrimination exposure has a detrimental impact on mental health, increasing the risk of depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress. The impact discrimination exposure has on mental health is likely mediated by neural processes associated with emotion expression and regulation. However, the specific neural processes that mediate the relationship between discrimination exposure and mental health remain to be determined. The present study investigated the relationship adolescent discrimination exposure has with stress-elicited brain activity and mental health symptoms in young adulthood.

METHODS

A total of 301 participants completed the Montreal Imaging Stress Task while functional MRI data were collected. Discrimination exposure was measured four times from ages 11 to 19, and stress-elicited brain activity and psychological distress (depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress) were assessed in young adulthood (age 20).

RESULTS

Stress-elicited dorsolateral and dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (PFC), inferior parietal lobule (IPL), and hippocampal activity varied with discrimination exposure. Activity within these brain regions varied with the cumulative amount and trajectory of discrimination exposure across adolescence (initial exposure, change in exposure, and acceleration of exposure). Depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress symptoms varied with discrimination exposure. Stress-elicited activity within the dorsolateral PFC and the IPL statistically mediated the relationship between discrimination exposure and psychological distress.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings suggest that adolescent discrimination exposure may alter the neural response to future stressors (i.e., within regions associated with emotion expression and regulation), which may in turn modify susceptibility and resilience to psychological distress. Thus, differences in stress-elicited neural reactivity may represent an important neurobiological mechanism underlying discrimination-related mental health disparities.

How positive mental well-being influences professional identity and the mediating mechanisms in Chinese nursing students

AIM

To examine the association between positive mental well-being and professional identity in nursing students. The mediating effects of resilience and nurse-patient relationship were explored.

BACKGROUND

Professional identity of nursing students can influence their pursuit of a nursing career. Negative mental health problems, such as anxiety, depression, and high stress, are known risk factors for professional identity. Few studies have examined the association of professional identity with positive mental well-being and underlying mechanisms.

METHODS

This was a cross-sectional study of Chinese nursing students on clinical placement. The Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale, Professional Identity Scale, Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, Nurse-Patient Relationship Scale, and Patient Health Questionnaire were used, and demographic and study-related characteristics were measured. Multivariable linear regression and mediation analyses analyzed the associations. We followed the STROBE reporting guidelines.

RESULTS

Of 208 participants, the total scores of positive mental well-being and professional identity were at a moderate level. Positive mental well-being was associated with professional identity after adjusting for confounders including the main reason for choosing nursing and negative mental health. Resilience was a full mediator of the association between positive mental well-being and professional identity, whereas nurse-patient relationship was a partial mediator.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

Positive mental well-being was associated with professional identity in Chinese nursing students on clinical placement, mediated through resilience and nurse-patient relationship. Positive mental well-being can be a facilitator for the professional identity of nursing students, and resilience and nurse-patient relationship could be potential mechanisms for nurse professional development.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING AND/OR HEALTH POLICY

Nurse researchers, educators, and policymakers are informed to increase the awareness of positive mental well-being and develop interventions targeting resilience and nurse-patient relationship for building a stable and satisfied nursing team.

Understanding Resilience in Parents: Longitudinal Examination of Trait Resilience, Stressful Life Events, and Psychological Distress Symptoms-Insights From the FinnBrain Study

The study aimed to investigate the persistence or changes in trait resilience of parents over a 6-year period and its association with stressful life events (SLEs). Furthermore, we explored the potential protective effect of trait resilience against exposure to stressful life events and their negative mental health consequences. The study population was drawn from the ongoing FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study and included 1388 mothers and 657 fathers who completed the CD-RISC-10 questionnaire during pregnancy and again 6 years later. Data collection involved self-report questionnaires, including CD-RISC-10, EPDS, SCL-90, and a questionnaire on SLEs. Data analysis utilised linear regression and statistical assessments. Parents in the highest or lowest quartile of resilience showed greater stability in resilience scores over time compared to those in the middle quartiles. Trait resilience during pregnancy was significantly associated with resilience 6 years later. SLEs did not moderate this association. Additionally, higher trait resilience consistently associated with lower levels of distress symptoms. The investigation of SLEs may require more nuance due to their event-specific variability of impact. Furthermore, the study's sample size of individuals who experienced a high frequency of stressful life events was limited. Trait resilience appears to be rather stable, but also susceptible to some change. Because of its persistency and the positive impact on mental health it is worthwhile to be assessed as a part of comprehensive evaluation of parents' mental health.

How was your day? A within-person analysis of how mental health may moderate the route from daily micro-events to satisfaction after work via affect and contextual performance

This study builds on the affective events theory and the conservation of resources theory to propose a model that analyses an affect-to-behaviour-to-outcome route, highlighting how daily micro-events and subsequent affective reactions lead to behaviours (performance) and cognitions (satisfaction after work), and how mental health moderates this process. Results from a 5-day diary study, during the pandemic (N = 250, n = 1221), provided data to test the proposed affect-to-behaviour-to-outcome route. Poorer mental health buffered the positive within-person relationship between daily micro-events, affective reactions, performance and satisfaction after work, suggesting that high levels of mental health allowed individuals to maximise the benefits of positive daily micro-events in their satisfaction after work via affect and performance. This study presents original research analysing how situational factors create a route through which individuals experience affective reactions that influence their work behaviour, and in turn their levels of satisfaction after work.