Influence of grit on lifestyle factors during the COVID-19 pandemic in a sample of adults in the United States

The effect of a prosocial environment on health and well-being during the first COVID-19 lockdown and a year later

The outset of the COVID-19 pandemic was characterized by prolonged periods of chronic stress and social isolation. While studies have investigated the changes to well-being (WB) during this period, the impact of the social environment on long-term physical and mental health requires further study. This study aimed to assess the factors influencing WB and health outcomes, with the hypothesis that a positive social environment would play a significant immediate and long-term role in improving WB and preventing the effects of anxiety associated with the pandemic. At time point 1 (April 2020), an Israeli sample of 206 participants (84% female, mean age 31.5) responded to traditional questionnaires assessing mental health and social support. Factors affecting WB were assessed within subjects during the first COVID-19 lockdown for 6 weeks using a daily survey (Beiwe phone application). A year later, in May 2021, at time point 2, the initial questionnaires were readministered to a subset of the same participants (N = 94). We found that anxiety during the first lockdown adversely affected WB and predicted health and WB deterioration a year later. In contrast, a high quality of social relationships was associated with better short- and long-term WB, and mitigated the adverse effects of anxiety. Daily activities, including physical activity, meditation, and romantic relations, were also positively associated with WB during the first lockdown but did not have long-term effects. In summary, our study underscores the enduring health advantages of a positive social environment, particularly during stressful periods. These results have implications for health policymakers: programs which support individuals with high anxiety and low support, by integrating them into community-based interventions, promise to enhance well-being (WB) and health, as well as to fortify the community as a whole.

Relationships between grit and lifestyle factors in undergraduate college students during the COVID-19 pandemic

Objective: To investigate the influence of grit on physical activity, sleep and diet in undergraduate students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants: 125 undergraduate students participated in the study. Participants completed an online survey while enrolled in an online class during June, 2020. Methods: The online questionairre featured the following validated survey instruments: International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, the Rapid Eating Assessment for Participants Short Form and the grit short form. Effects of grit on lifestyle behaviors were explored using several statistical approaches. Results: We found that individuals with more grit reported better eating and sleeping behaviors compared to those with less grit. However, we did not find an influence of grit on physical activity or sitting time. Conclusion: Our findings support that personality traits encompassed in grit contribute to college students reporting healthier dietary habits and better sleep quality during a global pandemic.

Higher Grit Scores Are Associated With Earlier Increases in Knee Flexion Following Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction With Meniscus Repair in Pediatric Patients

BACKGROUND

The Grit Scale is used to measure grit, defined by Duckworth and colleagues as the disposition to show perseverance and passion for long-term goals. It has been shown that psychological factors like motivation, coachability, and coping with adversity are correlated with faster readiness for return to sport (RTS) in patients undergoing anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). This study investigates the association between pediatric patients' baseline grit scores and; preoperative Patient-reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Pain scores and the recovery of range of motion (ROM) after ACLR. The investigators hypothesized that higher preoperative grit scores would predict lower preoperative pain scores and earlier return of knee ROM in patients undergoing ACLR.

METHODS

This is a retrospective cohort study. Pediatric patients who underwent primary ACLR were assigned the pediatric Grit Scale. Patients were subdivided by meniscal procedures due to differences in postoperative protocols. ACLR alone or with meniscectomy (ACLR ± meniscectomy) were grouped together and ACLR with meniscal repair (ACLR + meniscus repair) represented the other cohort. Patients above the 50th grit percentile were considered "high grit". Patients below the 50th percentile were considered "low grit". Baseline PROMIS pain intensity and interference were collected. ROM was compared by grit cohort using the Mann-Whitney U test with a significance threshold of P ≤ 0.05.

RESULTS

A total of 58 patients undergoing ACLR were analyzed: 20 ACLR ± meniscectomy and 38 ACLR + meniscus repair. The mean age was 15.0 ± 2.1 years with 41.4% of participants identifying as females. No significant difference was noted between baseline PROMIS pain intensity and interference and grit score ( P = 0.82, P = 0.91, respectively). Three months postoperatively, for those in the ACLR + meniscus repair cohort, low grit ROM was 130 degrees (interquartile range = 10 degrees), whereas high grit ROM was 135 degrees (interquartile range = 8 degrees) ( P = 0.006).

CONCLUSIONS

This study found no differences in pain scores at presentation between grit cohorts but found that patients with grit scores below the 50th percentile undergoing ACLR + meniscus repair have 5 degrees less total ROM at 3 months compared with those with high grit scores. Quicker ROM recovery in patients with high grit may be a leading indicator of these patients' likelihood to achieve other postoperative milestones and meet criteria for RTS more quickly; the relationship between grit and readiness for RTS should be further investigated.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level IV; retrospective cohort study.

Environmentally Responsible Purchase Intention in Pacific Alliance Countries: Geographic and Gender Evidence in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic

The objectives of this research were: (1) to examine the influence of environmental awareness (EA), sustainable consumption (SC) and social responsibility (SR) on the environmentally responsible purchase intention (ERPI) of consumers in the member countries of the Pacific Alliance, namely, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru; and (2) to analyze whether there is a moderating effect related to the country of residence and gender of the consumer. The study was conducted under a quantitative and cross-sectional approach. The sample consisted of 1646 consumers: 24.4% from Peru (n = 402), 25.4% from Mexico (n = 418), 26.1% from Colombia (n = 401) and 24.1% from Chile (n = 397). Data analysis and hypothesis testing were performed using a multigroup Structural Equation Model (SEM). The results show a positive influence among environmental awareness (EA), sustainable consumption (SC) and social responsibility (SR) on environmentally responsible purchase intention (ERPI). Gender and country of residence were also shown to be moderating variables in these relationships. In conclusion, it can be affirmed that the participants of this study recognize the importance of acquiring environmentally friendly products. Among them, the female population is more aware of this issue. It is recommended new business models be created to provide products and services oriented to this market according to consumers’ tastes, desires and purchasing preferences; the proposals they have should be friendly to the environment and to society.

Associations Between Food Skills and Resilience in Adults Ages 18 to 45 in the USA During the COVID-19 Pandemic (2020 April-June): A Brief Report

Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, there were limited options for eating away from home, obligating many US adults to prepare foods at home, a situation that provided an opportunity to examine relationships between food skills, resilience, and coping in the initial months of the pandemic. This research surveyed a convenience sample of adults (n = 134; 18-45 years of age) from the Phoenix Metropolitan area when a "stay at home" pandemic directive was mandated in the state of AZ. The study objective was to explore how food skills correlated to resilience and whether resilience directly related to the ability to manage oneself during this time. Previously validated measures for food skills and resiliency were utilized for the online questionnaire, which also included the question, "I was able to manage myself during the Coronavirus Pandemic." The Spearman's rank order correlation test and a linear, stepwise regression analysis were used to examine relationships between scores. Participants scored at the 77% percentile for total food skill proficiency, and at the 84th percentile for resilience. Both total food skills and resilience were correlated to the ability to self-manage during COVID-19 (r = 0.246 and r = 0.444, respectively; p ≤ 0.004). The stepwise linear regression model retained only the food skill domain "food selection and planning" as a significant predictor of resilience (standardized coefficient, 0.278; 99% CI [- 0.056, 0.414]; p < 0.05). These data suggest that resilience and food skills factored into participants' ability to self-manage during the COVID-19 mandate, "stay at home."

"I Refuse to Wear a Mask!" Examining the Relationship Between Grit and Preventative Behaviors and Well-Being: Mediating Role of Motivation

Despite government mandates to wear face masks in some public locations, why do some people still refuse to wear a face mask in public? This paper examines the relationship between grit, COVID-19 preventative health measure, and distress. Further, the mediating role of COVID-19 autonomous and controlled motivation is also investigated. The results suggest that grit is directly related to decreased distress and increased preventative behaviors. COVID-19 autonomous and controlled motivated mediated the relationship between grit, distress and preventive behaviors, such that COVID-19 autonomous motivation mediated the association between grit and preventive behaviors; while COVID-19 controlled motivation mediated the relationship between grit and psychological distress. These findings suggest that grit can be an important growth mindset in increasing preventative behaviors and individual well-being during the pandemic. Implications for human resource managers in attempting to help employees cope effectively during the pandemic are discussed.

Factors Influencing Motivation to Perform Mental and Physical Tasks During the Initial Lockdown Period of the COVID-19

Drastic changes to lifestyles have occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic. An unintended consequence of stay at home orders is increased isolation and less social interaction for many people. For overall wellbeing it is important to stay both physically and mentally active; however, for many individual's motivation may be a barrier. There are non-modifiable (e.g. sex, age, personality, infection rates in the area) and modifiable factors (e.g. physical activity, diet, sleep) that may be associated with motivation to perform physical and mental tasks. We collected data from 794 subjects using an online survey between April 13th to May 3^rd of 2020. Survey questionnaires included demographics, personality traits, diet, sleep, physical activity levels, mental workload and motivation to perform mental and physical tasks. Multiple linear regression analyses were used to assess the association between non-modifiable and modifiable variables on motivation to perform mental and physical tasks. The results of our analyses suggest that those who reported a higher quality of diet (REAP-S score), exercised vigorously, and reduced their sedentary time, reported higher motivation to perform both mental and physical tasks. Those who were employed and had higher grit were more motivated to perform physical tasks. Lower trait physical energy was associated with greater motivation to perform mental tasks. Our findings support that during challenging times, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important for healthcare practitioners to emphasize the importance healthy lifestyle behaviors to prevent individuals from experiencing a lack of motivation to perform both mental and physical tasks. Future research should focus on trying to determine the directionality of the relationship between specific healthy lifestyle behaviors and motivation.

Relationship between a Maximum Plank Assessment and Fitness, Health Behaviors, and Moods in Tactical Athletes: An Exploratory Study

A maximum plank hold (PH) has been implemented in the Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT) with the Holistic Health and Fitness (H2F) program. The H2F program introduces a shift in wellbeing from a fitness centered approach to framework also comprising nutrition, sleep, mental, and spiritual components. The purpose was to analyze how a maximum PH correlated with fitness, lifestyle behaviors, and mood states in tactical athletes (TA) and assess differences between those who pass and fail. Forty-nine TA completed fitness testing, lifestyle behavior, and mood state surveys. Bivariate correlations were used to examine relationships with PH performance. PH time was significantly correlated with total body mass, fat mass, BMI, push-ups, and state physical energy (SPE). VO_2max was significantly different between the groups who passed and failed the PH. PH was not associated with lifestyle behaviors or trait mood states. PH performance could vary day-to-day as it was correlated with SPE. Individuals with poorer aerobic fitness and body composition may be at risk for failing the PH.

The Trait of Perseverance: A Literature Review and Future Research Directions

The concept of perseverance has always allured researchers because of its characterization as an elementary ingredient for success in personal and professional settings. However, past studies show that perseverance has been explored primarily in combination with other constructs, curtailing its development as a standalone concept. This article aims to identify distinct research streams associated with perseverance, reveal how the research associated with the concept has evolved, and identify some ideas and directions for future research. Using bibliometric analysis, the article identifies 3 distinct research streams and a contextual shift in literature over time. Also, emerging trends in the literature are identified through diachronic analysis. The future time perspective theory is suggested to further the research on perseverance.

Mental health and psychological resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-cultural comparison of Japan, Malaysia, China, and the U.S

BACKGROUND

The current study examined how psychological resilience acted as a buffer against mental health deterioration during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. We conducted an online survey in four countries (Japan, Malaysia, China, and the U.S.) to examine how psychological resilience functions toward the maintenance of mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

We collected data from 1583 citizens from four countries via an online survey between October 14 and November 2, 2020. We gathered demographic data and measured mental distress (depression, anxiety, and stress) and fear of COVID-19. Data on sense of control, ego-resilience, grit, self-compassion, and resilience indicators were also collected.

RESULTS

Sense of control was negatively associated with mental distress in all four countries. Self-compassion was negatively associated with mental distress in the samples from Japan, China, and the U.S. We also found an interaction effect for sense of control: the lower the sense of control, the stronger the deterioration of mental distress when the fear of COVID-19 was high.

LIMITATIONS

This study's cross-sectional design precludes causal inferences. Further, lack of data from people who were actually infected with the virus limits comparisons of people who were and were not infected. Finally, as this study only compared data from four countries, comparisons with more countries are needed.

CONCLUSIONS

A sense of control and self-compassion may help buffer against mental health deterioration during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sense of control was consistently associated with mental health across cultures.

Influence of grit and healthy lifestyle behaviors on anxiety and depression in US adults at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic: Cross-sectional study

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic altered lifestyles and impacted mental health of many adults. Engaging in physical activity, avoiding prolonged sitting, and consuming a healthy diet improve mental health. The current study investigated the association between health-related lifestyle behaviors on feelings of anxiety and depression in adults during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: Adults (n=796) living in the United States completed an internet-based survey in Spring 2020 that included validated survey instruments for moods, physical activity, sitting and dietary behaviors. Multivariate multiple regression models were used to assess the association between health-related lifestyle behaviors and feelings of anxiety and depression.

Results: A majority (70.7%; 95% CI: [0.607, 0.807]) of participants met physical activity (PA) guidelines, 43.7% (95% CI: [0.287, 0.587]) sat for ≥ 8 hours per day, and 87.7% (95% CI [0.807, 0.947]) ate a healthy diet. Our final models explained 6.2% and 9.8% of the variance in anxiety and depression, respectively. Vigorous PA (anxiety: B=-0.111, 95% CI: [-0.171,0.000]; depression: B=-0.111, 95% CI: [-0.186,-0.037]) and dietary behaviors (anxiety: B=-0.112, 95% CI: [-0.180,-0.444]; depression: B=-0.112, 95% CI: [-0.213,-0.076]) were associated with reduced feelings of anxiety and depression while sitting time (anxiety: B=0.119, 95% CI: [0.000,0.199]; depression: B=0.119, 95% CI: [0.199,0.199]) were associated with greater feelings of anxiety and depression.

Conclusion: Engaging in vigorous physically activity, reducing sitting time, and consuming a healthy diet was associated with reduced feelings of anxiety and depression during the early part of the pandemic. The aforementioned modifiable lifestyle behaviors are independent of each other suggesting improvements in one behavior may improve feelings of anxiety and depression.

Antecedents and Consequences of Grit Among Working Adults: A Transpersonal Psychology Perspective

Positive psychology has paved the way for newer and more informed ideas of living a meaningful, integrated and well-rounded quality of living. The current era of the pandemic has also moulded the ways in which individuals perceive their quality of life and how they want to integrate a holistic approach towards their well-being. The workplace settings have seen tremendous changes in terms of how employers, employees and the organisations at large function and operate. The pre-pandemic concept of success has shifted its focus from hard work to developing grit among employees to increase the overall efficiency of the organisations. Grit has revolutionised the conventional standards of success, meaning in life and has impacted personal as well as occupational welfare. This integration of positive psychology and transpersonal psychology has catalysed the purpose for the current study. To help organisations and individuals thrive in their professional endeavours at the workplace and to provide them with relevant psychological tools to enhance their occupational growth, the present study has been conducted empirically to investigate the antecedents and consequences of grit among 209 working professionals in India. The results of this study indicate that the transpersonal capital of metacognition, flow, optimism and empathy have a significant role to play in developing grit among the participants. The findings have implications for enhancing job satisfaction and job performance of participants. The current research also provides a framework to organisations towards designing interventions for improving efficiency at the workplace.

Grit and Life Satisfaction Among College Students During the Recurrent Outbreak of COVID-19 in China: The Mediating Role of Depression and the Moderating Role of Stressful Life Events

The global recurrent outbreak of COVID-19 has brought immense psychological distress to those affected. We conducted this study to explore the relationship among grit, stressful life events, depression, and life satisfaction in college students during the recurrent outbreak of COVID-19. According to the properties of the bias-corrected bootstrap method, we surveyed 888 college students, with an average age of 20.84 (SD = 1.57) years. Participants completed questionnaires regarding grit, depression, stressful life events, and life satisfaction. The results showed that 1) grit was correlated with life satisfaction (r = 0.426, p < 0.001); 2) depression mediated the relationship between grit and life satisfaction [indirect effect = 0.0292, SE = 0.009, 95% CIboot = (0.135, 0.500)]; 3) The relationship between grit and depression was moderated by stressful life events (β = 0.107, SE = 0.028, p < 0.001, 95% CI [0.053, 0.161]). The association between grit and depression became weaker for college students with high stressful life events. The results indicated that concerned about depression and stressful life events may be the main targets for improving life satisfaction among college students during the recurrent outbreak of COVID-19.

Gratitude, relatedness needs satisfaction, and negative psychological outcomes during the COVID‐19 pandemic: A short‐term longitudinal study

Objectives

Although gratitude relates to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) well‐being outcomes in the United States, more evidence is needed to understand how this psychological strength reciprocally relates to mental health during this pandemic. This study examines the association of gratitude with stress, anxiety, and depression among undergraduate students in the United States via a longitudinal design.

Methods

An online survey was administered to 643 undergraduate students in a public university located in the southeastern region of the United States. There was a 1‐month interval between the first and second waves of data collection.

Results

Cross‐lagged panel structural equation modeling showed that whereas gratitude positively predicted subsequent relatedness needs satisfaction, it negatively predicted later stress, anxiety, and depression. Relatedness needs satisfaction was reciprocally linked to subsequent gratitude.

Conclusion

Results suggest that gratitude might serve as a protective psychological resource against the detrimental mental health impacts of the COVID‐19 pandemic.

The relation of grit to weight loss maintenance outcomes

Biological, genetic, and environmental factors make weight loss very difficult. Acceptance-based behavioral treatment (ABT) supplements standard behavioral treatments (BT) for obesity by teaching skills to accept the discomfort inherent to weight control behaviors and prioritize long-term, values-based goals. Grit, the ability to persevere in goal pursuit, overlaps conceptually with ABT principles and may predict outcomes in ABT. During a randomized controlled trial comparing three weight loss interventions (BT, BT with an emphasis on physical activity [BT+PA], ABT with an emphasis on physical activity [ABT+PA]), this study examined if grit predicted weight loss, intervention engagement (session attendance and dietary self-monitoring), and perceived intervention effectiveness, and whether intervention condition moderated these relationships. Participants (N=309) with overweight/obesity enrolled in an 18-month weight loss intervention completed the Short Grit Scale at baseline. Weight and PA were measured at baseline, during the intervention (12 and 18 months), and at follow-up (24 and 36 months). Session attendance and dietary self-monitoring were assessed throughout the intervention, and perceived intervention effectiveness at end-of-intervention. The relation of grit to several outcomes depended on condition. In ABT+PA, but not BT or BT+PA, lower grit related to higher weight loss at 12 and 24 months, session attendance, and perceived intervention effectiveness. Grit was not related to PA or dietary self-monitoring in any condition. ABT's focus on building skills to facilitate long-term goal pursuit may be unique and beneficial to those with lower grit. Those with higher grit may already possess ABT-consistent skills and benefit less from ABT. Research on trait-level characteristics like grit in relation to weight must be cautious not to reinforce weight bias; rather, this work suggests that an evidence-based intervention (ABT) may be well-suited to those with lower grit levels seeking weight loss.

The Relationship between Self-Confidence, Self-Efficacy, Grit, Usefulness, and Ease of Use of eLearning Platforms in Corporate Training during the COVID-19 Pandemic

This exploratory study contributes to the understanding of self-confidence as a predictor of self-efficacy, ease of use, and usefulness of eLearning platforms in corporate training. The present research explored the relationship among the employees’ beliefs regarding self-confidence, grit, ease of use, self-efficacy, and usefulness of eLearning platforms in their workplace during the COVID-19 pandemic. In total, 307 responses from Romanian employees who used eLearning platforms in corporate training (females = 60.3%, males = 39.7%, age range of less than 24 years (12.1%) to over 55 years (6.2%)) were exploited for research. Data were analyzed through a path analysis model. Results indicate that grit (i.e., consistency of interest), self-efficacy, and perceived ease of use of eLearning platforms were considerably directly influenced by the self-confidence variable. Usefulness was directly influenced by the ease of use and was indirectly influenced by self-confidence. Mediation analysis indicated that full mediation occurs only through the ease of use of eLearning platforms variable in the relationship between self-confidence and usefulness. A unit increase in self-confidence will increase the expected value of grit by 0.54 units (t = 8.39, p < 0.001), will indirectly increase the expected value of usefulness through ease of use by 0.15 units (t = 2.39, p = 0.017), and will increase the expected value of self-efficacy by 0.53 units (t = 6.26, p < 0.001). In addition, perceived ease of use of eLearning platforms in corporate training fully mediated the relationship of usefulness regressed on self-confidence (β = 0.20, t = 2.51, p = 0.012). These novel results reveal the contributions of self-confidence, consistency of interest as a grit dimension, and ease of use of eLearning platforms in predicting lifelong learning solutions, which improve business outcomes. The related investigation and consequences were further considered.