1
|
Van Landeghem C, Jakobson LS. Isolating unique variance in mental health outcomes attributable to personality variables and childhood emotional abuse. Front Psychol 2024; 15:1330483. [PMID: 38318082 PMCID: PMC10838979 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1330483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction University students are at high risk for anxiety and depression. Our main objective was to tease apart variance in symptom severity that was uniquely attributable to four associated variables that are frequently confounded: exposure to childhood emotional abuse, alexithymia, sensory processing sensitivity (SPS), and anxiety sensitivity (AS). Methods University students (N = 410) completed an online survey designed to measure our four key study variables along with several other potentially relevant variables including sex, physical activity levels, and perceived COVID-19 impacts. Results Over half of the participants reported moderate to extremely severe symptoms of anxiety and depression. Females reported stronger signs of SPS and AS and were more likely than males to have increased their moderate/vigorous exercise since the pandemic began. After controlling for the other variables, the best predictors of perceived COVID-19 impacts were SPS, childhood emotional abuse, and current levels of physical activity. Whereas all three personality variables and childhood emotional abuse emerged as significant predictors of both depression and anxiety, neither COVID-19 impacts nor physical activity levels accounted for unique variance in either model. Unexpectedly, male sex emerged as an additional risk factor for depression, raising the possibility that males experience unique stressors and societal pressures that increase their risk of depression. Discussion These findings help to clarify the links between childhood emotional abuse, personality traits implicated in emotional awareness and self-regulation, and mental health. They may have important implications for the development and implementation of individualized treatments for common mental disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Lorna S. Jakobson
- Department of Psychology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Osberg TM, Doxbeck CR. Partying during a pandemic: role of descriptive partying norms, residence, college alcohol beliefs, and political ideology in COVID-19 party behavior. JOURNAL OF AMERICAN COLLEGE HEALTH : J OF ACH 2023; 71:2938-2948. [PMID: 34855573 DOI: 10.1080/07448481.2021.2008400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2021] [Revised: 10/18/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Non-adherence to COVID-19 guidelines is a major public health issue. This study explored factors that explain college student party behavior (PB; defined as attending a college party wherein COVID-19 guidelines, including masks and social distancing were ignored) during the pandemic. METHOD Freshmen students at a northeastern university (N = 207; 72% women) responded to an online Fall 2020 semester survey. RESULTS The percentage of students who participated in on-campus partying during past month was 11.6%, with 20.3% participating in off-campus partying. Living on campus and higher perceived norms for partying were associated with higher levels of on-campus PB, whereas higher perceived norms for partying, stronger college alcohol beliefs, and a more conservative political ideology accounted for significant variance in off-campus PB. CONCLUSIONS Efforts to reduce party behavior should target misperception of party behavior norms as well as college alcohol beliefs, and take into account students' residence and political ideology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Courtney R Doxbeck
- Department of Counseling, School, and Educational Psychology, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Daoust AR, Green H, Vandermeer MRJ, Liu P, Stanton K, Harkness KL, Hayden EP. Total cortisol output during an acute stressor predicts youths' internalizing symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic. Biol Psychol 2023; 184:108714. [PMID: 37839519 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2023.108714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Revised: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
Individual differences in cortisol output may influence adolescents' adjustment to the COVID-19 pandemic; however, boys and girls may differ in terms of associations between cortisol output and internalizing symptoms in the context of COVID-19-related stress. We examined whether pre-pandemic cortisol output during an acute stressor, assessed approximately three years prior to the pandemic, predicted change in adolescents' internalizing symptoms early during the COVID-19 pandemic. Consistent with previous work on other life stressors, girls' cortisol output was positively associated with anxious and somatic symptoms early in the pandemic. Conversely, cortisol output and depressive symptoms were negatively associated for boys; boys with higher cortisol had depressive symptoms which significantly decreased over time. Findings suggest that hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis stress functioning plays a role in shaping differences between adolescent boys' and girls' adjustment during the experience of a ubiquitous chronic stressor.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andrew R Daoust
- Department of Psychology, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.
| | - Haley Green
- Department of Psychology, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Matthew R J Vandermeer
- Anxiety Treatment & Research Centre, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Pan Liu
- Department of Psychology, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, USA
| | - Kasey Stanton
- Department of Psychology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, USA
| | - Kate L Harkness
- Department of Psychology, Queens University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
| | | |
Collapse
|
4
|
Lambe LJ, Yunus FM, Moore M, Keough MT, Thompson K, Krank M, Conrod P, Stewart SH. Inhibited personality traits, internalizing symptoms, and drinking to cope during the COVID-19 pandemic among emerging adults. Cogn Behav Ther 2022; 52:198-212. [PMID: 36519887 DOI: 10.1080/16506073.2022.2152726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Emerging adults with high levels of inhibited personality traits may be at-risk for drinking to cope during the COVID-19 pandemic. The current research explored mediational pathways between two inhibited personality traits (anxiety sensitivity (AS) and hopelessness (HOP)), internalizing symptoms (anxiety, depression, and COVID-19 distress), and coping drinking motives (drinking to cope with anxiety and drinking to cope with depression) during the pandemic. Cross-sectional data were collected from 879 undergraduate drinkers (79% female, 83% White, 18-25 years old) at five Canadian universities from January-April 2021. Participants self-reported on their personality, anxiety (GAD-7), depressive symptoms (PHQ-9), COVID-19 distress, and coping drinking motives. Mediational path analyses provided evidence of both specific and non-specific pathways between personality and coping motives via internalizing symptoms. Depressive symptoms partially mediated the link between HOP and drinking to cope with depression motives. While anxiety symptoms did not significantly mediate links between AS and coping with anxiety motives in the full model, evidence of mediation was found in a post-hoc sensitivity analysis. COVID-19 distress served as a non-specific mediator. AS and HOP are critical transdiagnostic risk factors that increase vulnerability for internalizing psychopathology and, in turn, risky drinking motives, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Laura J. Lambe
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Fakir Md Yunus
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Mackenzie Moore
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | | | - Kara Thompson
- Department of Psychology, St. Francis Xavier University, Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Marvin Krank
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia- Okanagan Campus, Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Patricia Conrod
- Department of Psychiatry and Addictology, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Sherry H. Stewart
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Is Anxiety Sensitivity Associated with COVID-19 Related Distress and Adherence among Emerging Adults? PSYCH 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/psych4040069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
We investigated whether anxiety sensitivity (AS) is associated with increased distress and adherence to public health guidelines during the COVID-19 pandemic among undergraduates, and whether increased distress mediates the relationship between AS and increased adherence. An online cross-sectional survey was conducted with 1318 first- and second-year undergraduates (mean age of 19.2 years; 79.5% females) from five Canadian universities. Relevant subscales of the Substance Use Risk Profile Scale (SURPS) and the Big Five Inventory-10 (BFI-10) were used to assess AS and neuroticism. Three measures tapped distress: the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) for depressive symptoms, the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) for anxiety symptoms, and the Brief COVID-19 Stress Scales (CSS-B) for COVID-19-specific distress. The COVID-19 Adherence scale (CAD) assessed adherence to COVID-19 containment measures. AS was significantly independently associated with higher general distress (both anxiety and depressive symptoms) and higher COVID-19-specific distress, after controlling age, sex, study site, and neuroticism. Moreover, AS indirectly predicted greater adherence to COVID-19 preventive measures through higher COVID-19-specific distress. Interventions targeting higher AS might be helpful for decreasing both general and COVID-19-specific distress, whereas interventions targeting lower AS might be helpful for increasing adherence to public health containment strategies, in undergraduates.
Collapse
|
6
|
te Brinke LW, van der Cruijsen R, Green KH, Crone EA. Positive and Negative Risk-Taking in Adolescence and Early Adulthood: A Citizen Science Study During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Front Psychol 2022; 13:885692. [PMID: 35734467 PMCID: PMC9207949 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.885692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Sensation seeking is an important underlying factor of both positive and negative forms of risk-taking during adolescence and early adulthood. However, macro-factors such as the global COVID-19 pandemic may influence sensation seeking opportunities and risk-taking behaviors that are considered negative and positive. Therefore, the primary aim of this study was to examine the associations between sensation seeking and behaviors that are considered positive or negative forms of risk-taking during the Covid-19 pandemic in a sample of adolescents and early adults (N = 660, Mage = 22.91, SD = 3.14). Using citizen science methods, negative risk-taking was defined as taking unaccepted risks, such as falsifying vaccination reports or deliberately contracting COVID-19. Positive risk-taking was defined as taking socially accepted risks, such as balancing between the risk to infect elderly people and the need to socialize with peers. Results showed that participants with higher levels of sensation seeking took more positive and negative COVID-19 related risks. An additional finding was that sensation seeking was positively associated with the need to contribute to society. This indicates that during adolescence and early adulthood, sensation seeking may be a driving factor for both positive (i.e., socially accepted) and negative (i.e., socially unaccepted) risk-taking in the context of a high-stake global pandemic, arguing against a one-direction negative relation between sensation seeking and risk-taking.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lysanne W. te Brinke
- Department of Psychology, Education and Child Studies, Erasmus School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands
- *Correspondence: Lysanne W. te Brinke,
| | - Renske van der Cruijsen
- Department of Psychology, Education and Child Studies, Erasmus School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Kayla H. Green
- Department of Psychology, Education and Child Studies, Erasmus School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Eveline A. Crone
- Department of Psychology, Education and Child Studies, Erasmus School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands
- Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Chu L. Gender disparities in health and well-being among older adults in China. J Women Aging 2022; 35:299-317. [PMID: 35290174 DOI: 10.1080/08952841.2022.2046988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Based on data from the 2008-2018 Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey, this study uses multiple regression models to investigate the gender disparities in health and well-being among older adults in China. Women are found to have severe disadvantages in health, reflected in more chronic diseases, higher disability levels, lower physical and cognitive functions than men. Although older Chinese females are more likely to have good life satisfaction than their male counterparts, they are experiencing significantly higher negative affect than males. These results are further verified robust, providing practical policy implications of improving gender equalities in older adults.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lanlan Chu
- Department of Economics and Political Science, St. Catherine University, Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Laatifi M, Douzi S, Bouklouz A, Ezzine H, Jaafari J, Zaid Y, El Ouahidi B, Naciri M. Machine learning approaches in Covid-19 severity risk prediction in Morocco. JOURNAL OF BIG DATA 2022; 9:5. [PMID: 35013702 PMCID: PMC8733912 DOI: 10.1186/s40537-021-00557-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2021] [Accepted: 12/22/2021] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
The purpose of this study is to develop and test machine learning-based models for COVID-19 severity prediction. COVID-19 test samples from 337 COVID-19 positive patients at Cheikh Zaid Hospital were grouped according to the severity of their illness. Ours is the first study to estimate illness severity by combining biological and non-biological data from patients with COVID-19. Moreover the use of ML for therapeutic purposes in Morocco is currently restricted, and ours is the first study to investigate the severity of COVID-19. When data analysis approaches were used to uncover patterns and essential characteristics in the data, C-reactive protein, platelets, and D-dimers were determined to be the most associated to COVID-19 severity prediction. In this research, many data reduction algorithms were used, and Machine Learning models were trained to predict the severity of sickness using patient data. A new feature engineering method based on topological data analysis called Uniform Manifold Approximation and Projection (UMAP) shown that it achieves better results. It has 100% accuracy, specificity, sensitivity, and ROC curve in conducting a prognostic prediction using different machine learning classifiers such as X_GBoost, AdaBoost, Random Forest, and ExtraTrees. The proposed approach aims to assist hospitals and medical facilities in determining who should be seen first and who has a higher priority for admission to the hospital.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mariam Laatifi
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Mohammed V University, Rabat, Morocco
| | | | - Abdelaziz Bouklouz
- Laboratory of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Rabat, Morocco
| | - Hind Ezzine
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Mohammed V University, Rabat, Morocco
| | | | - Younes Zaid
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Mohammed V University, Rabat, Morocco
- Research Center of Abulcasis University of Health Sciences, Cheikh Zaïd Hospital, Rabat, Morocco
| | - Bouabid El Ouahidi
- Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Sciences, Mohammed V University, Rabat, Morocco
| | - Mariam Naciri
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Mohammed V University, Rabat, Morocco
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Study on the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Spatial Behavior of Urban Tourists Based on Commentary Big Data: A Case Study of Nanjing, China. ISPRS INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF GEO-INFORMATION 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/ijgi10100678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
The global outbreak of the COVID-19 epidemic has caused a considerable impact on humans, which expresses the urgency and importance of studying its impacts. Previous studies either frequently use aggregated research methods of statistic data or stay during COVID-19. The afterward impacts of COVID-19 on human behaviors need to be explored further. This article carries out a non-aggregated study methodology in human geography based on big data from social media comments and takes Nanjing, China, as the research case to explore the afterward impact of the COVID-19 epidemic on the spatial behavior of urban tourists. Precisely, we propose the methodology covers two main aspects regarding travel contact trajectory and spatial trajectory. In contact trajectory, we explore three indicators—Connection Strength, Degree Centrality, and Betweenness Centrality—of the collected attractions. Then, in spatial trajectory, we input the results from contact trajectory into ArcGIS by using the Orientation–Destination Model and Standard Deviation Ellipse to explore the influences on the spatial pattern. By setting up comparative groups for the three periods of before, during, and after the COVID-19 in Nanjing, this study found that, in the post-epidemic era, (1) the spatial behavior of urban tourists showed a state of overall contraction; (2) the objects of contraction changed from urban architectural attractions to urban natural attractions; (3) the form of contraction presents concentric circles with the central city (Old City of Nanjing) as the core; (4) the direction of contraction heads to the large-scale natural landscape in the central city, which highlights the importance of green open spaces in the post-epidemic era.
Collapse
|
10
|
González-Castro JL, Ubillos-Landa S, Puente-Martínez A, Gracia-Leiva M. Perceived Vulnerability and Severity Predict Adherence to COVID-19 Protection Measures: The Mediating Role of Instrumental Coping. Front Psychol 2021; 12:674032. [PMID: 34295285 PMCID: PMC8289891 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.674032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 disease has caused thousands of deaths worldwide and required the rapid and drastic adoption of various protective measures as main resources in the fight to reduce the spread of the disease. In the present study we aimed to identify socio cognitive factors that may influence adherence to protective measures toward COVID-19 in a Spanish sample. This longitudinal study analyzes the predictive value of perceived severity and vulnerability of infection, self-efficacy, direct exposure to the virus, and instrumental focused coping style for adhering to infection protection behaviors during the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic. It also tests sex and age differences in these factors and changes over time. A two-wave longitudinal study (N = 757) was conducted in March and April 2020 starting the day after a strict national lockdown was decreed in Spain. A path analysis was used to test direct and indirect effects between vulnerability and the adherence to protective behaviors. Results suggest that individuals' perceived severity and vulnerability to COVID-19 and instrumental coping strategies are related to the use of more protective behaviors. This coping strategy mediates the effect of perceived vulnerability on engaging in protective behaviors, and this effect depends on direct exposure to COVID-19 and perceived self-efficacy moderators. Results suggest that recognizing one's own abilities to engage in instrumental actions may facilitate adherence to protective measures in people who had not been directly exposed to COVID-19. Therefore, adopting instrumental coping strategies to manage an individual's perceived vulnerability to infection may positively impact the adherence to protective behaviors, especially during the onset of an unexpected threat and when there is no prior direct experience with the situation.
Collapse
|