Mindfulness-based online intervention increases well-being and decreases stress after Covid-19 lockdown

Can a mindfulness-based training influence explicit and implicit attitudes, as well as sustainable nutrition behaviors, particularly in relation to vegetarianism?

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of a mindfulness intervention (IG) compared to an inactive control group (CG) on explicit and implicit attitudes toward vegetarian and meat-based foods, nutrition behavior measures, trait mindfulness and wellbeing.

METHODS

In the IG (N = 66), we implemented a mindfulness-based intervention consisting of eight weekly group sessions online, along with an additional half-day session held on campus. The CG (N = 71) received no intervention or training. We employed a pre-/post-intervention design involving questionnaires (trait mindfulness, wellbeing, sustainable nutrition behavior scale), an online supermarket scenario, as well as an explicit rating task and an implicit association task using pictures of vegetarian and meat-based foods. Additionally, a voluntary follow-up testing was conducted two months after the final group session.

RESULTS

No intervention effects were observed on explicit and implicit attitudes, wellbeing, or nutrition behavior measures. However, there was an increase in trait mindfulness within the IG. Exploratory cross-sectional findings indicated that trait mindfulness facets such as "Acting with Awareness" and "Outer Awareness", along with explicit attitudes, were significant predictors of self-reported sustainable consumption behavior. Additionally, sex and explicit attitudes were identified as significant predictors of vegetarian consumption behavior in the online supermarket task.

CONCLUSION

Our findings could not substantiate previous claims regarding the potential causal effects of mindfulness practice on sustainable consumption behavior, specifically in the realm of sustainable and vegetarian nutrition, as well as subjective wellbeing. Future studies may benefit from implementing longer-term mindfulness-based interventions and considering other potential decisive factors, such as connectedness to nature and others. Integrating training elements focusing on these specific variables into the intervention could be valuable.

The efficacy of a virtual and in-person mindfulness-based intervention course on university students' during COVID-19 pandemic

Objective: The purpose of this research was to evaluate the impact of a mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) on university students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods and participants: There were 53 participants who voluntarily enrolled in a mindfulness course at a regional state university (24 virtual and 29 in-person) and 56 in the control group. Participants completed surveys at the beginning and end of the course on mindfulness, life satisfaction, and resilience. Results: Results revealed that the in-person group showed significantly higher mindfulness, life satisfaction, and resilience over the course of the semester. The virtual group showed increases across all three variables as well, but only significantly improved on resilience. Conclusion: Results indicate that the inclusion of MBIs in university courses may be a cost-effective and proactive means to support the mental health and well-being of college students, and that in-person delivery may be a more effective modality.

Virtually delivered Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement (MORE) reduces daily pain intensity in patients with lumbosacral radiculopathy: a randomized controlled trial

Introduction

Lumbosacral radiculopathy (LR), also known as sciatica, is a common type of radiating neurologic pain involving burning, tingling, and numbness in the lower extremities. It has an estimated lifetime prevalence as high as 43%.

Objectives

The objective of this randomized controlled trial was to evaluate the impact of virtually delivered Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement (MORE) on patients with LR during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

Potentially eligible patients were identified using electronic health record queries and phone screenings. Participants were then randomized to MORE or treatment-as-usual (TAU) for 8 weeks, with pain intensity assessed daily. At baseline and follow-up visits, participants completed questionnaires assessing the primary outcome, disability, as well as quality of life, depression, mindful reinterpretation of pain, and trait mindfulness.

Results

In our study, patients undergoing virtual delivery of MORE had greater improvements in daily pain intensity (P = 0.002) but not in disability (P = 0.09), depression (P = 0.26), or quality of life (P = 0.99 and P = 0.89, SF-12 physical and mental component scores, respectively), relative to TAU patients. In addition, patients in MORE experienced significantly greater increases in mindful reinterpretation of pain (P = 0.029) and trait mindfulness (P = 0.035).

Conclusion

Among patients with lumbar radiculopathy, MORE significantly reduced daily pain intensity but did not decrease disability or depression symptoms. Given the long duration of symptoms in our sample, we hypothesize the discrepancy between changes in daily pain intensity and disability is due to fear avoidance behaviors common in patients with chronic pain. As the first trial of a mindfulness intervention in patients with LR, these findings should inform future integrative approaches to LR treatment, particularly when considering the increasing use of virtual interventions throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Long-term effects of combined mindfulness intervention and app intervention compared to single interventions during the COVID-19 pandemic: a randomized controlled trial

Objectives

The study examines the short-, middle-, and long-term effects of a combined intervention (face-to-face mindfulness intervention plus the mindfulness app 7Mind), compared to single interventions (face-to-face mindfulness intervention alone and an intervention via app 7Mind alone). The subgroups were compared with an active control group on mindfulness, mindful characteristics, mental health, emotion regulation, and attentional abilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, the study explores whether students' engagement with the app and their formal mindfulness practice at home improves intervention outcomes.

Methods

The study employs a randomized controlled trial approach involving three intervention groups and an active control group, with two follow-ups conducted over 12 months. The study included 177 university students who were randomly assigned to a mindfulness group (n = 42), a mindfulness app group (7Mind app, n = 44), a mindfulness + app group (n = 45), and an active control group (n = 46). The duration of the interventions was 4 weeks. The outcome variables were assessed at pre- and post-intervention, at 4 and 12 months post-intervention.

Results

At post-intervention and during both follow-ups, students in the combined mindfulness intervention did not demonstrate better outcomes compared to students in the single interventions or the active control group across all measures. Additionally, no statistically significant difference was observed between all interventions and the active control groups on any of the measures. However, it is noteworthy that all intervention groups and the active control group exhibited improvement in mindfulness, body awareness, emotion regulation, stress, and attentional abilities over the short, medium, and long term. Moreover, higher app usage in the app groups was significantly associated with increased body awareness. However, greater app use was also correlated with higher stress.

Conclusion

The results suggest that the mindfulness intervention and the mindfulness app were similar to the active control condition (communication training) on the investigated variables in the short, medium, and long term. Furthermore, an increased use of a mindfulness app can negatively affect stress.

Meditation, Compassionate Love, and Mental Health in Later Life

PURPOSE

Understanding of the mechanisms by which meditation imparts beneficial effects on later-life mental health is limited. The current study assessed the role of compassionate love in mediating the relationship between meditation and mental health in later life.

METHOD

Using data from a nationwide web-based survey (N = 1,861), we examined the indirect effects of meditation on depressive symptoms and anxiety via compassionate love.

RESULTS

Participants who practiced meditation (compared to those who did not) had significantly higher feelings of being loved (b = 0.11, p < 0.05); those who experienced more love had lower depressive symptoms (b = -2.10, p < 0.001) and anxiety (b = -0.99, p < 0.001). Meditation also had significant indirect effects (via compassionate love) on depressive symptoms (b = -0.23, p < 0.05) and anxiety (b = -0.11, p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

This study underscores the need for contemplative interventions that foster compassionate love to improve mental health in later life. [Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 50(3), 40-50.].

Changes in Mental Health and EEG Biomarkers of Undergraduates Under Different Patterns of Mindfulness

The effects of short-term mindfulness are associated with the different patterns (autonomic, audio guided, or experienced and certified mindfulness instructor guided mindfulness). However, robust evidence for reported the impacts of different patterns of mindfulness on mental health and EEG biomarkers of undergraduates is currently lacking. Therefore, we aimed to test the hypotheses that mindfulness training for undergraduates would improve mental health, and increase alpha power over frontal region and theta power over midline region at the single electrode level. We also describe the distinction among frequency bands patterns in different sites of frontal and midline regions. 70 participants were enrolled and assigned to either 5-day mindfulness or a waiting list group. Subjective questionnaires measured mental health and other psychological indicators, and brain activity was recorded during various EEG tasks before and after the intervention. The 5-day mindfulness training improved trait mindfulness, especially observing (p = 0.001, d = 0.96) and nonreactivity (p = 0.03, d = 0.56), sleep quality (p = 0.001, d = 0.91), and social support (p = 0.001, d = 0.95) while not in affect. Meanwhile, the expected increase in the alpha power of frontal sites (p < 0.017, d > 0.84) at the single electrode level was confirmed by the current data rather than the theta. Interestingly, the alteration of low-beta power over the single electrode of the midline (p < 0.05, d > 0.71) was difference between groups. Short-term mindfulness improves practitioners' mental health, and the potentially electrophysiological biomarkers of mindfulness on neuron oscillations were alpha activity over frontal sites and low-beta activity over midline sites.

Online mindfulness training for older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic: a randomized controlled trial using a multi-method assessment approach

OBJECTIVES

The COVID-19 pandemic drastically accelerated the need for studies examining the effectiveness of programs to bolster psychological well-being, particularly for at-risk groups, such as older adults (OAs). Mindfulness Training (MT) has been suggested as a well-suited program for this purpose. The present study examined the impact of a 4-week online, trainer-led MT course tailored for OAs during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

Fifty-three OAs were randomly assigned to either Group A or Group B. Group A received the online MT course during the 4-week interval between the first (T1) and second (T2) testing sessions, while Group B received the same MT course during the interval between T2 and the third testing session (T3). The testing sessions included measures of mindfulness, emotional well-being, psychological health, and cognitive performance. In addition, a very brief survey was sent every week during the T1-T2 and T2-T3 intervals to assess weekly emotional well-being.

RESULTS

The findings revealed that MT may improve some, albeit not all, aspects of mindfulness and well-being, while no significant results were noted for outcomes measuring psychological health and cognitive performance.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings are discussed in the context of the evolving COVID-19 situation.

Analyzing the stress management intervention impacting the mindfulness and well-being of employees

BACKGROUND

Developing employee well-being as well as lowering stress may have several benefits for organizations. Stress management intervention techniques utilized via organizations help to develop worker mindfulness and well-being, and reduce stress.

OBJECTIVE

To review stress management interventions to determine the effectiveness of diverse interventions in improving the mindfulness and well-being of employees working in an organization.

METHODS

This work is split into two main sections: collection of data and analysis of data. First, data collection is carried out. The structured questionnaire was organized and distributed to managers and working employees of an organization. Based on the developed hypothesis, the questionnaire was arranged and all queries were compulsory. Subsequently, the collected data were performed by Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) and One Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) analysis.

RESULTS

The Standard Mean Residual Root Square for the baseline model of mindfulness and well-being of employees working in an organization is 0.2156, which is better than threshold value.

CONCLUSION

From the analysis, the goodness of fit and significant relation among the stress intervention techniques as well as mindfulness and well-being of employees in an organization has been found.

Association between individual resilience and depression or anxiety among general adult population during COVID-19: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic exacerbated depression and anxiety worldwide. Resilience is important to maintain mental health during uncertain times, but limited study has systematically reviewed its association with depression or anxiety with an emphasis on the general population.

METHODS

We searched PubMed and Embase for quantitative or mixed-methods studies on the general adult population published between 1 January 2020 and 31 April 2022 (PROSPERO ID: CRD 42022340935). National Institute of the Health quality assessment tools was used to assess the risk of bias. We qualitatively synthesized findings by outcome and study design.

RESULTS

A total of 2945 studies were screened and 35 studies were included in the narrative analysis (5 on depression, 9 on anxiety, and 21 on both). Overall, 21 studies identified statistically significant inverse associations between resilience and depression, while 24 studies found statistically significant inverse associations between resilience and anxiety. Eight studies reported no statistically significant relationships between resilience with depression or anxiety.

CONCLUSIONS

Resilience was found to be inversely associated with depression and anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings highlight the importance of resilience-enhancing intervention in migrating the global mental health burden from outbreaks of infectious diseases.

Immersive virtual reality or computerised mindfulness meditation for improving mood? Preliminary efficacy from a pilot randomised trial

Introduction

Mindfulness interventions are effective in improving mood, reducing stress, and increasing quality of life. New developments in technology bring important channels to deliver mindfulness interventions that can increase accessibility, such as the Internet, computerised interventions, mobile apps and recently, virtual reality (VR). The aim of the present study is to enhance our current understanding of the use of VR in mindfulness, namely we examined in a pilot randomised trial the efficacy of an immersive VR-based mindfulness approach compared to an active control (computerised-based mindfulness meditation) on improving mood. A secondary objective was to examine whether VR use resulted in simulator sickness which could affect user engagement.

Methods

Forty-seven (Mage = 29.22 years) healthy participants were randomly assigned to the experimental or control group.

Results

A mixed 2X3 ANOVA showed a significant Time effect. Namely, negative emotions were reduced in both groups, with non-significant differences between groups. For positive emotions, on the other hand, our results showed no significant impact. Simulator sickness in VR was not present, according to t-test, making VR a safe delivery method.

Discussion

Future research should investigate VR dosage and combine VR with other interventions (e.g., blended with face-to-face mindfulness interventions, with Internet-delivered interventions).

Helicopter parenting through the lens of reddit: A text mining study

The study aimed to understand Reddit users' experience with helicopter parenting through first-hand accounts. Text mining and natural language processing techniques were employed to extract data from the subreddit r/helicopterparents. A total of 713 original posts were processed from unstructured texts to tidy formats. Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA), a popular topic modeling method, was used to discover hidden themes within the corpus. The data revealed common environmental contexts of helicopter parenting (i.e., school, college, work, and home) and its implication on college decisions, privacy, and social relationships. These collectively suggested the importance of autonomy-supportive parenting and mindfulness interventions as viable solutions to the problems posed by helicopter parenting. In addition, findings lent support to past research that has identified more maternal than paternal models of helicopter parenting. Further research on the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on helicopter parenting is warranted.

Resilience, Coping, and the Covid-19 Pandemic Across the Globe - an Update: What Have we Learned?

The SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic is a mass traumatic event that has universally and indiscriminately negatively affected the world. The adverse consequences of the pandemic have globally impacted psychological health and well-being via increased stressors, such as uncertainty, health anxieties, and financial instability. During the initial months of the pandemic, we (Polizzi et al., 2020) identified coping strategies that may be well-suited to address the sequelae of the pandemic. These strategies included behavioral activation, acceptance-based coping, mindfulness practice, and loving-kindness meditation. We argued that these coping skills may foster resilience and recovery during the pandemic by generating a sense of social connection, encouraging meaning-making, and enhancing feelings of control amid uncertainty. Three years later, we update our initial suggestions by providing a narrative review that considers empirical evidence collected during the pandemic to support the utility of the previously identified coping strategies as well as additional strategies. We also discuss cross-cultural similarities and differences among these strategies and how research supports their application across diverse countries and groups. Finally, we conclude by synthesizing the literature within a regulatory flexibility framework that emphasizes flexible skill implementation with respect to sensitivity to context, coping repertoires, and feedback from the environment.

Effects of online mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) on anxiety symptoms in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

An increasing number of studies have documented the effectiveness on various types of face-to-face and online mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) in reducing anxiety among general population, but there is a scarcity of systematic reviews evaluating evidence of online MBIs on anxiety in adults. Therefore, we examined the effects of online mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) on anxiety symptoms in adults and explored the moderating effects of participant, methods, and intervention characteristics.

METHODS

We systematically searched nine databases through May 2022 without date restrictions. Inclusion criteria were primary studies evaluating online mindfulness-based interventions with adults with anxiety measured as an outcome, a comparison group, and written in English. We used random-effects model to compute effect sizes (ESs) using Hedges' g, a forest plot, and Q and I² statistics as measures of heterogeneity; we also examined moderator analyses.

RESULTS

Twenty-six primary studies included 3,246 participants (39.9 ± 12.9 years old). Overall, online mindfulness-based interventions showed significantly improved anxiety (g = 0.35, 95%CI 0.09, 0.62, I² = 92%) compared to controls. With regards to moderators, researchers reported higher attrition, they reported less beneficial effects on anxiety symptoms (β=-0.001, Q_model=4.59, p = .032). No other quality indicators moderated the effects of online mindfulness-based interventions on anxiety.

CONCLUSION

Online mindfulness-based interventions improved anxiety symptoms in adult population. Thus, it might be used as adjunctive or alternative complementary treatment for adults. However, our findings must be interpreted with caution due to the low and unclear power of the sample in primary studies; hence, high-quality studies are needed to confirm our findings.

Mental Health Issues as a Consequence of the Pandemic: Group Psycho-Educational Intervention to Support Patients Recovered from COVID-19 Infection

Common psycho-physical symptoms have emerged in patients who were previously recovered for COVID-19 infection, including traumatic experience and enduring emotional disturbances. A group psycho-educational intervention of seven weekly sessions and a follow-up after three months was proposed to all Italian-speaking patients formally discharged from a public hospital in northern Italy and physically recovered from infection. Eighteen patients were recruited and divided into four age-homogenous groups, each led by two facilitators (psychologists and psychotherapists). The group sessions followed a structured format with thematic modules, including main topics, tasks, and homework assignments. Data were collected through recordings and verbatim transcripts. The objectives of the study were twofold: (1) to analyze the emerging themes and gain insight into the significant aspects of the participants' lived experience of COVID-19, and (2) to examine changes in how participants approached these themes throughout the intervention process. Semantic-pragmatic text analyses, specifically thematic analysis of elementary context and correspondence analysis, were conducted using T-LAB software. Linguistic analysis revealed a congruence between the intervention's objectives and the participants' experiences. The study highlighted an evolution in the narratives, as participants transitioned from a passive and concrete perspective on the disease to a more comprehensive cognitive and emotional elaboration of their personal illness stories. These findings hold potential relevance for healthcare services and professionals working in this field.

Mindfulness and COVID-19-Related Stress: Staying Present During Uncertain Times

Objectives

The SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic is recognized as a mass traumatic event in which COVID-19-related stress (CS) can indicate other trauma- and/or stressor-related disorder. The facets of mindfulness (observing, describing, acting with awareness, nonjudging, and nonreacting) have been linked to reductions in stress-related symptoms and thus may protect against CS. We extended previous research by evaluating mindfulness facets as resilience skills negatively related to CS.

Method

Undergraduate students (n = 495) completed an online battery of questionnaires. A subsample of students endorsing clinically elevated CS (n = 165) was also evaluated. We utilized hierarchical regression to account statistically for the mindfulness facets in addition to indicators of psychological distress (e.g., negative affect, neuroticism, dissociation) and social desirability. We performed analyses twice, once in the overall sample, and once in the high CS subsample.

Results

Less observing and greater nonjudging related to reduced CS while other study variables were controlled for in the overall sample. In contrast, acting with awareness and nonjudging negatively related to CS in the subsample, but were not related to CS when we accounted for psychological-distress variables that positively related to CS in the analysis.

Conclusions

Although variables indicative of psychological distress robustly contribute to CS, observing, acting with awareness, and nonjudging may be mindfulness skills that can be targeted to buffer clinically significant CS.

Preregistration

This study was not pre-registered.

The relationship between mindfulness and mental health among Chinese college students during the closed-loop management of the COVID-19 pandemic: A moderated mediation model

To prevent the spread of the COVID-19 epidemic on campus, universities in outbreak areas in China can implement closed-loop management.

OBJECTS

This study aimed to explore the relationship between mindfulness and mental health of college students under closed-loop management.

MEASURES

11,939 college students from a university in Changsha, China participated in the online survey during the closed-loop management period. The Chinese version of Perceived Stress Scale, the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire-Cognitive Reappraisal, the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale, the 7-item General Anxiety Disorder questionnaire, and the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire were administered to the college students.

RESULTS

We found that mindfulness was negative association with mental health during the closed-loop management period. Perceived stress mediated the relationship between mindfulness and mental health. Cognitive reappraisal moderated the relationship between mindfulness and perceived stress. Specifically, when the level of mindfulness is the same, individuals with more cognitive reappraisal tend to experience a less perceived stress.

CONCLUSION

The results of this study are of great significance to improve the mental health of college students during closed-loop management period.

How perceived risk influences college students' preventive behavior: Novel data of COVID-19 campus lockdown from Wuhan, China

Following preventive behaviors is a key measure to protect people from infectious diseases. Protection motivation theory (PMT) suggests that perceived risk motivates individuals to take protective measures. The COVID-19 pandemic has posed unprecedented stress to the public, and changes in perceived risk may be more pronounced among college students than among other groups due to the related campus lockdown. With 1,119 college students recruited as research subjects, a quantitative research was conducted in Wuhan, China, to deduce the relationship between the perceived risk and preventive behavior of college students, as well as between the mediation effect of individual affect and the moderating effect of physical exercise. The results showed that the preventive behavior of college students was significantly affected by perceived risk, and both positive affect and negative affect played a mediating role between perceived risk and preventive behavior. Specifically, positive affect aided the relationship between perceived risk and preventive behavior, negative affect was detrimental to their relationship, and the mediation effect of positive affect is significantly higher than that of negative affect. Furthermore, physical exercise played a moderating role in the mediation effects of positive affect and negative affect. Therefore, appropriate measures should be taken to strengthen Chinese college students' perceived risk and provide them with corresponding guidance. The importance of physical exercise should also be emphasized to help college students with low perceived risk reduce negative affect, increase positive affect, and promote their preventive behavior.

Rational thinking as a mediator of the relationship between mindfulness and dental anxiety

Dental anxiety causes people to postpone or refuse to go to the dentist, which further negatively impacts their quality of life and public health. Previous research has shown that mindfulness is inversely related to anxiety. However, little is known about the relationship between mindfulness and dental anxiety. The current research aimed to explore the relationship between mindfulness and dental anxiety and investigate the mediating role of rational thinking. Two studies were conducted. In study one, 206 Chinese participants completed questionnaires measuring trait mindfulness and dental anxiety (state, responding to a dental treatment scenario). In study two, 394 participants completed questionnaires measuring trait mindfulness, dental anxiety (trait), and rational thinking. The results for both studies showed that mindfulness is negatively correlated with dental anxiety. In study 1, each facet of mindfulness except Non-judging was negatively correlated with dental anxiety with Acting with Awareness having the strongest correlation, while in study 2, only Acting with Awareness was significantly negatively correlated with dental anxiety. Furthermore, rational thinking mediated the effect of mindfulness on dental anxiety. In conclusion, mindfulness is negatively related to both state and trait dental anxiety, and rational thinking mediates the relationship between mindfulness and dental anxiety. Implications of these findings are discussed.

Stress and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis: How can the COVID-19 pandemic inform our understanding and treatment of acute insomnia?

Stress and sleep are very closely linked, and stressful life events can trigger acute insomnia. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is highly likely to represent one such stressful life event. Indeed, a wide range of cross-sectional studies demonstrate that the pandemic is associated with poor sleep and sleep disturbances. Given the high economic and health burden of insomnia disorder, strategies that can prevent and treat acute insomnia, and also prevent the transition from acute insomnia to insomnia disorder, are necessary. This narrative review outlines why the COVID-19 pandemic is a stressful life event, and why activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, as a biological marker of psychological stress, is likely to result in acute insomnia. Further, this review outlines how sleep disturbances might arise as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and why simultaneous hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis measurement can inform the pathogenesis of acute insomnia. In particular, we focus on the cortisol awakening response as a marker of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis function, as cortisol is the end-product of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. From a research perspective, future opportunities include identifying individuals, or particular occupational or societal groups (e.g. frontline health staff), who are at high risk of developing acute insomnia, and intervening. From an acute insomnia treatment perspective, priorities include testing large-scale online behavioural interventions; examining if reducing the impact of stress is effective and, finally, assessing whether "sleep vaccination" can maintain good sleep health by preventing the occurrence of acute insomnia, by preventing the transition from acute insomnia to insomnia disorder.

Burnout, depression, anxiety and insomnia among medical staff during the COVID-19 epidemic in Shanghai

Background

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has progressively impacted our daily lives, resulting in unexpected physical and mental stress on medical staff. This study is designed to investigate the levels of and risk factors for burnout, depression, anxiety, and insomnia among medical staff during the COVID-19 epidemic breakout in Shanghai, China.

Methods

This cross-sectional survey was conducted from May 1 to May 31, 2022, among medical staff who were on the frontline during the epidemic breakout in Shanghai from different institutions. The MBI-HSS was used to assess burnout, PHQ-9, GAD-7 and ISI were used to evaluate mental status and insomnia.

Results

A total of 543 valid questionnaires were collected. The depersonalization, depression, anxiety, and insomnia scores of medical staff were significantly higher during the pandemic in Shanghai compared with norms, while lack of personal achievement scores were decreased. Working time, work unit, work environment and age are important influencers of burnout, depression and anxiety of medical staff. Long working hours are the most likely causes of burnout and emotional disorders. Medical staff in primary hospitals were most likely to suffer from burnout and emotional disorders, while medical staff in tertiary hospitals had a reduced sense of personal achievement. Young medical staff are prone to negative emotions such as depression and anxiety, while older medical staff have a lower sense of personal accomplishment. Medical staff who were not in the shelter hospitals or designated hospitals were more likely to have problems of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and anxiety than those who were in the shelter hospitals or designated hospitals. Contracting COVID-19 had no effect on medical staff. Emotional exhaustion and depersonalization were positively correlated with anxiety, depression, and sleep disorders while personal achievement was negatively correlated with these factors.

Conclusion

Medical staff in Shanghai had high burnout, depression, anxiety and insomnia levels during the epidemic outbreak in Shanghai. During the COVID-19, medical staff may suffer different psychological problems which should be concerned. Care and supports about burnout, mental health and insomnia need to be taken to promote the mental health of medical staff according to different characteristics of medical staff.

Mindfulness Meditation Interventions for Long COVID: Biobehavioral Gene Expression and Neuroimmune Functioning

Some individuals infected with SARS CoV-2 have developed Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS CoV-2 infection (PASC) or what has been referred to as Long COVID. Efforts are underway to find effective treatment strategies for those with Long COVID. One possible approach involves alternative medical interventions, which have been widely used to treat and manage symptoms of a variety of medical problems including post-viral infections. Meditation has been found to reduce fatigue and unrefreshing sleep, and for those with post-viral infections, it has enhanced immunity, and reduced inflammatory-driven pathogenesis. Our article summarizes the literature on what is known about mindfulness meditation interventions, and reviews evidence on how it may apply to those with Long COVID and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS). Evidence is reviewed suggesting effective and sustainable outcomes may be achieved for symptomatology and underlying pathology of post-viral fatigue (PASC and ME/CFS).

How and when perceived COVID-19 crisis strength impacts individuals' life satisfaction and sleep quality: A moderated mediation model

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused millions of deaths, seriously hampering people's lives and their productivity. Drawing on social information processing theory, this research developed a moderated mediation model to investigate the influence of perceived COVID-19 crisis strength on individuals' well-being. The results from a sample of 441 suggest that individuals' perceived COVID-19 crisis strength indirectly affects their life satisfaction and sleep quality via their perceived risk of being infected. Moreover, both individuals' trust in local government and mindfulness trait can buffer the positive effect of perceived COVID-19 crisis strength on their perceived risk of being infected. At the same time, they also buffer the indirect impact of individuals' perceived COVID-19 crisis strength on life satisfaction and sleep quality through perceived risk of being infected. This research provides several practical implications for governments and individuals to mitigate the negative influences of the COVID-19 pandemic and help individuals boost life satisfaction and sleep quality.

Online Short-Term Mindfulness-Based Intervention During COVID-19 Quarantine in Italy: Effects on Wellbeing, Stress, and Anxiety

To limit the first spread of COVID-19 in March 2020, the Italian government imposed strict lockdown measures to the population. Despite necessary to reduce the virus transmission and the burden to the hospitals, social isolation has caused detrimental effects on psychological wellbeing and mental health. Moreover, during this period, it was also difficult to deliver psychological treatments and psychiatric assistance. A short (a weekly session for 9 weeks) mindfulness-based meditation program, named Integral Meditation (IM), was administered entirely online to healthy adults from Italy. This is a two-groups pre–post-quasi-experimental study in which the two groups, treated and control, were not randomized. Through matching procedures aimed at overcoming the absence of randomization, we analyzed a sample of 84 subjects (42 for each group). By applying linear mixed effect models, we tested the hypothesis of a beneficial effect of IM on wellbeing, perceived stress, and state anxiety, as measured by three self-reported questionnaires (WEMWBS, PSS, and STAI-X1, respectively), assuming that this effect could be different according to the level of baseline trait anxiety, as measured by STAI-X2. The results showed a statistically significant effect of STAI-X1 (β = −8.24 [95%CI −15.39; −1.09], p = 0.02) and WEMWBS (β = 4.61 [95%CI 0.94; 8.29], p = 0.01) in the higher trait anxiety subgroup only. No statistically significant effect of IM was observed for PSS. These results suggest that our IM, delivered online, may increase mental wellbeing and decrease anxiety specifically in subjects with higher trait anxiety.