Gratitude and Problem Behaviors in Adolescents: The Mediating Roles of Positive and Negative Coping Styles

Gratitude interventions reduce cyber-aggression in adolescents: gender and disposition effects

The study explores the impact of gender and gratitude disposition on the effectiveness of a classroom-based gratitude intervention aimed at reducing cyber-aggression among Polish adolescents. Cyber-aggression, linked to maladjustment and mental health issues like depression and anxiety, is a growing concern. The intervention involved 548 students, divided into a control group (399) and an experimental group (149), and lasted for seven days. Participants completed the Cyber-aggression Types Questionnaire (CATQ) and a Gratitude Questionnaire. Results showed the intervention effectively reduced overall cyber-aggression, particularly aversive controlled types, but increased appetitive impulsive aggression. Girls responded better to the gratitude exercises, and those with lower gratitude levels saw the most significant reduction in cyber-aggression. However, students with medium levels of gratitude showed increased impulsive and controlled appetitive cyber-aggression. The study concludes that gender and gratitude disposition influence the success of gratitude interventions in reducing cyber-aggression.

Effects of a gratitude intervention on job engagement among newly recruited nurses: A randomized clinical trial

BackgroundGratitude at work is defined as the tendency to notice and appreciate aspects of work, how it affects one's life. Studies show that gratitude education can alleviate individual burnout and increase the ability to resist pressure, but it is not clear whether gratitude intervention can improve individual job involvement.ObjectiveThe purpose of this study is to determine whether gratitude intervention can reduce stress, job burnout and enhance job involvement of new nurses.MethodsA randomized controlled trial was conducted from September 2020 to September 2021. A total of 118 new nurses in China were randomly divided into gratitude group and control group by random number table method. The control group received routine training for new nurses, and the intervention group received, in addition, a gratitude intervention for 2 months. The primary outcome measure was the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale-9 score (UWES-9). Secondary outcome indicators were Gratitude Questionnaire score (GQ-6), The Perceived Stress Scale score (PSS), and Maslach Burnout Inventory score (MBI). This study was reported using the CONSORT checklist.ResultsA total of 118 new nurses were included. The scores of UWES-9 scale of the gratitude group were significantly higher than those in the control group immediately after intervention, 3 months and 6 months after intervention, as the main observation index. Among the secondary outcome indicators, GQ-6 and MBI Personal Accompli-shment scores in the gratitude group were significantly higher than those in the control group immediately after intervention and 3 months after intervention. The PSS, MBI-Emotional Exhaustion and Depersonalization scores in the gratitude group were significantly lower than those in the control group immediately after intervention, 3 months and 6 months after intervention.ConclusionsGratitude intervention can effectively improve the level of job involvement and gratitude, reduce stress and burnout of new nurses. However, this was a relatively short follow-up period. Further studies are needed to assess the long-term effects for new nurses.

Fear of cancer recurrence and coping strategies among patients with oral cancer: the impact on post-traumatic growth

OBJECTIVE

Assess the effect of fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) and coping strategies on patients with oral cancer's post-traumatic growth (PTG).

METHODS

A total of 255 patients with oral cancer participated and were investigated using the Chinese version of the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI), the Fear of Progression Questionnaire-Short Form (FOP-Q-SF), and the Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire (SCSQ) in this cross-sectional study. Descriptive, univariate, Pearson correlation analyses, and multiple linear regression analyses were performed.

RESULTS

Higher FCR scores were negatively associated with PTG (r = -0.646). Negative coping strategies were negatively correlated with PTG (r = -0.219). Positive coping strategies positively correlated with PTG (r = 0.482). Regression analysis indicated that the treatment of surgery combined with chemotherapy and radiotherapy, FCR, and coping strategies had significant independent influences on patients with oral cancer's PTG.

CONCLUSIONS

Reducing fear of recurrence and improving one's capacity for proactive coping in the face of traumatic situations are necessary for post-traumatic growth stimulation. Thus, it is important to develop and implement focused therapies aimed at enhancing post-traumatic growth in patients with oral cancer.

Care burden and quality of life among family caregivers of children with cerebral palsy in China: the mediating roles of social support and coping styles

BACKGROUND

Children with cerebral palsy have substantial caregiving demands, and the overall health of their caregivers is greatly affected. The contributing variables to caregivers' quality of life must be identified. Our attention will be paid to the impact of caregiver's social resources such as social support and caregiver's personal resources such as coping styles on their care situation.

AIMS

To explore the relationships among care burden, social support, coping styles, and QOL of caregivers for cerebral palsy children by mediation effect models.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional study design.

METHODS

The purposive sampling method was used in this study to select 189 caregivers of cerebral palsy children from the rehabilitation department of a children's hospital in western China from May 2022 to August 2023. Self-designed demographic data questionnaire, the WHO's Quality of Life Questionnaire, the Zarit Burden Interview, the Social Support Rating Scale, and the Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire were used for conducting the investigation. Correlations analyses between variables were analyzed using Pearson's correlation coefficient. The mediating effects were explored using the Process Macro and bootstrap method.

RESULTS

Among the 189 caregivers, 59.26% were mothers, 64.55% had received high school or lower education. The majority of caregivers were not employed (62.96%). Care burden had a detrimental impact on both physical QOL and mental QOL. Social support and positive coping style were positively correlated with physical and mental QOL. Among the mediation analyses, significant indirect effects were found for the mediation path of social support between care burden and either physical or mental QOL. Whereas positive coping style as a mediator was not statistically significant. Additionally, social support and positive coping style formed a significant serial mediation path.

CONCLUSION

Caregivers of cerebral palsy children suffer from a certain level of caregiving burden and an unsatisfactory living quality. Social support alone or in combination with positive coping style played mediating roles in connection of care burden and QOL. Future interventional research ought to prioritize boosting social support and developing positive coping style since they may exert the synergistic effect on both physical and mental QOL of caregivers.

Suicide-Related Emergency Department Visits Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic in the United States

Background and aim  The impact of COVID-19 on suicide rates is a significant concern, given the widely recognized psychological effects that the pandemic has had on mental health. Overall, suicide trends remained relatively stable. Yet, specific age groups, races, and genders experienced an increase in suicide rates. A better understanding of suicide trends over time is critical to identifying and addressing mental health crises exacerbated by the pandemic. This study aimed to study whether the years preceding and during the pandemic were associated with an increase in emergency department (ED) visits in the United States for suicide or intentional injury.  Methodology Secondary analyses of data from the National Hospital and Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (2018-2021) were conducted. The frequency of ED visits due to intentional injury or suicide was compared in 2018-2019 (pre-COVID-19 pandemic onset) to those of 2020-2021 (during-COVID-19 onset). Logistic regression was used to estimate odd ratios (ORs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals. Patient's race, sex, age, and regional differences were assessed as covariates. Results There were 27,516 and 22,247 visits assessed in the pre- and during-COVID-19 periods, respectively. In total, 1,375 visits were due to intentional injury/suicide. No differences were found comparing the proportion of visits due to intentional injuries/suicide pre- and during-COVID-19 periods (2.6% in both) The adjusted OR (aOR) comparing pre- versus during-COVID-19 for emergency room visits due to intentional injury/suicide was not significantly different from 1 (aOR = 0.98, 95% CI 0.84-1.15). The odds of suicide/intentional injury were 53% higher in males (aOR = 1.53, 95%CI 1.30-1.81), in those with ages 18-44 years (aOR = 7.24, 95% CI 4.92-10.67) and 45-64 years (aOR = 3.55, 95% CI 2.31-5.47) compared to those 65 years or older, and in non-Hispanic Black individuals compared to non-Hispanic White individuals (aOR = 1.29, 95% CI 1.05-1.58).  Conclusions Using a national sample of ED visits, we found no association between the pre- and COVID-19 pandemic periods and the proportion of visits due to intentional injury/suicide. However, the study's proportional prevalence design limits its ability to estimate actual risk, requiring a cautious interpretation of the findings. Despite these limitations, the observed increased odds of suicide or intentional injury in specific subgroups underscore the need for targeted interventions. Further research is crucial to assess the long-term impacts of COVID-19.

The association between uncertainty intolerance, perceived environmental uncertainty, and ego depletion in early adulthood: the mediating role of negative coping styles

Introduction

Uncertainty intolerance and perceived environmental uncertainty can influence an individual's emotions and behavioral responses. Previous research showed that high uncertainty intolerance and high perceived environmental uncertainty were both negatively associated with an individual's life satisfaction. We explored the interaction effects of uncertainty intolerance and perceived environmental uncertainty on ego depletion of early adulthood and its mechanisms.

Methods

Investigating 292 college students using an uncertainty intolerance scale, a perceived environmental uncertainty scale, a negative coping style questionnaire, and an ego depletion scale. The correlations among all variables were calculated using Pearson's product-moment correlation coefficient, and then we used the PROCESS macro (model 8) in SPSS to test the conditional process model in the relationship between uncertainty intolerance and ego depletion.

Results

The results showed that the interaction terms of uncertainty intolerance and perceived environmental uncertainty were significantly associated with negative coping styles. Only in the high perceived environmental uncertainty situations, uncertainty intolerance was positively associated with negative coping styles, and negative coping styles were positively associated with ego depletion.

Discussion

In general, compared with perceived environmental uncertainty, participants' cognition towards environmental uncertainty was much more associated with individual's coping styles and psychological state, individuals with high uncertainty intolerance would face great stress and experience more emotional problems. Our results suggest that it is important for individuals' mental health to gain a sense of control in an uncertain environment and improve the tolerance of uncertainty. Future research needs to pay attention to the intervention strategy of decreasing uncertainty intolerance.

Rejection Sensitivity and Reactive Aggression in Early Adults: The Mediating Role of Loneliness and Maladaptive Coping

Reactive aggression is an aggressive response to a perceived threat or provocation. It has detrimental effects on individuals and society. Rejection sensitivity, a disposition that one tends to anxiously expect, readily perceive, and intensely react to social rejection, has been associated with reactive aggression. Considering that the mechanism underlying this link remains unclear, this study explores the mediating role of loneliness and maladaptive coping. Participants included 1104 early adults between the ages of 17-23 (Mage = 20.35, SD = 1.11, 33.6% men) in China who completed the Chinese version of the Tendency to Expect Rejection Scale, Loneliness Scale, Ways of Coping Questionnaire, and Reactive-Active Aggression Questionnaire. The serial mediation model revealed that loneliness and maladaptive coping independently mediated the association of rejection sensitivity with reactive aggression. More importantly, the chain mediating effect of "loneliness-maladaptive coping" also accounted for this link. The above findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the relationships among these factors and suggested that rejection sensitivity could positively be related to reactive aggression through loneliness and maladaptive coping.

Influence of childhood trauma on adolescent internet addiction: The mediating roles of loneliness and negative coping styles

BACKGROUND

In the information age, the use of the internet and multimedia tools has large effects on the life of middle school students. Improper use of the internet may result in internet addiction (IA). Thus, actively exploring the factors influencing adolescent and the mechanism of addiction as well as promoting adolescent physical and mental health and academic development are priorities that families, schools, and society urgently need to address.

AIM

To explore the effect of childhood trauma on adolescent IA and to consider the roles of loneliness and negative coping styles.

METHODS

A total of 11310 students from six junior high schools in Henan, China, completed the child trauma questionnaire, IA test, loneliness scale, and simple coping style questionnaire. In addition, data were collected from 1044 adolescents with childhood trauma for analysis with IBM SPSS 26.0 and AMOS 28.0; we examined the relationships among childhood trauma, IA, loneliness, and negative coping styles.

RESULTS

We found that childhood trauma not only directly affected adolescents' IA but also affected IA through loneliness and negative coping styles.

CONCLUSION

Therefore, this study has theoretical implications regarding adolescent mental health and may inform interventions for IA.

Job Satisfaction and Negative Coping Style Affect the Relationship between Transition Shock and Intent to Stay among Newly Graduated Nurses during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Aim

The study is aimed at exploring the relationship between newly graduated nurses' transition shock, negative coping, job satisfaction, and intent to stay during the time of COVID-19.

Background

The shortage of nurses is a global dilemma aggravated by the COVID-19 pandemic. It has been a hot topic in recent years to help newly graduated nurses transition smoothly. Transition shock is one of the essential indicators to describe the transition state of newly graduated nurses, which has a far-reaching impact on the intention of newly graduated nurses to stay in their posts. However, few studies have studied the mechanism behind this relationship, which may affect the effectiveness of retention strategies.

Methods

A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted from July to August 2021 in 31 tertiary hospitals in Shanghai, China. Participants comprised a convenience sample of 759 newly graduated nurses for surveys. Structural equation models were used to examine the study's hypothetical model.

Results

The results showed that transition shock had a significant direct effect on job satisfaction (b = -0.412, p < 0.001) and intent to stay (b = -0.145, p < 0.001). Job satisfaction had a significant direct effect on intent to stay (b = 0.702, p < 0.001). The indirect effect of transition shock on intent to stay through job satisfaction was statistically significant (b = -0.289), the 95% C.I. was (-0.493, -0.357), and the proportion of mediating effect to total effect was 66.59%. Moreover, the moderated mediation analysis showed that the interaction effect of transition shock and negative coping style on job satisfaction was significant (b = -0.082, p < 0.001).

Conclusion

This study revealed the impact of transition shock on intent to stay of newly graduated nurses during the time of COVID-19, and found that job satisfaction played a mediating role and negative coping played a moderating role. These findings are of great significance for nursing managers to take measures to improve the intention of newly graduated nurses to stay. Implication for Nursing Management. The level of transition shock is an important indicator reflecting the transition state of newly graduated nurses, and can further predict the job satisfaction and intention of newly graduated nurses to stay. Therefore, nursing managers should pay attention to taking corresponding measures to reduce the level of transition shock of newly graduated nurses.

The Relationship Between Effort-Reward Imbalance and Depressive Symptoms Among Chinese Firefighters: Moderating by Coping Styles

OBJECTIVES

This study aims to examine the association between effort-reward imbalance (ERI) and depressive symptoms among Chinese firefighters and the moderating role of positive and negative coping styles in the above association.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study including 1328 male firefighters was conducted in China. We adopted the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale to measure depressive symptoms.

RESULTS

Results showed that ERI was associated with depressive symptoms. Individuals with a higher ERI ratio and greater overcommitment were likely to have higher level of depressive symptoms. Furthermore, negative coping style strengthened the relationship between ERI ratio and overcommitment with depressive symptoms, whereas the positive coping style presented none significant moderation.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings indicate that reforming the effort-reward system might be helpful for mental health promotion among Chinese firefighters.

Prevalence and risk factors of post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms among Chinese health care workers following the COVID-19 pandemic

In December 2019, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) appeared in Wuhan (Hubei, China) and subsequently swept the globe. In addition to the risk of infection, there is a strong possibility that post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may be a secondary effect of the pandemic. Health care workers (HCWs) participating in the pandemic are highly exposed to and may bear the brunt out of stressful or traumatic events. In this cross-sectional study, we assessed the morbidity and risk factors of PTSD symptoms among Chinese HCWs. A total of 457 HCWs were recruited from March 15, 2020, to Mach 22, 2020, including HCWs in Wuhan and Hubei Province (excluding Wuhan), the areas first and most seriously impacted by COVID-19. The morbidity of PTSD symptoms was assessed by the Event Scale–Revised (IES-R). The risk factors for PTSD symptoms were explored by means of logistic regression analysis. Over 40% of the respondents experienced PTSD symptoms more than one month after the COVID-19 outbreak, and this proportion increased to 57.7% in Wuhan HCWs, especially females and HCWs on the frontline. Thus, rapid mental health assessment and effective psychological interventions need to be developed for frontline HCWs to prevent long-term PTSD-related disabilities. Moreover, Negative coping style and neuroticism personality may be regarded as high risk factors for PTSD symptoms. Improving individual coping strategies to enhance resilience should be the focus of further preventive intervention strategies.

Posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms among Chinese college students following the COVID-19 outbreak

Objective

This study examined the prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in college students 1 month after the lockdown of Wuhan to identify possible risk factors for PTSD symptoms in a cross-sectional study.

Methods

Out of 10,502 who responded, 9,274 students impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic were included in our study. PTSD symptoms was evaluated by the Impact of Event Scale-revised (IES-R). Anxiety/depression symptoms were evaluated by the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10). Personality traits, coping style, and social support were assessed by the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire-Revised Short Scale for Chinese (EPQ-RSC), the Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire (SCSQ), and the Social Support Rating Scale (SSRS). Logistic regression analysis was utilized to further explore risk factors for PTSD symptoms.

Results

More than 1 month after the COVID-19 outbreak, 13.1% of college students developed PTSD symptoms, indicating that COVID-19 associated stressful experiences were connected with PTSD symptoms. After the COVID-19 outbreak, subjects with symptomatologic PTSD symptoms were more likely to experience strained relationships with their family, to have close contact with COVID-19 patients and to drop out of college. The logistic regression model demonstrated the association factors of PTSD symptoms. Neuroticism, psychoticism and an avoidant coping style were associated with increased risk for PTSD symptoms, while an active coping style was protective against PTSD symptoms during this pandemic.

Conclusion

The results showed that PTSD symptoms was prevalent in Chinese college students 1 month after the COVID-19 outbreak. Effective psychological support work should be carried out accordingly.

Association between bullying victimization, coping style, and mental health problems among Chinese adolescents

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to examine the association of bullying victimization with anxiety and depressive symptoms among Chinese adolescents and explored the role of coping styles in the foregoing associations.

METHOD

Data were drawn from the 2019 School-based Chinses Adolescents Health Survey (n = 19,809). Information about bullying victimization, coping styles, anxiety symptoms, and depressive symptoms were measured. Linear mixed-effects models were performed.

RESULTS

After adjusting for covariates, verbal victimization (β = 1.94 for anxiety symptoms; β = 4.62 for depressive symptoms), relational victimization (β = 3.40 for anxiety symptoms; β = 8.37 for depressive symptoms), physical victimization (β = 2.63 for anxiety symptoms; β = 6.07 for depressive symptoms) and cyber victimization (β = 4.68 for anxiety symptoms; β = 10.72 for depressive symptoms) were associated with anxiety and depressive symptoms. Moreover, the severity of anxiety and depressive symptoms tended to increase with the number of victimization types. The interaction effects between bullying victimization and coping style on anxiety and depressive symptoms were significant. Further stratified analyses by coping styles indicated that the association of relational and cyber victimization on anxiety and depressive symptoms were significantly stronger in adolescents with negative coping style than in those with positive coping style.

LIMITATIONS

Causal inference is limited due to the cross-sectional design.

CONCLUSION

Bullying victimization is associated with anxiety and depressive symptoms, and coping styles may play a moderate role in these associations. Interventions to promote mental health could focus on developing positive coping styles, particularly among adolescents with bullying victimization.

Reciprocal relationships between self-esteem, coping styles and anxiety symptoms among adolescents: between-person and within-person effects

BACKGROUND

Previous researches have not distinguished the between-person effects from the within-person effects when exploring the relationship between self-esteem, coping styles, and anxiety symptoms among adolescents. To address this gap, this study investigated reciprocal associations among self-esteem, coping styles, and anxiety symptoms in a three-wave longitudinal panel survey, using an analytical strategy that disaggregates the within-person and the between-person variance.

METHODS

Data was drawn from the Longitudinal Study of Adolescents' Mental and Behavioral Well-being Research study conducted in 10 public schools in the Guangdong province of China. All participants had a baseline visit (N = 1957, mean age 13.6, grades 7 and 10) and follow-up interviews at 1-year intervals for 3 years. A random intercept cross-lagged panel model combined with mediation analysis was performed.

RESULTS

At the within-person level, the following results were observed. (1) Low self-esteem and anxiety symptoms bidirectionally predicted each other. (2) Low self-esteem and negative coping style bidirectionally predicted each other. (3) Anxiety symptoms predicted subsequent negative coping style but not vice versa. At the between-person level, we obtained the following main results. (1) Significant predictive effects on the random intercept were found among all three study constructs. (2) There were sex differences regarding the association between self-esteem and anxiety symptoms and the correlation of females was stronger than that of males. (3) Self-esteem mediated the reciprocal relations between coping styles and anxiety symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, findings revealed a reciprocal relationship between low self-esteem and anxiety symptoms for both females and males. Besides, anxiety symptoms predict subsequent negative coping style but not vice versa. We also highlighted the mediating role of self-esteem in the reciprocal relations between coping styles and anxiety symptoms. Thus, interventions targeted at promoting self-esteem and cultivating positive coping style may help reduce adolescent anxiety.

The effect of life events, resilience, self-esteem, and coping styles on aggressive behavior among left-behind adolescents: Structural equation modeling

INTRODUCTION

Without parental support, left-behind adolescents are more likely than their peers to experience negative emotions and demonstrate aggressive behavior in the same frustrating situation. However, research on this subject has been sparse. To fill this gap and identify potential targets for intervention, this study sought to examine the relationships among factors influencing left-behind adolescents' aggressive behavior.

METHODS

A total of 751 left-behind adolescents were enrolled in a cross-sectional survey, with data collected using the Adolescent Self-Rating Life Events Checklist, Resilience Scale for Chinese Adolescents, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, Coping Style Questionnaire, and Buss-Warren Aggression Questionnaire. The structural equation model was used for data analysis.

RESULTS

The results showed that left-behind adolescents reported higher levels of aggression. Further, the factors found to have a direct or indirect effect on aggressive behavior included life events, resilience, self-esteem, positive coping, negative coping, and household income. The results of confirmatory factor analysis indicated goodness of fit. In the face of negative life events, left-behind adolescents with high resilience, self-esteem, and positive coping were less likely to exhibit aggressive behavior (P < 0.05).

DISCUSSION

Left-behind adolescents can reduce their aggressive behavior by assuaging the adverse effects of life events via increased resilience and self-esteem as well as the adoption of positive coping strategies.

How Does Problematic Internet Use Influence Chinese Rural Adolescent Externalizing Problem Behaviors? The Mediating Role of Mental Health and the Moderating Role of Parental Knowledge

This study aims to provide a new perspective on the relationship between problematic Internet use and externalizing problem behavior among adolescents. Many studies have focused on the relationship between problematic Internet use and adolescent externalizing problem behavior; however, research on the underlying mechanism remain understudied. Altogether, 1161 Chinese rural adolescents aged 13-17 years completed a self-report questionnaire. The results indicate that: (1) Problematic Internet use has a negative effect on rural adolescent externalizing problem behaviors; (2) mental health has an effect on the relationship between problematic Internet use and externalizing problem behaviors; and (3) parental knowledge may moderate the indirect effect by attenuating the relationship between problematic Internet use and externalizing problem behaviors. Regarding these findings, this study has discussed the potential reasons and provided some practical suggestions to improve problematic Internet use among rural adolescents.

Cumulative Risk and Mental Health of Left-behind Children in China: A Moderated Mediation Model

Based on the dual-factor model of mental health (DFM) and the cumulative risk (CR) model, this study aimed to investigate the impact of CR on left-behind children's mental health and the underlying mechanism involved, specifically the mediating role of coping style and the moderating role of gratitude in the relationship between CR and mental health. The random cluster sampling method was applied to collect data on CR, coping style, gratitude, life satisfaction, and depression from 705 left-behind children (374 boys, Mage = 12.20 ± 1.25). The moderated mediation analyses indicated that: (1) the moderated mediation model of CR and depression was significant: coping style mediated the relationship between CR and depression, and gratitude moderated this mediating effect with gratitude strengthening the negative association between CR and coping style; and (2) gratitude moderated the relationship between CR and life satisfaction and it also strengthened the negative association between CR and life satisfaction. The findings suggest that the mechanisms of coping style may differ in the relationships between CR and positive and negative indicators of mental health in left-behind children and that gratitude as a protective factor has limited capacity to buffer the negative effect of accumulated risk. These findings provide evidence for differentiated intervention approaches to promote disadvantaged children's life satisfaction and depression.

How Differential Dimensions of Social Media Overload Influences Young People's Fatigue and Negative Coping during Prolonged COVID-19 Pandemic? Insights from a Technostress Perspective

Although social networking sites have emerged as the primary source of information for young people, there is a dearth of knowledge concerning the underlying associations between differential aspects of social media overload and whether social media overload ultimately influenced people's negative coping strategies during the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic. In order to fill this gap in existing knowledge, the current research employed the stressor-strain-outcome (SSO) theoretical paradigm to explicate social media fatigue and negative coping strategies from a technostress perspective. The study used cross-sectional methodology, whereby 618 valid questionnaire responses were gathered from WeChat users to assess the conceptual model. The obtained outcomes demonstrated that information overload and communication overload positively impacted young people's fatigue. Furthermore, these two patterns of perceived overload heighten social media fatigue, which ultimately leads to young people's negative coping with the COVID-19 pandemic. These findings would extend the present social media fatigue and technical stress literature by identifying the value of the SSO theoretical approach in interpreting young people's negative coping phenomena in the post-pandemic time.

Gratitude buffers the effects of stressful life events and deviant peer affiliation on adolescents’ non-suicidal self-injury

Although stressful life events have been shown to be a key risk factor for adolescent NSSI, the potential mediators and moderators of this relationship are unclear. Based on the social development theory and the organism-environment interaction model, we tested whether the link between stressful life events and adolescent NSSI was explained in part by deviant peer affiliation, and whether this process was buffered by gratitude. Chinese adolescents (N = 854; M_age = 16.35; 68.50% female) anonymously completed questionnaires to assess the study variables. The present study demonstrated that stressful life events was linked to NSSI in part because of deviant peer affiliation, and high gratitude was a key protective factor to buffer this indirect effect. Teaching gratitude may be a helpful component of prevention and intervention programs to reduce adolescent NSSI.

The relationship between empathy and school adjustment of left-behind children: The mediating role of coping styles

To investigate the effects of left-behind children's empathy and coping styles on school adjustment, 605 left-behind children in the third grade from three rural elementary schools in Suzhou, Anhui Province were selected to complete the Chinese version of the Interpersonal Reaction Index Scale, the Coping Style Scale, and the School Adjustment Behavior Scale for Primary and Secondary School Students. The results showed that (1) emotional empathy positively predicted children's social competence, and negatively predicted children's antisocial behavior; cognitive empathy positively predicted children's social competence; (2) the role of positive coping styles mediated the relationship between cognitive empathy and social competence, and that between cognitive empathy and antisocial behavior; negative coping styles mediated the relationship between cognitive empathy and antisocial behavior; both positive and negative coping styles mediated the relationship between emotional empathy and social competence, and that between emotional empathy and antisocial behavior. The findings of the study are valuable for understanding the relationship between empathy and school adjustment, which also helps to enhance the school adjustment of left-behind children.

Coping Style and Resilience Mediate the Effect of Childhood Maltreatment on Mental Health Symptomology

Background: A well-known distal risk factor for mental health symptomology is childhood maltreatment. Previous research revealed that several mediators, such as coping style and resilience, might be connected to the psychological mechanism of childhood maltreatment on mental health symptomology. Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess how coping style and resilience affect the relationship between childhood maltreatment and mental health symptomology of college students. Methods: With the method of cross-sectional survey, 740 college students from China (Gansu Province) completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), the Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire (SCSQ), the Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC), and the Symptom Checklist 90 (SCL-90). Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to reveal the link between childhood maltreatment, coping style, resilience, and mental health symptomology. Results: The results showe that childhood maltreatment was significantly positively correlated with mental health symptomology and significantly negatively correlated with coping style and resilience. Coping style was significantly negatively correlated with mental health symptomology and significantly positively correlated with resilience. Resilience was significantly negatively correlated with mental health symptomology. Coping style and resilience played a partially mediating role in the relationship between childhood maltreatment and college students’ mental health symptomology. Through a chain of intermediary effects on coping style and resilience, childhood maltreatment not only had a direct impact on mental health symptomology but also had an indirect impact. Conclusion: Childhood maltreatment could affect college students’ mental health symptomology through the chain mediating effect of coping style and resilience. Therefore, it is an effective way to reduce the influence of childhood maltreatment on mental health symptomology through some intervention measures to cultivate positive coping style and improve resilience.

Impacts of the psychological stress response on aggression in adolescents during the COVID-19 epidemic in China

The sudden outbreak of COVID-19 has exerted a tremendous impact on the psyche of people around the world, especially adolescents. In order to provide a valuable theoretical basis for effective measures to prevent psychological problems in adolescents during public health emergencies in the future, this study examined the mediating effect of coping style (CS, including positive coping style (PCS) and negative coping style (NCS)) and the moderating effect of emotional management ability (EMA) on the relationship between the psychological stress response (PSR) and aggression (AGG) in adolescents during the COVID-19 epidemic in China. The Buss–Warren Aggression Questionnaire, Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire, and Emotion Management Questionnaire were employed to investigate the mental health of Chinese adolescents from April 10–20 (Time point 1, T1) and May 20–30 (Time point 2, T2), 2020. A total of 1,931 adolescents (aged 10–25 years, M = 19.18 years, 51.4% male) were examined at T1 and 334 adolescents (aged 11–25 years, M = 19.97 years, 48.7% male) were reinvestigated at T2. Overall, 17.6% of the participants at T1 and 16.8% at T2 reported obvious PSR activation. NCS partly mediated the relationship between the PSR and AGG, and the indirect effect was moderated by EMA reported at T2. There were regional differences in the moderated mediation model in low-risk areas at T1. The moderated effects of EMA at T1 and T2 were opposite. Specifically, high EMA resulted in a stronger relationship between NCS and AGG at T1, whereas high EMA resulted in a weaker relationship between NCS and AGG at T2. Psychological reactions resulting from sudden public health events may trigger AGG in younger individuals. However, EMA may have a buffering effect on the onset of AGG. This research expands our understanding of the development of AGG in adolescents during the pandemic.

Negative Parenting Style and Perceived Non-Physical Bullying at School: The Mediating Role of Negative Affect Experiences and Coping Styles

At present, school bullying incidents frequently occur, attracting increased attention from researchers. In this study, we attempt to explore the impact of parenting styles on perceived school non-physical bullying. Four hundred ninety-two students in the fifth and sixth grades of eight primary schools in Zhejiang province were surveyed. To control any potential confounding factors, a randomized sampling survey method was used to distribute questionnaires. The results showed that negative affect experiences, negative coping styles, negative family parenting styles, and the perceived school non-physical bullying were all positively correlated with each other (p < 0.05). Perceived verbal bullying differed significantly by gender, grade, and only/non-only children (p < 0.05). Perceived relationship bullying significantly differed between grades (p < 0.05). The gender difference in perceived cyberbullying also reached a significant level (p < 0.05). The rejection parenting style was shown to be an important factor that may be associated with students’ perceived school non-physical bullying; it was observed to be directly associated with students’ perceived school non-physical bullying and indirectly associated with students’ perceived school non-physical bullying by influencing negative affect experiences and negative coping styles. In conclusion, negative affect experiences and coping styles may have a chain-like mediating effect between the rejection parenting style and students’ perceived school verbal bullying. Moreover, negative affect experiences may have a partial mediating effect between the rejection parenting style and students’ perceived school cyberbullying, relationship bullying, and non-physical bullying total scores. This study provides first-hand empirical data support for schools, families, and education authorities to guide and manage non-physical bullying incidents in schools. They also provide a theoretical basis for subsequent related research in the field of non-physical bullying.

How Dispositional Gratitude Shapes Employee Well-being and Organizational Commitment: The Mediating Roles of Leader-Member Exchange and Coworker Exchange

Dispositional gratitude has recently emerged as a variable of interest in organizational contexts. However, it remains unclear whether dispositional gratitude is predictive of employee well-being, with limited theoretical and empirical elucidation of the underlying mechanisms. To address these limitations, the present study investigated dispositional gratitude as a predictor of employee well-being and organizational commitment. Drawing on the broaden-and-build theory of positive affect, the study also examined whether the social bonding resources of leader-member exchange (LMX) and coworker exchange (CWX) mediated these effects. The participating employees ( N = 300) completed the survey in three waves at one-week intervals. The results of structural equation modeling (SEM) confirm that dispositional gratitude is positively related to employee well-being and organizational commitment and that these effects are mediated by LMX and CWX. The paper concludes by discussing the theoretical and practical implications of these findings, the study’s limitations, and future research directions.

Factors influencing quality of life and work of male nurses in Hainan Province: logistic regression analysis

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to explore the factors affecting the quality of life and work of male nurses in Hainan Province, so as to provide a theoretical basis to improve the motivation of male nurses, reduce job-hopping intentions, and maintain the stability of labor force.

METHODS

A total of 393 male and 393 female nurses with registered nurse qualifications from 53 hospitals in Hainan Province were selected as the research subjects. The distribution in various hospital departments, quality of life, stress coping ability, social support and job satisfaction were compared. The factors affecting the quality of life of male nurses were analyzed.

RESULTS

Male nurses worked mainly in the intensive care unit (ICU), operating rooms and emergency departments, while female nurses worked mainly in general wards. There were significant differences in physical function, general health, social functioning, and mental health between male and female nurses (P<0.05), and female nurses had significantly higher Physical Component Summary and Mental Component Summary scores than male nurses (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in coping styles between male and female nurses in stressful working environments (P>0.05). Male nurses scored significantly lower than female nurses in objective support, subjective support, support utilization and total score (P<0.05), and male nurses exhibited significantly lower job satisfaction than female nurses (P<0.05). Univariate and multivariate analyses showed that years of experience, work unit, monthly income, social support and job satisfaction were the independent risk factors affecting the quality of life of male nurses.

CONCLUSION

Male nurses in Hainan Province mostly worked in departments with high work intensity and pressure, and the overall quality of life, social support and job satisfaction were significantly lower than those of female nurses. Therefore, psychological guidance for male nurses should be strengthened, the salary of male nurses should be increased, higher social support should be provided, to reduce job burnout and thus improve their quality of life.

Impact of Self-Perceived Employability on Sustainable Career Development in Times of COVID-19: Two Mediating Paths

The outbreak of COVID-19 added further stress to individuals’ work life, and employability may be especially important to help individuals to pursue sustainable career success in such a context. However, previous studies that examined the impact and the mechanisms of employability on sustainable career success are lacking, especially in the context of pandemic threat. Based on conservation of resource theory (COR), the current study aims to explore whether and how employability, as an important resource, reduced work-related emotional exhaustion and increased work engagement during the COVID-19 pandemic. We expected that self-perceived employability would reduce emotional exhaustion and increase work engagement. We further expected that coping strategy mediated the effect of self-perceived employability on emotional exhaustion, and career commitment mediated its effect on work engagement. Data were collected via a national survey in China among a sample of 4990 human resource practitioners from October to December 2020 amid the COVID-19 outbreak. The proposed model was tested with structural equation modelling. Results supported the proposed model. Self-perceived employability reduced emotional exhaustion and to a larger extent, increases work engagement. The two mediating effects were of partial mediation. The implications of the results for theory and practice are discussed.

The mediating role of coping styles in the relationship between perceived social support and antenatal depression among pregnant women: a cross-sectional study

Background

Antenatal depression (AD) is common in pregnant women and is associated with adverse outcomes for the mother, fetus, infant and child. The influencing factors of AD among pregnant women have been studied; however, the mechanisms of these factors remain unclear. This study was designed to examine the direct and serial mediating roles of coping styles in the relationship between perceived social support and AD among pregnant women.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted among 1486 pregnant women who registered to give birth at a tertiary hospital. A self-developed questionnaire was administered to obtain sociodemographic and obstetric data. The Perceived Social Support Scale (PSSS), Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire (SCSQ), and Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) were administered to measure the perceived social support, coping styles, and depressive symptoms of pregnant women, respectively. Multiple linear stepwise regression analysis was used, and then, the specific relationships among influencing factors were determined through structural equation modelling (SEM).

Results

The prevalence of AD was 24.02%. The average scores of intrafamily support, extrafamily support, positive coping styles, negative coping styles and EPDS reported by pregnant women were 24.16 ± 3.09, 44.52 ± 6.16, 27.34 ± 4.89, 9.79 ± 3.82, and 7.44 ± 3.56, respectively. Multiple regression analysis showed that pregnant women with a higher level of intrafamily support exhibited a positive coping style and a decreased risk of AD. Compared with extrafamily support, the direct effect (-0.16 vs. -0.10, P < 0.05) and indirect effect of intrafamily support through coping styles (-0.028 vs. -0.027, P < 0.05) on AD were stronger. Two indirect pathways explained 17.46% of the variance in the EPDS scores.

Conclusion

Higher social support decreased the likelihood of AD, not only directly but also through the mediating roles of coping styles. Social support should be strengthened, and positive coping styles should be advocated in every stage of pregnancy. Specifically, intrafamily support should be given more attention for pregnant Chinese women.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12884-022-04377-9.

Resilience and Anxiety Among Healthcare Workers During the Spread of the SARS-CoV-2 Delta Variant: A Moderated Mediation Model

INTRODUCTION

The B.1.617.2 (Delta) variant of SARS-COV-2 has caused a surge in COVID-19 cases worldwide, placing a great burden on the health care system under the zero-tolerance epidemic prevention policy in China. The present study aimed to investigate the prevalence of anxiety among health care workers during the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant, and to discuss the mediating role of positive coping style between resilience and anxiety, and the moderating role of general self-efficacy.

METHOD

Connor-Davidson Resilience scale (CD-RISC), Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7), General Self-efficacy Scale (GSES) and Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire (SCSQ) were used in this cross-sectional study among 390 healthcare workers in Jiangsu Province, China. Mackinnon's four-step procedure was applied to test the mediation effect, and Hayes PROCESS macro was conducted to examine the moderated mediation model.

RESULTS

The prevalence of anxiety among Chinese healthcare workers during the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant was 41.8%. Male, unmarried, childless and younger subjects reported higher levels of anxiety. Positive coping partially mediated the effect of resilience on anxiety among healthcare workers and the indirect effect was stronger with the increase of general self-efficacy.

CONCLUSIONS

Anxiety was prevalent among healthcare workers during the spread of SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant. This research sheds new light on the potential mechanism underlying the association between resilience and anxiety and provides new insight into the prevention of anxiety among healthcare workers during the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant.

Cybervictimisation and depressive symptoms among adolescents: A moderated mediation model

Recently, there has been an increase in the problem of cyberbullying all over the world, which implies important negative consequences for adolescent victims’ mental health, such as depression. There are few research studies that analyse the role of gratitude and cognitive coping strategies for the consequences of cybervictimisation. To date, there are few studies examining the influence of both these resources in a cyberbullying context. Therefore, the objectives of this research were to analyse the mediating role of maladaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies (CERS) in the relationship between cybervictimisation and depressive symptoms, and to explore the potential moderating role of gratitude among the study variables. A sample of 1156 students between 12 and 18 years (54.33% females) filled out self-report questionnaires measuring cybervictimisation (ECIPQ), cognitive coping strategies (CERQ-SA), depressive symptoms (DASS-21) and gratitude (GQ-5). The outcomes showed that maladaptive CERS partially mediated the relation between cybervictimisation and depressive symptoms. Furthermore, gratitude buffered the relation between maladaptive CERS and depressive symptoms. These findings provide evidence for the buffering role of gratitude in a more frequent use of maladaptive CERS and depressive symptoms in cybervictimisation. The limitations and implications of the study are discussed.

Dispositional and situational moral emotions, bullying and prosocial behavior in adolescence

Studies that distinguish the role of dispositional and situational moral emotions in bullying situations remain limited in the international literature. This work, therefore, aims to analyze the role of dispositional and situational moral emotions in bullying and prosocial behavior in adolescents. Two studies were conducted: a cross-sectional study including 644 adolescents aged 14–18 years (M = 15.6, DT = 1.4) and a repeated measures design including 235 adolescents aged 10–15 years (M = 12.5, DT = 0.9). The objectives of Study 1 were 1) to validate two scales for the situational moral emotions elicited in bullying situations (elevation and moral disgust) and 2) to examine the relationships between dispositional and situational moral emotions and prosocial behavior toward victims and bullying behavior. The results show adequate psychometric properties for both elevation and moral disgust scales. Furthermore, both situational moral emotions are negatively related to bullying behavior, whereas dispositional emotions such as compassion and gratitude have a positive effect on prosocial behavior. Study 2 assessed the prospective relationship between dispositional gratitude and prosocial behavior toward victims and bullying behavior. The results of this study indicate that dispositional gratitude has a positive prospective effect on prosocial behavior towards victims and a negative effect on bullying behavior. In conclusion, the relevance of moral emotions for the prevention of bullying behavior is highlighted and the role that self-transcendent dispositional emotions have on prosocial behavior from the perspective of developmental psychology.

Childhood maltreatment predicts subsequent anxiety symptoms among Chinese adolescents: the role of the tendency of coping styles

Childhood maltreatment may have an influence on anxiety symptoms and coping styles. This longitudinal study aimed to estimate the prospective associations between different types of childhood maltreatment and anxiety symptoms among Chinese adolescents, with a particular focus on investigating whether these associations vary by the tendency of coping styles. Data were from the Longitudinal Study of Adolescents' Mental and Behavioral Well-being Research. The baseline sample included 1957 participants (response rate: 99.03%) and followed up at 1-year later (n = 1836, retention rate: 93.8%). Anxiety symptoms, childhood maltreatment, the tendency of coping styles, morning cortisol level, depressive symptoms, self-esteem, and other demographics were measured. Overall, the mean age of the baseline students was 13.6 (SD: 1.5) years. The final results showed that childhood emotional abuse (unstandardized β-estimate = 0.13, 95% CI = 0.07-0.18), physical abuse (unstandardized β-estimate = 0.08, 95% CI = 0.01-0.16), and sexual abuse (unstandardized β-estimate = 0.17, 95% CI = 0.04-0.29) were positively associated with anxiety symptoms at follow-up after adjusting for significant covariates at baseline. Additionally, the stratified analyses demonstrated that only among students with negative coping styles, childhood emotional abuse, physical abuse, and sexual abuse were associated with subsequent anxiety symptoms; the differences between the positive and negative coping style strata were significant (P < 0.05). Childhood maltreatment appears to be a predictor of anxiety symptoms among adolescents, and the tendency of coping styles may have a moderating role in these longitudinal associations. The efforts to prevent anxiety symptoms are recommended to be focused on adolescents with the experience of childhood maltreatment and negative coping styles.

Perceived Stress and Cyberloafing among College Students: The Mediating Roles of Fatigue and Negative Coping Styles

Cyberloafing has increasingly attracted the attention of scholars because of the widespread use of digital devices in educational environments. This research was conducted to investigate the roles of fatigue and negative coping styles in mediating the relationship between perceived stress and cyberloafing. A total of 730 undergraduates (reduced to 716 due to incomplete data) completed self-report questionnaires measuring perceived stress, fatigue, negative coping styles, and cyberloafing. Perceived stress was shown to be a significant predictor of cyberloafing. Furthermore, negative coping styles played a unique mediating role and fatigue and negative coping styles exerted a sequential mediating effect on the association between perceived stress and cyberloafing. We envision the findings as being helpful in guiding educators develop interventions for minimizing cyberloafing by college students and its disrupting effects.

Cumulative Ecological Risk and Problem Behaviors Among Adolescents in Secondary Vocational Schools: The Mediating Roles of Core Self-Evaluation and Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction

Based on the Cumulative Risk Model, a single risk factor cannot play a decisive role, but the cumulative ecological risks may have complex superposition effects on adolescents' problem behaviors. However, although many studies have investigated the specific influences of single external risk factors on problem behaviors, the effect of cumulative ecological risk on problem behaviors and especially the underlying mechanisms therein have been under-investigated. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the effect of cumulative ecological risk on adolescents' problem behaviors, and the mediating effects of core self-evaluation and basic psychological needs satisfaction therein. To achieve this, 1,080 adolescents in secondary vocational schools were surveyed with the questionnaires of cumulative ecological risk, basic psychological need satisfaction, core self-evaluation, externalizing and internalizing problem behaviors. Results showed that: (a) cumulative ecological risk was positively related with both internalizing problem behavior and externalizing problem behavior; (b) core self-evaluation and basic psychological need satisfaction not only respectively but also sequentially mediated the relationship between cumulative ecological risk and two sorts of problem behaviors. These results provide some pivotal implications for the precaution and intervention of the adolescent problem behaviors.

The mediating roles of coping styles and resilience in the relationship between perceived social support and posttraumatic growth among primary caregivers of schizophrenic patients: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Despite the substantial burden of caring schizophrenic patients, primary caregivers can also experience posttraumatic growth (PTG) which may buffer their negative experience. Influencing factors of PTG and their functional pathways among primary caregivers of schizophrenic patients remain unclear. This study is designed to test the simple and serial mediating roles of coping styles and resilience in the relationship between perceived social support and PTG among those primary caregivers.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted from October 2018 to January 2019, and 365 primary caregivers (self-reported) of schizophrenic patients were analyzed. Measures used to assess their perceived social support, coping styles, resilience, and PTG were the Perceived Social Support Scale, the Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire, the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, and the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory, respectively. Structural equation modeling was used to run the analysis.

RESULTS

The average scores of PTG (range: 0-5), perceived social support (range: 1-7), positive coping style (range: 0-3), negative coping style (range: 0-3), resilience (range: 0-4) reported by primary caregivers was (2.91 ± 0.99), (4.80 ± 1.26), (1.79 ± 0.65), (1.49 ± 0.56), and (2.46 ± 0.66), respectively. The fitness indices of measurement and structural models were satisfactory. Three indirect pathways totally explained 55.56% variance of the PTG. The indirect effect of positive coping style between perceived social support and PTG was 0.20 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.05 to 0.37], and this simple mediation pathway explained 27.78% variance of PTG. The indirect effect of resilience between perceived social support and PTG was 0.11 [95% CI 0.01 to 0.20], and this simple mediation pathway explained 15.28% variance of PTG. The indirect effect of positive coping style and then resilience between perceived social support and PTG was 0.09 [95% CI 0.01 to 0.17], and this serial mediation pathway explained 12.50% variance of PTG.

CONCLUSIONS

Both simple and serial mediation roles of positive coping style and resilience are established in the relationship between perceived social support and PTG among primary caregivers of schizophrenic patients. Positive coping style and resilience are two important targets for future interventional studies, and interventions on them may bring the synergistic effect on improving PTG.