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McCalman J, Caelli N, Travers H, Graham V, Hunter E. Towards best practice during COVID-19: A responsive and relational program with remote schools to enhance the wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGY INTERNATIONAL 2023; 44:214-235. [PMID: 38603315 PMCID: PMC9816620 DOI: 10.1177/01430343221137717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/13/2024]
Abstract
Purpose: From 2018, the Schools Up North (SUN) programme worked with three remote Australian schools to enhance their capability and resilience to support the wellbeing and mental health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and staff. This paper explores the implementation of SUN during the first two years of COVID-19 (2020-2021). Method: Using grounded theory methods, school staff, other service providers and SUN facilitators were interviewed, with transcripts and programme documents coded and interrelationships between codes identified. An implementation model was developed. Results: The SUN approach was place-based, locally informed and relational, fostering school resilience through staff reflection on and response to emerging contextual challenges. Challenges were the: community lockdowns and school closures; (un)availability of other services; community uncertainty and anxiety; school staff capability and wellbeing; and risk of educational slippage. SUN strategies were: enhancing teachers' capabilities and resources, facilitating public health discussions, and advocating at regional level. Outcomes were: enhanced capability of school staff; greater school-community engagement; student belonging and engagement; a voice for advocacy; and continuity of SUN's momentum. Conclusions: The resilience approach (rather than specific strategies) was critical for building schools' capabilities for promoting students and staff wellbeing and provides an exemplar for remote schools globally.
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Laufer A, Bitton MS. Parents' Perceptions of Children's Behavioral Difficulties and the Parent-Child Interaction During the COVID-19 Lockdown. JOURNAL OF FAMILY ISSUES 2023; 44:725-744. [PMID: 36818819 PMCID: PMC9922668 DOI: 10.1177/0192513x211054460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The study examined parents' perceptions of their children's behavioral difficulties (CBD) and positive parent-child interaction (PCI) during the first COVID-19 lockdown in Israel, as well as the associations among parents' psychological distress, parents' COVID-19-related worries, parents' coping, and parents' resilience. Participants were 437 parents of minor children. Parents reported more behavioral and emotional difficulties alongside with more quality time with their children. Parents' distress and COVID-19-related worries were positively related to CBD. Emotion-focused coping mediated the association between psychological distress and CBD, while resilience mediated the association between distress and PCI. The study results indicated that parents perceived their children as having greater difficulties, but they also perceived more positive parent-child interactions, during the lockdown. Parents' distress appears to have been a significant variable in perceived child's difficulties during the lockdown.
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Savolainen O, Sormunen M, Turunen H. Promotive and risk factors for children's mental health-Finnish municipal policymakers' and leading officeholders' views. Health Promot Int 2023; 38:7066947. [PMID: 36857608 PMCID: PMC9977352 DOI: 10.1093/heapro/daac111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Findings on children's mental health promotion at the policy level are scarce, and the perceptions of the municipal administration on factors affecting children's mental health have not been reported. This study describes the perspectives of policymakers and leading officeholders on promotive and risk factors for children's mental health in a socioecological context. The perspectives of Finnish policymakers (n = 15) and officeholders (n = 10) in municipalities were examined using semi-structured interviews. The data were analyzed using inductive content analysis and were categorized according to the five levels of a socioecological model of health promotion: public policy, community, organizational, interpersonal and individual levels. The public policy level emerged strongly in the findings, specifically strategic planning and implementation challenges related to the promotion of children's mental health in the municipality and state administration. At the community level, environmental factors promoting children's mental health as well as risk factors were described. The organizational level consisted of support, requirements and development needs in children's services. The importance of family and close networks at the interpersonal level, as well as the individual basis of mental health, were also evident. The integration and better collaboration of child and family services, the use of child rights impact assessment in political decision-making, and financial support from the state could contribute to improving strategic planning to support children's mental health at the municipal level.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marjorita Sormunen
- Institute of Public Health and Clinical Nutrition, University of Eastern Finland, PO Box 1627, 70211 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Hannele Turunen
- Department of Nursing Science, University of Eastern Finland, PO Box 1627, 70211 Kuopio, Finland,Kuopio University Hospital, PO Box 100, 70029 Kuopio, Finland
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Guido CA, Lucidi F, Midulla F, Zicari AM, Bove E, Avenoso F, Amedeo I, Mancino E, Nenna R, De Castro G, Capponi M, Cinicola BL, Brindisi G, Grisoni F, Murciano M, Spalice A. Neurological and psychological effects of long COVID in a young population: A cross-sectional study. Front Neurol 2022; 13:925144. [PMID: 36062008 PMCID: PMC9428748 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2022.925144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Aim We evaluated the long-term clinical status of pediatric patients after testing positive for COVID-19. We hypothesized that there are similar symptoms to those that have been described in adults and children and that pediatric patients with neurophysiologic symptoms still present 3–5 months after infection have psychological consequences that interfere with their adaptive functioning. Method We recruited 322 COVID-19-positive pediatric patients, between 1.5 and 17 years old, from the outpatient clinic for COVID-19 follow-up. Neurological symptoms were analyzed at onset, after 1 month, and after 3–5 months. A psychological assessment with standardized questionnaires was also conducted to determine the impact of the disease. Results At the onset of COVID-19, 60% of the total sample exhibited symptoms; this decreased after 1 month (20%) but stabilized 3–5 months after disease onset (22%). Prevailing long-COVID neurological symptoms were headache, fatigue, and anosmia. In the 1.5–5-year-old subgroup, internalizing problems emerged in 12% of patients. In the 6–18-year-old subgroup, anxiety and post-traumatic stress showed significant associations with neurological symptoms of long COVID. Conclusions These data demonstrate that long COVID presents various broad-spectrum symptoms, including psychological and long-lasting cognitive issues. If not treated, these symptoms could significantly compromise the quality of life of children and adolescents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristiana Alessia Guido
- Department of Maternal Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
- Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Fabio Lucidi
- Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Fabio Midulla
- Department of Maternal Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Anna Maria Zicari
- Department of Maternal Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Elena Bove
- Department of Maternal Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Federica Avenoso
- Department of Maternal Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Ilaria Amedeo
- Department of Maternal Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Enrica Mancino
- Department of Maternal Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Raffaella Nenna
- Department of Maternal Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Giovanna De Castro
- Department of Maternal Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Martina Capponi
- Department of Maternal Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Giulia Brindisi
- Department of Maternal Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Flavia Grisoni
- Department of Maternal Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Manuel Murciano
- Department of Maternal Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Alberto Spalice
- Department of Maternal Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
- *Correspondence: Alberto Spalice
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Li L, Zhang SX, Graf-Vlachy L. Predicting Managers' Mental Health Across Countries: Using Country-Level COVID-19 Statistics. Front Public Health 2022; 10:791977. [PMID: 35664112 PMCID: PMC9160832 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.791977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2021] [Accepted: 02/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background There is limited research focusing on publicly available statistics on the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic as predictors of mental health across countries. Managers are at risk of suffering from mental disorders during the pandemic because they face particular hardship. Objective We aim to predict mental disorder (anxiety and depression) symptoms of managers across countries using country-level COVID-19 statistics. Methods A two-wave online survey of 406 managers from 26 countries was performed in May and July 2020. We used logistic panel regression models for our main analyses and performed robustness checks using ordinary least squares regressions. In the sample, 26.5% of managers reached the cut-off levels for anxiety (General Anxiety Disorder-7; GAD-7) and 43.5% did so for depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-9; PHQ-9) symptoms. Findings We found that cumulative COVID-19 statistics (e.g., cumulative cases, cumulative cases per million, cumulative deaths, and cumulative deaths per million) predicted managers' anxiety and depression symptoms positively, whereas daily COVID-19 statistics (daily new cases, smoothed daily new cases, daily new deaths, smoothed daily new deaths, daily new cases per million, and smoothed daily new cases per million) predicted anxiety and depression symptoms negatively. In addition, the reproduction rate was a positive predictor, while stringency of governmental lockdown measures was a negative predictor. Individually, we found that the cumulative count of deaths is the most suitable single predictor of both anxiety and depression symptoms. Conclusions Cumulative COVID-19 statistics predicted managers' anxiety and depression symptoms positively, while non-cumulative daily COVID-19 statistics predicted anxiety and depression symptoms negatively. Cumulative count of deaths is the most suitable single predictor of both anxiety and depression symptoms. Reproduction rate was a positive predictor, while stringency of governmental lockdown measures was a negative predictor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lun Li
- School of Economics and Management, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Stephen X. Zhang
- Adelaide Business School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Lorenz Graf-Vlachy
- TU Dortmund University, Dortmund, Germany
- ESCP Business School, Paris, France
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Guido CA, Loffredo L, Zicari AM, Pavone P, Savasta S, Gagliano A, Brindisi G, Galardini G, Bertolini A, Spalice A. The Impact of the COVID-19 Epidemic During the Lockdown on Children With the Pediatric Acute-Onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANDAS/PANS): The Importance of Environmental Factors on Clinical Conditions. Front Neurol 2021; 12:702356. [PMID: 34456853 PMCID: PMC8385147 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2021.702356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 07/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction: In March 2020, SARS-CoV-2 declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization. Restrictive isolation measures have also brought psychological distress to the pediatric population. Building on the syndrome's characteristics, the present study explored the impact of lockdown on the clinical course of young people with PANDAS/PANS. The initial hypothesis considered both the reduced exposure to viral agents and the strategies of the parents and other containment actions as protective factors against the worsening of symptoms. Methods: One hundred and eight children, adolescents, and young adults were recruited according to the multicenter PANDAS/PANS research program. Parents participated in a web-based survey. Results: contrary to our hypothesis, the study results show an increase in symptoms during the block in 71% of the sample. Psychometric analyzes allowed us to exclude a relationship between the main symptoms of PANDAS and the increase in symptoms or the presence of symptoms before the block and their increase over time. The increase in symptoms is best explained by the presence of sleep disturbances and emotional lability. The exacerbation also appears to be linked to the onset of new symptoms in children and adolescents with depressed moods and eating problems. Furthermore, irritability and oppositionality are significant predictors of acute exacerbation. Equally statistically significant is the factor linked to the effects of pandemic stress, such as the fear of contracting the virus. No significant associations for symptom reduction have been identified between parental strategies or other parent-initiated actions, but the study demonstrates that caregiver perceived efficacy on the strategies used can reduce the risk of exacerbation. Conclusion: This preliminary study highlights the importance of studying the causes of increased symptoms in children with PANDAS/PANS. Life events can exacerbate the clinical condition or generate new symptoms in young patients. In particular, environmental, family, and social changes in the course of clinical symptoms in PANDAS/PANS patients should be investigated. It highlights the importance of emotional and behavioral management, which can be improved by enhancing coping strategies in young people with PANDAS/PANS and their caregivers through a combination treatment in which CBT and PMT are included, in line with guidelines. Limits: An experimental proxy-report questionnaire not yet standardized and validated on the PANS/PANDAS pediatric clinical sample was used for the exploratory study. There is also a small sample size (N = 108) and the absence of a control group (pre-lockdown or children without PANDAS/PANS). It would be interesting to evaluate the exact long-term dimensions to see the course of symptoms after covid and conduct a new study focusing on the impact of stressful events on the clinical course of the syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristiana Alessia Guido
- Department of Pediatrics, Child Neurology Division, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.,Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Loffredo
- Department of Clinical, Internal, Anaesthetic, and Cardiovascular Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Piero Pavone
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences Medicine, Division of Pediatrics and Child Neuropsychiatry, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Salvatore Savasta
- Division of Pediatrics - Azienda Socio Sanitaria Territoriale (ASST) Crema, Crema, Italy
| | - Antonella Gagliano
- Child Neuropsychiatry Operating Unit, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Giulia Brindisi
- Department of Pediatrics, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Giuliana Galardini
- Italian Association PANDAS Organizzazione di Volontariato Italia ODV, Firenze, Italy
| | - Antonella Bertolini
- Italian Association PANDAS Organizzazione di Volontariato Italia ODV, Firenze, Italy
| | - Alberto Spalice
- Department of Pediatrics, Child Neurology Division, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
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Donati MA, Guido CA, De Meo G, Spalice A, Sanson F, Beccari C, Primi C. Gaming among Children and Adolescents during the COVID-19 Lockdown: The Role of Parents in Time Spent on Video Games and Gaming Disorder Symptoms. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph18126642. [PMID: 34205533 PMCID: PMC8296495 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18126642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2021] [Revised: 06/15/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
It is mainly children and adolescents who are involved in video gaming. The lockdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic may have further increased their use of video games and, consequently, the risk of gaming disorder (GD) symptoms. However, currently, we do not have exhaustive knowledge of this issue. To fill this gap, the current study aims to analyze video gaming habits in children and adolescents during the lockdown, starting in March 2020 in Italy, the first European country affected by the pandemic. Specifically, we aim to understand how variables related to parents—for instance, knowledge of their offspring’s life, the monitoring of their video gaming habits, and parental use of video games—are related to their offspring’s time spent on video games and GD symptoms. A web-based survey involving parents (n = 554, 79% mothers, mean age = 45.39) of 554 children and adolescents (73% males, mean age = 11.11) was utilized. The results showed that they were involved in video games, particularly boys and adolescents, with high rates of GD symptoms. The parents also spent a considerable amount of time playing video games. A path model that explained the mechanisms through which parental variables were related to their offspring’s time spent on video games and GD symptoms, controlling for gender and age, was verified. Overall, the findings indicate the importance of educating parents to behave effectively with respect to video games and monitor their offspring’s video gaming habits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Anna Donati
- NEUROFARBA Department, Psychology Section, University of Florence, 50135 Florence, Italy; (F.S.); (C.B.); (C.P.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Cristiana Alessia Guido
- Department of Maternal Sciences, Child Neurology Division, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy; (C.A.G.); (G.D.M.); (A.S.)
- Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Giuliano De Meo
- Department of Maternal Sciences, Child Neurology Division, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy; (C.A.G.); (G.D.M.); (A.S.)
| | - Alberto Spalice
- Department of Maternal Sciences, Child Neurology Division, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy; (C.A.G.); (G.D.M.); (A.S.)
| | - Francesco Sanson
- NEUROFARBA Department, Psychology Section, University of Florence, 50135 Florence, Italy; (F.S.); (C.B.); (C.P.)
| | - Carola Beccari
- NEUROFARBA Department, Psychology Section, University of Florence, 50135 Florence, Italy; (F.S.); (C.B.); (C.P.)
| | - Caterina Primi
- NEUROFARBA Department, Psychology Section, University of Florence, 50135 Florence, Italy; (F.S.); (C.B.); (C.P.)
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Wang L, Nabi G, Zuo L, Wu Y, Li D. Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Mental Health and Potential Solutions in Different Members in an Ordinary Family Unit. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:735653. [PMID: 35087429 PMCID: PMC8787187 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.735653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2021] [Accepted: 12/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Limin Wang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of Hebei Province, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Ghulam Nabi
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of Hebei Province, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Lirong Zuo
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of Hebei Province, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Yuefeng Wu
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of Hebei Province, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Dongming Li
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of Hebei Province, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, China
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