The Thought of Death in a Pandemic Era: Can Anxiety Determine the Nexus between the Accessibility, Availability and Use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for COVID-19 and Work Behaviour among Aviation Workers?

Prevalence of obsessive-compulsive symptoms and their psychosocial correlates among medical students during COVID-19 pandemic

This study aimed to assess the prevalence of obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCS) among medical students during COVID-19 pandemic and to evaluate their association with related sociodemographic features and other psychological symptoms. In this cross-sectional study, students from Mashhad University of Medical Sciences with no major exam in the preceding or following month were surveyed during April to August 2021 through stratified available sampling. Data were collected by a structured online questionnaire distributed through social media platforms. OCS were assessed using Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Revised (OCI-R) and COVID-related stress was evaluated using COVID Stress Scale (CSS). Overall, 347 students with a mean age of 22.67 ± 2.56 years were included in this study, of whom 30.3% had probable obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD; OCI-R score ≥21). Mean CSS scores in students with and without probable OCD were 38.64 ± 19.82 and 26.72 ± 16.63, respectively ( P  < 0.005). Total CSS score was significantly correlated with OCI-R score ( r  = 0.38, P  = 0.001). Around one-third of the medical students reported significant OCS during COVID-19 pandemic, which was associated with higher COVID-19-related stress. Further research provides insight into management of OCD and related disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Development and Validation of a Short Measure of Emotional, Physical, and Behavioral Markers of Eustress and Distress (MEDS)

We report the results of three validation studies for a short measure of emotional, physical, and behavioral markers of eustress and distress as they occur when individuals encounter stressful events in academic and organizational settings. Given the importance of the distinction between “positive” and “negative” stress as well as the recent resurgence of research exploring the differences between challenge and hindrance stress and between eustress and distress, it is important to put forward a short, validated scale that evaluates these constructs. Our short measure—the MEDS—therefore has important theoretical as well as practical implications. By showing that the eustress and distress subscales have adequate internal consistency and good construct and criterion validity, we open new avenues for research that extends our knowledge and understanding of the antecedents and consequences of eustress and distress. We also discuss appropriate uses of the scale in educational and organizational settings.