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Al-Amin NS, McBryde-Redzovic A, Gutierrez-Kapheim M, Mitchell UA. COVID-Related Stressors and Psychological Distress Among Chicago Residents: the Moderating Role of Race. J Racial Ethn Health Disparities 2024; 11:598-610. [PMID: 36877378 PMCID: PMC9987389 DOI: 10.1007/s40615-023-01544-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Revised: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Racial and ethnic minorities have been disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and have experienced greater financial loss, housing instability, and food insecurity due to COVID-related restrictions. As a result, Black and Hispanic communities may be at greater risk of experiencing psychological distress (PD). METHODS Using data collected between October 2020 and January 2021from 906 Black (39%), White (50%), and Hispanic (11%) adults, we assessed racial/ethnic differences in the effect of three COVID-related stressors-employment stress, housing instability, and food insecurity-on PD using ordinary least square regression. RESULTS Black adults reported lower PD levels compared to White adults (β = - 0.23, P < 0.001), but Hispanic adults did not differ significantly from White adults. COVID-related housing instability (β = 0.46, P < 0.001), food insecurity (β = 0.27, P < 0.001), and employment stress (β = 0.29, P < 0.001) were associated with higher PD. Employment stress was the only stressor to differentially affect PD by race/ethnicity. Among those that reported employment stress, Black adults had lower levels of distress compared to Whites (β = - 0.54, P < 0.001) and Hispanics (β = - 0.04, P = 0.85). CONCLUSION Despite relatively high exposure to COVID-related stressors, Black respondents had lower levels of PD compared to Whites and Hispanics which may reflect differences in race-specific coping mechanisms. Future research is needed to elucidate the nuances of these relationships and identify policies and interventions that prevent and minimize the impact of employment, food, and housing-related stressors and support coping mechanisms that promote mental health among minority populations, such as policies that support easier access to mental health and financial and housing assistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadia S Al-Amin
- School of Public Health, Community Health Sciences Division, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
| | - Aminah McBryde-Redzovic
- School of Public Health, Community Health Sciences Division, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Melissa Gutierrez-Kapheim
- School of Public Health, Community Health Sciences Division, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Uchechi A Mitchell
- School of Public Health, Community Health Sciences Division, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
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2
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Cattaneo Della Volta MF, Vallone F, Zurlo MC. COVID-19-Related Stressors and Psychophysical Health Conditions among Italian University Students: A Post Pandemic Insight. Healthcare (Basel) 2024; 12:752. [PMID: 38610174 PMCID: PMC11011279 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare12070752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2024] [Revised: 03/24/2024] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 medical emergency has ended worldwide, yet the psychological impact of these years of unprecedented changes on students' lives still needs to be deepened. METHODS This study aims to assess and compare COVID-19-related stressors (relationships and academic life; isolation; and fear of contagion) and psychophysical symptoms reported by 637 university students at three times, i.e., April 2020 (n = 197), April 2021 (n = 200), and April 2022 (n = 240). The impact of COVID-19-related stressors on psychophysical symptoms within each time was also tested. RESULTS In April 2022, perceived isolation and fear of contagion decreased from the peak registered in April 2021, but stress related to relationships and academic life remained high. An ongoing increase in psychophysical symptoms was found. More than 50% of students reported clinical levels of sleep disorders, depression, psychoticism, and interpersonal sensitivity. In April 2022, students still perceiving stress related to relationships and academic life and isolation were at risk for anxiety, somatization, and sleep disorders. Students still perceiving stress related to fear of contagion were also at risk for depression, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, and psychoticism. CONCLUSION The findings emphasized the long-lasting effects of COVID-19-related stress on students' psychophysical health. Interventions must aim at supporting students in dealing with the complex post-pandemic adjustment process.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Federica Vallone
- Department of Humanities, University of Naples Federico II, 80133 Napoli, Italy; (M.F.C.D.V.); (F.V.)
| | - Maria Clelia Zurlo
- Dynamic Psychology Laboratory, Department of Political Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, 80138 Napoli, Italy
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3
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Stolte A, Nagy GA, Zhan C, Mouw T, Merli MG. The impact of two types of COVID-19-related discrimination and contemporaneous stressors on Chinese immigrants in the US South. SSM Ment Health 2022; 2:100159. [PMID: 36188193 PMCID: PMC9509533 DOI: 10.1016/j.ssmmh.2022.100159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Revised: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 09/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The global rise of the COVID-19 pandemic has been accompanied by an increase in anti-Asian discrimination with potentially deleterious effects on individuals of Asian descent. In the present study, we examine how two types of COVID-19-related anti-Asian discrimination and other contemporaneous stressors independently contribute to perceptions of stress in a population-representative sample of Chinese immigrants in North Carolina, as well as the moderating role of ethnic identity on the association between COVID-related discrimination and stress. Analyses rely on data collected among participants ages 18+ in the Chinese Immigrants in Raleigh-Durham (ChIRDU) study who completed surveys in 2018 and during the COVID-19 pandemic (July-September 2020). We utilize ordinary least squares regressions to examine associations of two types of COVID-related discrimination (measured by changes in perceptions of being feared by others and racism-related vigilance) and contemporaneous stressors (measured by general COVID-19-related stressors and acculturative stressors) with perceptions of stress by respondents' pre-pandemic reports of ethnic identity. Controlling for sociodemographic predictors and other stressors, racism-related vigilance is significantly associated with higher perceived stress for Chinese immigrants who identify as completely Chinese. For those who identify as at least partly American, new perceptions of being feared by others during the pandemic are significantly associated with higher perceived stress. Acculturative and COVID-related stressors are independently associated with higher perceived stress for both groups. These results suggest that COVID-related anti-Asian discrimination aggravates the psychological burden of multiple stressors in Chinese immigrants' lives by uniquely contributing to perceptions of stress alongside contemporaneous stressors. The results also highlight the heterogeneous mental health needs of Chinese immigrants and hold important implications for intervention development in the community studied here as well as in other Chinese communities in the US.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison Stolte
- Department of Sociology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Gabriela A. Nagy
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA,Duke University School of Nursing, Durham, NC, USA,Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Chanel Zhan
- Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Ted Mouw
- Department of Sociology, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - M. Giovanna Merli
- Department of Sociology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA,Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA,Sanford School of Public Policy, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA,Duke University Population Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA,Corresponding author. Sanford School of Public Policy, Duke University, 201 Science Drive Durham, NC, 27708, USA
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4
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Zaken MD, Boyraz G, Dickerson SS. COVID‐19 pandemic‐related stressors and posttraumatic stress: The main, moderating, indirect, and mediating effects of social support. Stress Health 2022; 38:522-533. [PMID: 34786829 PMCID: PMC8646628 DOI: 10.1002/smi.3115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2021] [Revised: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 11/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has created a variety of stressors, some of which have been linked to intense stress reactions, such as posttraumatic stress (PTS)-like symptoms. However, we have limited knowledge on cumulative effects of pandemic-related stressors on PTS or on variables that may mitigate the effects of these stressors. We aimed to address some of these knowledge gaps by testing three models to examine the interrelationships among pandemic-related stressors, perceived social support, coping flexibility, and pandemic-related PTS. The sample of this cross-sectional correlational study is comprised of 2291 adults from the United States who completed an online survey between 22 May 2020 and 15 July 2020. Results indicated that greater exposure to secondary stressors, but not COVID-19-related stressors, was associated with increased PTS. After controlling for COVID-19-related and secondary stressors, social support had negative direct and indirect (via coping flexibility) effects on PTS. In addition, social support mediated the effects of COVID-19-related and secondary stressors on PTS. Our findings highlight the complexity of the role of social support in relation to pandemic-related stressors and PTS, and suggest that early interventions that target social support and coping flexibility may help reduce pandemic-related PTS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mali D. Zaken
- Psychology DepartmentPace UniversityNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | - Güler Boyraz
- Psychology DepartmentPace UniversityNew YorkNew YorkUSA
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5
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Klimochkina AY, Nekhorosheva EV, Kasatkina DA. Existential Well-being, Mental Health, and COVID-19: Reconsidering the Impact of Lockdown Stressors in Moscow. Psychol Russ 2022; 15:14-31. [PMID: 36699708 PMCID: PMC9833610 DOI: 10.11621/pir.2022.0202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2022] [Accepted: 06/04/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Initial psychological papers on COVID-19, mental health and wellbeing mostly focus on the aftermath lockdown-related stress and stress related to the disease itself. Still, we presume that personal well-being can be resistant to stressors depending on the way the person is settled in their life. Objective We seek to reconsider the contribution of lockdown-related stressors to existential well-being, to assess existential well-being during the outbreak and to compare the contribution of living conditions and COVID-19-related factors on well-being. Design An online survey was conducted during the peak of the outbreak in Moscow (April-May 2020) (N=880). The data was obtained using the "Test of Existential Motivations" questionnaire and a series of questions addressing (1) living conditions - mental and physical health, employment, and social distancing; (2) COVID-19-related stressors - non-chronic illness, financial losses, and unavailability of goods or services; (3) sociodemographic indicators - age, gender, and income. Data analysis included hierarchical multiple regression, one-sample t-test, and analysis of variance. Results Surprisingly, the existential well-being of Moscow citizens during the research period was moderate. Each of the three groups of factors predicted a similar proportion of the variance of well-being (3-3,9%). The strongest predictors of well-being were long-term mental health status and financial stability. The effect of COVID-19-related stressors was most pronounced when they co-occur. Conclusion The negative association between lockdown-related stressors and poor well-being is not universal. It is necessary to study the effect of COVID-19-related stressors in combination with individual living conditions and region-specific factors and to focus on the prevention of the occurrence of stressors.
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Yang Z, Luo Y, Zhou Q, Chen F, Xu Z, Ke L, Wang Y. COVID-19-related stressors and depression in Chinese adolescents: The effects of life history strategies and gender. J Affect Disord 2022; 304:122-127. [PMID: 35219739 PMCID: PMC8868003 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2022.02.060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2021] [Revised: 01/19/2022] [Accepted: 02/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way people live, affecting both their physical and mental health. Adolescents are vulnerable to the stress of the pandemic, and may experience indicators of psychological distress, such as depression. This study aimed to examine the impact of COVID-19-related stressors on depression and the mediating role of life history strategies. METHODS A two-wave longitudinal study was conducted with 1123 adolescents (51.20% girls, Mage = 14.30) recruited from three junior high schools in the Northeastern province of China. Adolescents' life history strategies, depressive symptoms, and demographic variables were assessed at Time 1 (November 2019) and Time 2 (August 2020), and adolescents' experience of COVID-19-related stressors was assessed at Time 2. None of participants was infected by COVID-19 virus. RESULTS COVID-19-related stressors were positively associated with depressive symptoms at Time 2 (β = 0.08, p < 0.01), after controlling for gender, age, SES and depressive symptoms at Time 1. And life history strategies partially mediated the relation of pandemic stress to depression (indirect effect = 0.02, p < 0.05, 95% CI [0.004, 0.034]). There were no gender differences in the relations between stress on depression. LIMITATIONS The sample was from a district where the pandemic was not very severe, which may limit generalizability of the results. CONCLUSIONS This study revealed that COVID-19-related stressors may have a long-term impact on adolescents, increasing depression through speeding up their life history strategies. Interventions should focus on life history strategies, particularly cognitive style, among adolescents during and after the pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhengqian Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Yuhan Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China,Collaborative Innovation Center of Assessment for Basic Education Quality, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Qing Zhou
- Department of Psychology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Fumei Chen
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Assessment for Basic Education Quality, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Zijing Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Li Ke
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Assessment for Basic Education Quality, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Yun Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China.
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7
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Avsec A, Zager Kocjan G, Kavčič T. COVID-19 lockdown distress, but not the infection concerns, shape psychological functioning during the pandemic: The mediating role of basic psychological needs. Scand J Psychol 2021; 62:717-724. [PMID: 34155650 PMCID: PMC8447155 DOI: 10.1111/sjop.12758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2020] [Accepted: 05/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
This study examined the effect of COVID‐19 lockdown and infection concerns on positive and negative aspects of psychological functioning during the first weeks of the new coronavirus pandemic, and the mediating role of basic psychological needs satisfaction and frustration. Slovene adults (N = 425; 79% female) filled in questionnaires measuring COVID‐19‐related stressors, satisfaction and frustration of basic psychological needs, well‐being, and ill‐being. Results of the path analysis with Bootstrap estimation procedure revealed that the perceived severity of the COVID‐19 lockdown circumstances predicted diminished psychological functioning of participants both directly and via decreased needs satisfaction and increased needs frustration. Conversely, the infection concerns had a much weaker and direct only effect on the increased ill‐being, but no effect on well‐being. These findings indicate that lockdown circumstances, but not the possibility of COVID‐19 infection, predominantly shape individuals’ ability to satisfy their basic needs and subsequently their psychological functioning during the pandemic. The study suggests that public health responses should address not only risk of infection but also people’s psychological needs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreja Avsec
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Gaja Zager Kocjan
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Tina Kavčič
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
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8
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Han Z, Tang X, Li X, Shen Y, Li L, Wang J, Chen X, Hu Z. COVID-19-Related Stressors and Mental Health Among Chinese College Students: A Moderated Mediation Model. Front Public Health 2021; 9:586062. [PMID: 34222162 PMCID: PMC8253361 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2021.586062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2020] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
This study aims to examine the relation between COVID-19-related stressors and mental health among Chinese college students during the pandemic outbreaks, and the possible mediator or moderator between them. Five hundred and fifty Chinese college students were invited to complete an anonymous survey, and the data were analyzed with SPSS 16.0 software. The results shows that the number of stressors has a negative direct and indirect (through risk perception of being infected with COVID-19 disease) impacts on college students' mental health. Adaptive coping is a protective factor of students' mental health, and could be regarded as a buffer that attenuates the negative effect of the COVID-19-related stressors on risk perception of being infected with COVID-19 disease (or mental health). With regard to demographic variables, females, junior and senior students, or students whose family residence was worst hit by the pandemic tend to report poorer mental health during the pandemic outbreak. These findings enrich our understanding about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on college population and have implications for university counseling services during times of acute, large-scale infective disease outbreaks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zaichao Han
- College of Life Sciences, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang, China
| | - Xiujuan Tang
- School of Psychology, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang, China
| | - Xiaoshan Li
- School of Psychology, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang, China.,Center of Mental Health Education and Research, School of Psychology, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang, China
| | - Youtian Shen
- School of Psychology, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang, China
| | - Li Li
- School of Psychology, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang, China
| | - Jingjing Wang
- School of Psychology, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang, China
| | - Xiaowei Chen
- School of Psychology, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang, China
| | - Zhijun Hu
- School of Psychology, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang, China
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9
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Woon LSC, Mansor NS, Mohamad MA, Teoh SH, Leong Bin Abdullah MFI. Quality of Life and Its Predictive Factors Among Healthcare Workers After the End of a Movement Lockdown: The Salient Roles of COVID-19 Stressors, Psychological Experience, and Social Support. Front Psychol 2021; 12:652326. [PMID: 33897561 PMCID: PMC8062802 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.652326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2021] [Accepted: 03/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Although healthcare workers play a crucial role in helping curb the hazardous health impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), their lives and major functioning have been greatly affected by the pandemic. This study examined the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the quality of life (QoL) of Malaysian healthcare workers and its predictive factors. An online sample of 389 university-based healthcare workers completed questionnaires on demographics, clinical features, COVID-19-related stressors, psychological experiences, and perceived social support after the movement lockdown was lifted. All domains of QoL were within the norms of the general population except for social relationship QoL, which was lower than the norm. Multiple linear regression analysis indicated that COVID-19-related stressors (e.g., stress due to annual leave being frozen, loss of daily routine, and frequent exposure to COVID-19 patients) and psychological sequelae (e.g., greater severity of depression, anxiety, and stress) predicted lower QoL. Conversely, greater perceived social support from friends and significant others predicted higher QoL. Clinical and demographic characteristics predicted QoL to a lesser extent: A history of pre-existing medical illness was associated only with lower physical health QoL, whereas older age and being single, divorced, or widowed were only predictive of higher environmental QoL. Efforts to enhance QoL among healthcare workers in response to the pandemic should focus on mitigating COVID-19-related stressors and psychological sequelae and facilitating social support.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luke Sy-Cherng Woon
- Department of Psychiatry, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Nor Shuhada Mansor
- Lifestyle Science Cluster, Advance Medical and Dental Institute, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
| | - Mohd Afifuddin Mohamad
- Lifestyle Science Cluster, Advance Medical and Dental Institute, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
| | - Soon Huat Teoh
- Lifestyle Science Cluster, Advance Medical and Dental Institute, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
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10
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Li X, Tang X, Wu H, Sun P, Wang M, Li L. COVID-19-Related Stressors and Chinese Adolescents' Adjustment: The Moderating Role of Coping and Online Learning Satisfaction. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:633523. [PMID: 33859580 PMCID: PMC8042164 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.633523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2020] [Accepted: 02/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The present study aims to examine the main and interactive relations of COVID-19-related stressors, coping, and online learning satisfaction with Chinese adolescents' adjustment during the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 850 adolescents from three Chinese secondary schools participated in the survey during the pandemic outbreak, and the data were analyzed by hierarchical linear regression. The results show that COVID-19-related stressors were a vulnerability factor in predicting adjustment. Adolescents' adjustment could be attributed to both individual-level (e.g., coping) and class-level (e.g., a class-level indicator of coping) characteristics. Specifically, problem-based coping and online learning satisfaction can promote adolescents' adjustment directly or serve as a buffer against the negative impact of stressors on adjustment, while emotion-based coping is a vulnerability factor in predicting adjustment directly or as a risk factor in strengthening the relation between stressors and adjustment. Compared with male adolescents and adolescents with high socio-economic status, female and impoverished adolescents reported poorer adjustment during the COVID-19 pandemic. These findings enrich our understanding of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on adolescents' adjustment and are helpful in improving adolescents' adjustment during the pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoshan Li
- School of Psychology, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang, China
- Center of Mental Health Education and Research, School of Psychology, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang, China
| | - Xiujuan Tang
- School of Psychology, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang, China
| | - Hou Wu
- Nanchang Institute of Technology, Nanchang, China
| | - Pengyong Sun
- School of Psychology, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang, China
| | - Min Wang
- School of Psychology, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang, China
| | - Li Li
- School of Psychology, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang, China
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11
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Domínguez-Álvarez B, López-Romero L, Isdahl-Troye A, Gómez-Fraguela JA, Romero E. Children Coping, Contextual Risk and Their Interplay During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Spanish Case. Front Psychol 2020; 11:577763. [PMID: 33391095 PMCID: PMC7772313 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.577763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2020] [Accepted: 11/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the lives of millions of people around the globe and some of the unprecedent emerged disruptions, are likely to have been particularly challenging for young children (e.g., school closures, social distancing measures, movement restrictions). Studying the impact of such extraordinary circumstances on their well-being is crucial to identify processes leading to risk and resilience. To better understand how Spanish children have adapted to the stressful disruptions resulting from the pandemic outbreak, we examined the effects of child coping and its interactions with contextual stressors (pandemic and family related) on child adjustment, incorporating in our analysis a developmental perspective. Data was collected in April 2020, through parent-reports, during the acute phase of the pandemic and, temporarily coinciding with the mandatory national quarantine period imposed by the Spanish Government. A sample of 1,123 Spanish children (50% girls) aged 3 to 12 (Mage = 7.26; SD = 2.39) participated in the study. Results showed differences in the use of specific strategies by children in different age groups (i.e., 3-6, 7-9 and 10-12-year-olds). Despite the uncontrollable nature of the pandemic-related stressors, child disengagement coping was distinctively associated to negative outcomes (i.e., higher levels of behavioral and emotional difficulties), whereas engagement coping predicted psychosocial adjustment across all age groups. Moreover, interactively with child coping, parent fear of the future and parent dispositional resilience appear as relevant contextual factors to predict both negative and positive outcomes, but their effects seem to be age dependent, suggesting a higher contextual vulnerability for younger children. These findings might have implications for identifying individual and contextual risk and informing potential preventive interventions aimed to reduce the impact of future pandemic outbreaks on children of different ages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatriz Domínguez-Álvarez
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Laura López-Romero
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Aimé Isdahl-Troye
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Jose Antonio Gómez-Fraguela
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Estrella Romero
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
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12
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Li X, Wu H, Meng F, Li L, Wang Y, Zhou M. Relations of COVID-19-Related Stressors and Social Support With Chinese College Students' Psychological Response During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Front Psychiatry 2020; 11:551315. [PMID: 33240118 PMCID: PMC7667466 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2020.551315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2020] [Accepted: 09/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
This study examines the main and interactive relations of stressors and social support with Chinese college students' psychological symptoms (e.g., anxiety, depression) during the COVID-19 pandemic. All the constructs are assessed by self-report in an anonymous survey during the pandemic outbreak. The results show that the number of stressors has a positive relation with psychological symptoms, and social support has a negative relation with psychological symptoms. In addition, social support serves as a buffer against the negative impact of stressors. These findings hold implications for university counseling services during times of acute, large-scale stressors. Specifically, effective screening procedures should be developed to identify students who experience large number of stressors and provide suitable psychological intervention for them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoshan Li
- School of Psychology, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang, China
| | - Hou Wu
- Nanchang Institute of Technology, Nanchang, China
| | - Feifei Meng
- School of Psychology, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang, China
| | - Li Li
- School of Psychology, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang, China
| | - Yitong Wang
- School of Psychology, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang, China
| | - Mingjie Zhou
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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