Analysis of predictors of stress during confinement by COVID-19 in Spain

Introduction: Confinement has had a great emotional impact on the population, especially in terms of stress. Factors such as the presence of previous mental or physical illness, resilience or emotional intelligence may influence the occurrence or increase of stress. The aim was to assess predictors of stress by comparing two statistical methodologies (one linear and one non-linear). Method: 802 Spaniards (65.50% women) who completed the questionnaires autonomously after signing the informed consent form participated. Stress (PSPP), COVID-19 threat perception (BIPQ-5), resilience (CD-RISC-10) and emotional intelligence (TMMS-24) were assessed. Descriptive statistics, hierarchical regression (HRM) and fuzzy set comparative qualitative analysis (fsQCA) were conducted. Results: Data obtained by HRM showed that the presence of previous mental illness, low resilience and emotional clarity, high emotional alertness and COVID-19 threat perception predicted 51% of the variance in stress. On the other hand, the results of the QCA showed that different combinations of these variables explained 71% of high stress and 56% of low stress. Pointing out how the presence of previous mental illness, high resilience, high emotional clarity and repair, low emotional alertness and low COVID-19 threat perception play a key role in explaining stress. Conclusions: These aspects will help to promote personal resources to buffer stress in confinement situations. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved) (Spanish) Introduccion: El confinamiento ha supuesto un gran impacto emocional en la poblacion observandose, especialmente, el padecimiento de estres. Factores como la presencia de enfermedades mentales o fisicas previas, la resiliencia o la inteligencia emocional, pueden influir en la aparicion o el aumento del estres. El objetivo fue evaluar los predictores del estres mediante la comparacion de dos metodologias estadisticas (una lineal y otra no lineal). Metodo: Participaron 802 espanoles (65,50% mujeres), que rellenaron de manera autonoma los cuestionarios tras la firma del consentimiento informado. Se valoro el estres (PSPP), la percepcion de amenaza del COVID-19 (BIPQ- 5), la resiliencia (CD-RISC-10) y la inteligencia emocional (TMMS-24). Se llevaron a cabo estadisticos descriptivos, regresiones jerarquicas (MRJ) y analisis cualitativos comparativos de conjuntos difusos (fsQCA). Resultados: Los datos obtenidos por MRJ evidenciaron que la presencia de una enfermedad mental previa, una baja resiliencia y claridad emocional, una alta atencion emocional y percepcion de amenaza del COVID-19, predijeron el 51% de la varianza del estres. Por su parte, los resultados del QCA mostraron que las diferentes combinaciones de estas variables explicaron el 71% de los casos de altos niveles de estres y, el 56%, de los bajos niveles de estres, senalando como la presencia de una enfermedad mental previa, la alta resiliencia, la alta claridad y reparacion emocional, la baja atencion emocional y la baja percepcion de amenaza del COVID-19, juegan un papel fundamental en la explicacion del estres. Conclusiones: Estos aspectos ayudaran a promover los recursos personales para amortiguar el estres en situaciones de confinamiento. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

YES, WE COPE: Dyadic Coping as a Mediator Between Perceived Relationship Quality and Emotional Representation of COVID-19.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about social changes that have impacted the functioning and dynamics of couples in a romantic relationship, arising from the overwhelming amount of added stress they have endured. Specifically, the divorce rate in Portugal has increased after lockdown, which underscores the adverse consequences of COVID-19 on couples. A lower quality of the couple's relationship may worsen the emotional representation of COVID-19; however, the literature suggests that perceived partner dyadic coping responses have a great influence on adverse events. The aim of the present study was to assess the mediating role of partner coping in the association between relationship quality and emotional representation of COVID-19. We also sought to observe whether the length of the relationship moderates this association. Methods: Participants (N = 528) were adults living in Portugal (84.7% female) currently in a romantic relationship with their current partner for at least 1 year. Online data collection. Results: We found that relationship quality predicted COVID-19 emotional representation, but this association was fully mediated by total dyadic coping. This association was especially significant in couples with a shorter length of time in the relationship. Conclusions: We point out the importance of dyadic coping as a protective factor against emotional distress to cope with the ongoing stressors associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. These data suggest the need for relationship education programs that promote positive coping between partners. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10608-023-10379-4.

Compassion in Spanish-speaking health care: A systematic review.

Altought compassionate care is an important factor in health care, remains an unmet need in patients. The studies have been carried out in Anglo-Saxon countries with cultural environments and health systems that are very different from Spanish-speaking contexts. The aim of this study to understand the conceptual, evaluation and clinical application nuances of compassion and compassionate care in Spanish-speaking health care settings, through a systematic review. A search of the scientific literature was carried out following the PRISMA guidelines in ProQuest Central, PubMed and Web Of Science, resulting in 295 studies, of which 27 were selected, based on the following inclusion criteria: the article studied or analyzed the construct of compassion in healthcare setting and the participants were Spanish speakers or the authors spoke of the construct in Spanish. Two blinded evaluators performed the study selection process using the Covidence tool. The agreement between evaluators was in all cases satisfactory. Different definitions of the construct have been identified, that they generally share: the recognition of suffering and the attempt to alleviate it. There are few studies that focus solely on the analysis of compassion, since other concepts appear that are associated with it, such as empathy and self-compassion. Further research is needed to obtain a better and greater understanding of compassionate care adapted to the perceptions of patients and health professionals in different socio-cultural contexts. In this way, instruments that measure compassionate care can be better developed and adjusted, and interventions aimed at promoting compassion can be properly assessed.

E-Health Psychological Intervention for COVID-19 Healthcare Workers: Protocol for its Implementation and Evaluation.

(1) Background: Healthcare workers have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Digital interventions have been carried out that have been effective with this population; however, few have been reported in Latin America. Our aim is to describe the components and methods to evaluate the feasibility and utility of an online multi-component psychological intervention for healthcare workers in Mexico during COVID-19. (2) Methods: This study is a randomized clinical trial with two arms: (1) self-applied intervention and (2) intervention delivered online by therapists. The participants are randomly assigned to one arm, receiving the same treatment contents in both groups. The "Personal COVID" intervention consists of an internet platform containing 9 nuclear and 3 complementary modules. The objectives of the intervention are: (1) to reduce anxiety, depressive symptoms, burnout, and compassion fatigue, and (2) to increase the quality of life, sleep quality, self-care, and their skills to give bad news. The protocol has been registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (identifier: NCT04890665). (3) Discussion: This protocol is designed according to the highest scientific standards following the SPIRIT guidelines. The "Personal COVID" intervention is expected to be of high efficacy in treating the emotional distress of healthcare workers and promoting their health during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Analysis of predictors of stress during confinement by COVID-19 in Spain.

Confinement has had a great emotional impact on the population, especially in terms of stress. Factors such as the presence of previous mental or physical illness, resilience or emotional intelligence may influence the occurrence or increase of stress. The aim was to assess predictors of stress by comparing two statistical methodologies (one linear and one non-linear).

Teachers' Response to Stress, Anxiety and Depression During COVID-19 Lockdown: What Have We Learned From the Pandemic?

BACKGROUND: As a result of national lockdown due to the COVID-19 outbreak, teachers were forced to suspend their classes and replace them with online teaching and home schooling. Additional stressors such as competing family responsibility have increased their worries and mental health problems. The aim of this study was to determine the impact of COVID-19-related worries on teachers' emotional symptoms, considering the mediating role of several protective factors. METHODS: A total of 614 Chilean teachers (94.60% women) participated in this study using a cross-sectional design and incidental sampling method. Self-report data was collected assessing emotional symptoms, COVID-19-related worries, life satisfaction, affect balance, and resilience. Descriptive analyses, Pearson's correlations, hierarchical regressions, and mediation models were conducted. RESULTS: The results indicated that emotional symptoms were associated with prepandemic physical and mental health problems, higher levels of worries and negative affect, as well as lower levels of life satisfaction and resilience. Results from the mediation models showed that the negative impact of COVID-19-related worries on emotional symptoms was alleviated by affect balance and resilience. CONCLUSIONS: These findings highlight the importance of addressing the risk and protective factors for teachers' mental health during exceptional situations such as the ongoing pandemic.

Social and Psychological Effects of COVID-19 Pandemic on Adolescents' and Young Adults' Mental Health: A Cross-Cultural Mediation Study.

The ongoing pandemic has dramatically disrupted daily life, increasing the risk of developing psychiatric disorders and poor mental wellbeing. The compound effects of social, political and psychological stressors have increased psychological symptoms among adolescents and young people, with worries about COVID-19 playing a central role in the clinical course of their mental health problems caused by the pandemic. The aim of this cross-cultural study was to examine the social psychological effects of COVID-19 on adolescents' and young people's mental health and wellbeing in Ibero-American population. Participants involved 6,283 adolescents and young adults from five different Spanish-Speaking countries (83.7% female) aged between 12 and 30 years (M = 18.79; SD = 3.48). Participants completed the Worries about COVID-19 and its Consequences Scale (W-COV), the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), and the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21). Descriptive analyses, multivariate ANOVAs and Pearson correlations were performed, as well as Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) testing a mediational model. The results indicate cross-cultural difference in COVID-19 related worries, emotional symptoms and life satisfaction. Results from SEM confirmed the overall indirect effects of COVID-19 cases, political response and participants' conditions during lockdown on depression, anxiety, stress and life satisfaction mediated by COVID-19 related worries. These findings suggest that the social psychological factors underlying psychological symptoms could be partly explained by increased worries about COVID-19 and its personal, social, economic and political consequences, which may offer guidance to policy makers and health services for safeguarding youth mental well-being.

Emotional Impact in Adolescents in Ecuador Six Months after the Beginning of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the emotional health of adolescents, especially those with low resilience and life satisfaction. The aim is to analyze the predictors of anxiety, depression, and stress among adolescents in Ecuador during the COVID-19 pandemic.Participants were 586 adolescents from Ecuador aged between 12-18 years (M = 15.30; SD = 1.28). Satisfaction, resilience, anxiety, depression, stress and worries about COVID-19 were assessed. Structural equation models (SEM) and models based on qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) were performed. The results indicate that worries are associated with depression, anxiety, and stress. However, higher physical health worries are associated with lower emotional distress. SEM models indicate that life satisfaction is negatively associated with emotional distress. In QCA models, emotional distress is explained by high worries, low resilience, and life satisfaction. Life satisfaction plays a mediating role in emotional distress.In conclusion, adolescents are one of the groups particularly vulnerable to this situation of restriction created by COVID-19. It is necessary to detect signs of risk and protection in emotional adjustment, especially life satisfaction, that appears like principal damper variable.

10Vida: A Mental and Physical Health Intervention for Chronically Ill Adolescents and Their Caregivers in the Hospital Setting: An Open Study.

Suffering from a chronic disease (CD) in adolescence can significantly impact the emotional health of adolescents and their families. MHealth can be a useful tool for these groups. However, few intervention programmes include the family system. The aim is to design an intervention programme (10Vida) for a paediatric population with a CD, and their families, to improve their adaptation to the disease. The study is a quasi-experimental repeated measures design in a open study, where the patients themselves, and their families, are their own control group. Participants will receive an intervention of seven individual sessions: five sessions with each patient, and two sessions with their caregivers. In the case of the patients, the aim is to improve their emotional state, their self-esteem, and their emotional competencies, reducing their perceived threat of illness. Furthermore, in the case of the caregivers, the aim is to improve their emotional state and reduce their burden. Indirectly, working with caregivers and those being cared for will improve family ties. The pilot study will involve 25 to 30 chronically ill adolescents aged between 12 and 16 years and their primary caregivers. Following the results, the necessary modifications will be included, and the programme will be offered to adolescents and their families who are willing to participate.

Do COVID-19 Worries, Resilience and Emotional Distress  Influence Life Satisfaction? Outcomes in Adolescents in Ecuador during the Pandemic: SEM vs. QCA.

COVID-19 and the measures adopted have been a problem for society at all levels. The aim of the study was to analyze the main predictors of life satisfaction among adolescents in Ecuador during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants were 902 adolescents from Ecuador aged between 12 and 18 years (M = 15.30; SD = 1.28). Variables such as life satisfaction, resilience, emotional symptomatology, and worries about COVID-19 were assessed. Two statistical methodologies were compared (structural equation models (SEM) and qualitative comparative analysis (QCA)) to analyze the possible influence of worries about COVID-19, resilience and emotional symptomatology towards life satisfaction. The results indicated that in both models, worries about COVID-19 were negatively related to life satisfaction. However, having a greater worry, specifically for physical health issues, was associated with better life satisfaction. SEM models indicate that depression is negatively related to life satisfaction. In QCA models, high levels of life satisfaction are explained by low levels of anxiety and depression. Thus, resilience seems to play a mediating role in life satisfaction, although this is only true for the depression variable. It is necessary to detect signs of risk in this population and strengthen resilience in them as elements that can facilitate their adequate coping with their adverse situation.

Psychological aspects of pre-adolescents or adolescents with precocious puberty: A systematic review.

PROBLEM: Precocious puberty (PP) is an illness that appears when puberty, begins some years earlier than usual, provoking inferences in preadolescents and adolescents and their families. Therefore, the aim is to analyze if psychological consequences can be observed in groups of preadolescents or adolescents with PP. METHOD: A bibliographic search of the scientific literature was made following the PRISMA guide in the following databases: ProQuest, Psychinfo, Web Of Science, and Scopus. 592 studies were found, were uploaded to Covidence to make a screening, of which finally 6 were included for the revision according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Two independent evaluators made the search, selection, data extraction and quality evaluation of studies independently. The agreement degree between both was excellent in all of the cases. RESULTS: 211 preadolescents participated in total in all studies, of which 99 were preadolescents with PP, with a mean age of 8,94 years old. Studies evaluated so heterogeneous variables, such as psychopathology, self-image, neuropsychological and cognitive variables, and reasons to delay or stop PP. The quality of studies was moderated especially due to the low quality of the studies design, which were mostly transversal, and the representativity of the sample, being selected by convenience. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: More research is needed to evaluate the psychological consequences of the PP diagnosis in pediatrics, and its protection factors, because none of the studies approached this question. We consider that it is necessary to increment the quality of these studies, and that these take a biopsychosocial perspective.

Facial Self-Touching and the Propagation of COVID-19: The Role of Gloves in the Dental Practice.

BACKGROUND: Despite facial self-touching being a possible source of transmission of SARS-Co-V-2 its role in dental practice has not been studied. Factors such as anxiety symptoms or threat perception of COVID-19 may increase the possibility of contagion. The objective was to compare the impact of control measures, such as gloves or signs in the reduction in facial self-touching. METHODS: An intra-subject design was undertaken with 150 adults. The patients' movements in the waiting room were monitored with Microsoft Kinect software on three occasions: without any control measures, using plastic gloves or using advisory signs against self-touching. Additionally, the participants completed the sub-scale of STAI (State-Anxiety) and the BIP-Q5 (Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire); their blood pressure and heart rate were recorded. RESULTS: The lowest incidence of facial self-touching occurred in the experimental situation in which gloves were introduced. The subjects with elevated anxiety symptoms realized more facial self-touching regardless of the control measures. However, the threat perception of COVID-19 is associated negatively with facial self-touching. CONCLUSIONS: The use of gloves is a useful control measure in the reduction in facial touching. However, people with anxiety symptoms regardless of whether they have greater threat perception for COVID-19 exhibit more facial touching.

Anxiety and facial self-contacts: possible impact on COVID-19 transmission in dental practice.

BACKGROUND: The purpose was to analyse the associations between dental and trait anxiety, fear of COVID-19 and the duration and frequency of spontaneous hand-to-face contact (self-contact). METHODS: A cross-sectional design was carried out with 128 adult patients from four dental clinics in Madrid, during the confinement, from March 15 to May 15. The patients' movements in the waiting room were monitored with Microsoft Kinect Software, also completed the Trait anxiety subscale of the STAI, the COVID-19 Fear and the S-DAI questionnaire. RESULTS: Associations were observed between the duration and frequency of facial, mask and eye contact with trait anxiety and dental fear was determined only by the frequency of this self-contact. Trait anxiety is associated with dental anxiety and with fear of COVID-19. Although facial self-contact is higher in women, it also rises in men as dental fear increases. Moreover, dental anxiety is a good predictor of trait anxiety and the incidence of facial self-contact. CONCLUSIONS: Understanding the possible associations between biopsychosocial factors, such as trait anxiety, dental anxiety and self-contact is important. It may help to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the population as well as enabling the formulation of effective interventions to improve oral health care through the implementation of dental care programmes.

Family adjustment during the COVID-19 pandemic: A dyad study

The global pandemic of COVID-19 has brought a host of vital changes to society. Families and their children have had to adapt to new routines and situations, which may have increased or aggravated the suffering of emotional symptoms. However, the presence of resilience and positive emotional regulation strategies can cushion this impact on families with young children. The aim of the present study is to know the variables that explained the problems of family emotional adjustment to the COVID-19 pandemic, considering the dyads of parents and their adolescent children. Thirty-one dyads of adolescents between 11 and 19 years old (M = 13.90;SD = 1.85) and their main caregivers participated, 93.50% of whom were mothers. After accepting to participate in the study, emotional regulation (Emotional Regulation Questionnaire;ERQ), resilience (Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale;CD-RISC) and anxious, depressive and stress symptoms (Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale;DASS) were evaluated. Qualitative comparative fuzzy set analysis (fsQCA) models were performed. In the explanation of the emotional maladjustment of the caregivers, the negative family climate and the deficient emotional regulation strategies in their children were the most relevant variables. In the explanation of the emotional discomfort of the adolescents, the low resilience of these and the deficient strategies of emotional regulation of their parents were the most relevant variables. Our study points out the relevance of caring for family members when facing this kind of life crisis, through intervention programs that improve family bonds and emotional regulation strategies. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved) Abstract (Spanish) La pandemia mundial del COVID-19 ha traido una gran cantidad de cambios vitales para la sociedad. Ante esta situacion, las familias y sus hijos han tenido que adaptarse a nuevas rutinas y situaciones, lo que puede haber aumentado o agravado el padecimiento de sintomatologia emocional. No obstante, la presencia de resiliencia y de estrategias de regulacion emocional positivas, puede amortiguar este impacto en las familias con hijos pequenos. El objetivo del presente trabajo es conocer las variables que explicaban los problemas de ajuste emocional familiar ante la pandemia del COVID-19, teniendo en cuenta las diadas de progenitores y sus hijos adolescentes. Participaron 31 diadas de adolescentes entre 11 y 19 anos (M = 13.90;DT = 1.85) y sus cuidadores principales, siendo el 93,50% madres. Tras aceptar participar en el estudio se evaluo la regulacion emocional (Cuestionario de Regulacion Emocional;ERQ), la resiliencia (Escala de Resiliencia de Connor-Davidson;CD-RISC) y la sintomatologia ansiosa, depresiva y el estres (Escala de Depresion, Ansiedad y Estres;DASS). Se realizaron modelos de analisis comparativo cualitativo de conjuntos difusos (fsQCA). En la explicacion del desajuste emocional de los cuidadores, el clima familiar negativo y las estrategias de regulacion emocional deficientes en sus hijos fueron las variables mas relevantes. En la explicacion del malestar emocional de los adolescentes, lo fueron la baja resiliencia de estos y las estrategias deficientes de regulacion emocional de sus padres. Nuestro estudio senala la relevancia de atender a los miembros de las familias en su conjunto ante crisis vitales de este tipo, mediante programas de intervencion que mejoren los vinculos familiares y las estrategias de regulacion emocional. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved)

Psycho-emotional adjustment in parents of adolescents: A cross-sectional and longitudinal analysis of the impact of the COVID pandemic.

PURPOSE: adolescence is a time of change and it generally entails a greater family vulnerability thus; the aim of this study was to identify the risk factors for poor emotional adjustment to COVID among parents of adolescents. DESIGN AND METHODS: 94 parents of adolescents (11-18 years old, M = 13.90, SD = 1.85) participated at different times during the state of alert in Spain. 91.5% were mothers. Their ages ranged from 35 to 63 years (M = 46.54; SD = 5.09). The variables assessed were anxiety, depression and stress (DASS), moods (MOOD), somatization (SCL) and resilience (CD-RISC). Descriptive analyses, t-tests, ANOVAs, correlations, and hierarchical regressions were performed. All this by means of a cross-sectional and longitudinal study design. RESULTS: at the beginning of the confinement parents showed low levels of emotional distress and moderate levels of positive emotionality and resilience. However, those with a prior psychological problem, who had lost their job, or had lost someone to the pandemic, showed worse emotional adjustment. Resilience was relevant in predicting anxiety-depressive symptoms, and a low level of happiness was relevant in predicting stress. Emotional symptoms improved over time, and resilience remained stable. CONCLUSIONS: the emotional impact of COVID over time is influenced by mood, mental health, and resilience. In addition, parents who had a previous health problem, had lost their job or a loved one, had a worse adjustment. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: it is important to carry out intervention programs that increase resilience, treating parents who require it, since their emotional adjustment has repercussions on the emotional adjustment of family system.