Beyond the Preventive Measures: A Delphi Method-Based Study of the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Mental Health of Different Age Groups.

Background and Objectives: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) preventive measures affected various aspects of people's lives, while also representing an important risk factor for people's mental health. In the present study, we examined the negative psychological consequences of the preventive measures on people's mental health and the protective factors that strengthened their mental health and well-being during the pandemic. Materials and Methods: A study, using a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods based on a Delphi protocol, was conducted with a sample of Slovenian professionals who worked with people from different demographic groups (i.e., children and adolescents, emerging adults, the adult working population, the elderly) during the pandemic. We conducted (i) a qualitative study involving semi-structured interviews with 11 professionals and (ii) a quantitative study where 73 professionals completed a structured online questionnaire. Results: Experts recognized the disruption of informal face-to-face social contacts as the measure with the greatest impact on people's lives across all groups studied, the effect being particularly evident in relation to individuals' development period and socio-demographic characteristics. An individual's ability to adapt to change and emotional support provided by family or other close persons contributed significantly to maintaining mental health and well-being during the pandemic. Conclusions: Considering the interplay of various COVID-19-related risk and protective factors for mental health, enabling and promoting the maintenance and development of social relationships (including through alternative pathways) should be a priority aspect of (mental health) intervention for all demographic groups.

Paediatric Medical Traumatic Stress in Children with Cancer and their Parents: Difference in Stress Levels Due to Illness and Treatment Factors.

Pediatric medical traumatic stress (PMTS) is a set of children's and their parents' psychological and physiological responses to pain, injuries, serious illnesses, and other experiences with the medical environment. Pediatric cancer patients have the highest prevalence of PMTS as the illness its treatment involve a set of stressors that trigger many negative psychological reactions. The current study examined the difference in levels of traumatic stress in children with cancer and their parents due to medical factors (type of cancer, outcome, duration, and intensity of treatment, time since diagnosis, relapse, and hospitalization in ICU). The study involved 183 parents of 133 children and 62 children and adolescents who were treated between 2009 and 2019 at the Clinical Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology of University Children's Hospital in Ljubljana. We collected the data using The Intensity of Treatment Rating Scale 2.0 [IRT-2], PTSD Checklist for Children/Parent [PCL-C/PR], The PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 [PCL-5] and The Child PTSD Symptoms Scale for DSM-5 [CPSS-5]. Traumatic stress symptoms are frequently present in both children and their parents, regardless of the cancer type, treatment duration, and treatment outcome. Children with relapse, children with more intensive treatment, and parents of the latter are at higher risk for PMTS occurrence. Additionally, we found a decreasing trend of traumatic responses after five or more years post-cancer diagnosis. [Table: see text].

Dynamic Interactive Model of Sport Motivation.

Motivation variables in 11 motivational instruments of 357 Slovenian male athletes (168 elite and 189 young athletes from age 12-14) in nine different sport disciplines (basketball, football, handball, water polo, ice hockey, ski jumping, alpine skiing, sport climbing, and judo) were obtained. Different concepts of motivation were researched, such as achievement motivation, incentive motivation, participation motivation, goal orientation, satisfaction and enjoyment in sport, self-efficacy, effort, and ability attributions. The most popular framework for motivation in sport lately has been social cognitive perspective. The aim of this study was to form a dynamic interactive model of sport motivation. We tried to upgrade different models of motivation to one unique meta model of sport motivation, which would explain possible behaviours and motivation in sport situations. Different statistic methods were used to define differences among young and elite athletes and between athletes in group and individual sports. The results show important differences among those groups and suggest that specific sport discipline also has a specific footprint inside motivation. Factor analysis and discriminant analysis were used to explore sport motivation space. The results also suggest that it is possible to define some main determinants of sport motivation that can be connected to previous models of sport motivation.

Differences in predictors of sexual satisfaction and in sexual satisfaction between female and male university students in Slovenia.

BACKGROUND: This paper reports on some factors correlated with sexual satisfaction and on differences between female and male university students. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A convenience sample of 174 female and 74 male Slovene undergraduate university students was studied. RESULTS: It has been found that an increased frequency of sexual interaction and agreeableness in sexual interactions increase sexual satisfaction, while a desired frequency of sexual interactions and estimation of a partner's agreeableness in sexual interactions decrease sexual satisfaction. Sex was not found to be an important predictor of sexual satisfaction. Male students' agreeableness in sexual interaction is significantly higher than that of female students. Male students are significantly more conservative in their attitudes towards abortion and concerning sexual myths. Female students are less satisfied with their sexual life than their male colleagues. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, the findings of the study demonstrate that there are some differences in problems with sexuality between both sexes. Female students are in general more dissatisfied. On the basis of the findings of the present research it should be possible to plan interventions for increasing satisfaction with sexuality, specifically for each gender.

Stress, coping and social support in three groups of university students.

BACKGROUND: The paper presents the findings of our study researching the differences in strategies for coping with stress, social support, hassles and uplifts of sport, medical and psychology students at the University of Ljubljana, Slovenia. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A random sample of 237 Slovene undergraduate university students was studied. The three groups were chosen among students of medicine, sport and psychology. RESULTS: It was found that there were no significant differences in strategies for coping with stress between the three groups of students. Significant differences between the groups were found in the number of uplifts and hassles, but not in the mean of both variables. Sport students had less social support compared with the other two groups of students, but the difference between actual and ideal social support is not significant. DISCUSSION: The results were interpreted according to our hypothesis and compared with findings of research in students' stress. CONCLUSION: Some suggestions for further research are given on the basis of the present research.