Masculine Discrepancy Stress, Subjective Well-Being, and the Buffering Role of Religiosity.

Although several studies have reported an inverse association between masculine discrepancy stress-the perceived failure to conform to internalized normative expectations of masculinity-and well-being, researchers have yet to consider the potential moderating or buffering role of religiosity. Regression analyses of data collected from a national sample of men (n = 2,018), the 2023 Masculinity, Sexual Health, and Politics survey indicated that masculine discrepancy stress was consistently associated with lower levels of subjective well-being, including poorer self-reported mental health, less happiness, and lower life satisfaction. We also observed that these associations were attenuated or buffered among men who reported regular religious attendance and greater religious salience. Taken together, our findings suggest that different expressions of religiosity may help to alleviate the psychological consequences of masculine discrepancy stress. More research is needed to incorporate dimensions of religion and spirituality into studies of gender identity and subjective well-being.

Correlation of allostatic load and perceived stress with clinical features in first-episode schizophrenia.

BACKGROUND: Stress plays an important role in the etiology of schizophrenia. However, the mechanisms by which chronic physiological stress and perceived stress relate to the clinical features of schizophrenia may differ. We aimed to elucidate the relationships among chronic physiological stress indexed by allostatic load (AL), perceived stress, and clinical symptoms in individuals with first-episode schizophrenia (FES). METHODS: Individuals with FES (n = 90, mean age = 28.26years old, 49%female) and healthy controls (111, 28.88, 51%) were recruited. We collected data of 13 biological indicators to calculate the AL index, assessed subjective stress with the Perceived Stress Scale-14 (PSS-14), and compared AL and perceived stress between groups. Patients with FES were also evaluated with the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and the Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia (CDSS). RESULTS: Individuals with FES had higher AL and PSS score than healthy controls. There were no significant correlations between AL and PSS score in either patients or controls. Among individuals with FES, the AL index was associated with the severity of positive symptoms, while the PSS score was positively associated with CDSS score. Both elevated AL and PSS were correlated with the occurrence of schizophrenia. CONCLUSIONS: Physiological stress, as reflected by AL, may be more related to positive symptoms, while perceived stress appear to be associated with depressive symptoms in individuals with FES. Longitudinal studies are necessary to explore the relationships between interventions for different stressor types and specific clinical outcomes in FES.

Do deficits in subjective stress recovery predict subsequent stress sensitivity and symptoms in schizophrenia spectrum disorders?

High levels of stress play a crucial role in the development of psychotic symptoms, such as paranoia, and may stem in part from recovery deficits after stress exposure. However, it remains unclear whether deficient recovery causes a build-up of heightened stress levels that increases stress sensitivity and symptoms when exposed to another stressor. To test this, we investigated the effect of subjective stress recovery on the response to a subsequent stressor and paranoia. We applied two consecutive runs of the same combined physical and cognitive stressor separated by a recovery phase of 60 min in individuals with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (n = 49). We repeatedly assessed self-reported stress, negative affect, heart rate, heart rate variability, salivary cortisol, and paranoia. Recovery of self-reported stress was defined as the geometric mean of the percentage changes of self-reported stress during recovery after the first stressor, and was regressed on the response to the second stressor controlling for self-reported stress during the first stressor. Lower subjective stress recovery predicted higher levels of self-reported stress, negative affect, and paranoia in response to the second stressor. The subjective stress recovery was not predictive of the physiological stress response (heart rate, heart rate variability, or salivary cortisol). Taken together, the findings indicate that recovery deficits could contribute to high levels of self-reported stress, negative affect, and paranoia in schizophrenia spectrum disorders and that the improvement of stress recovery could be a promising approach for interventions.

Perspectivas sobre as necessidades essenciais das crianças na primeira infância no contexto da pandemia da COVID-19: uma revisão integrativa / Perspectivas sobre las necesidades esenciales de los niños en la primera infancia en el contexto de la pandemia de COVID-19: Una revisión integradora / Perspectives on the essential needs of children in early childhood in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic: an integrative review

RESUMO Objetivo O presente estudo objetiva identificar as perspectivas científicas sobre as implicações da pandemia da COVID-19 na primeira infância, focando nas necessidades essenciais da criança. Método Foi realizada uma revisão integrativa da literatura, que incluiu cinco bases de dados. O processo envolveu a identificação do problema, o desenvolvimento de uma pergunta orientadora, pesquisa na literatura, análise dos dados e síntese dos resultados. Foram incluídos artigos originais que envolviam crianças com menos de seis anos, publicados entre 2020 e 2022. A análise foi conduzida tendo como referencial teórico as necessidades essenciais da criança. Resultados Foram examinados 22 artigos. Os resultados indicaram um aumento na sobrecarga e no estresse parental. As crianças apresentaram alterações comportamentais, perturbações no padrão do sono, uso mais frequente de mídias digitais e diminuição de atividades realizadas ao ar livre. Fatores protetores, relacionados ao vínculo familiar, cuidado e acolhimento da criança, foram identificados. O fechamento de creches e escolas distanciou os cuidadores dos profissionais da educação e de outros pais, mas sua reabertura trouxe maior apoio às famílias. Necessidades de relacionamentos contínuos de apoio, experiências adequadas ao desenvolvimento e comunidades solidárias foram mais evidenciadas. No entanto, foram encontrados menos aspectos relacionados à proteção física e ao estabelecimento de limites. Experiências sobre diferenças individuais não foram identificadas. Conclusão A pesquisa científica revelou vulnerabilidades substanciais e potencialidades no cuidado à saúde da criança durante a pandemia de COVID-19. Esses resultados sugerem impactos significativos no bem-estar e no desenvolvimento infantil, implicando na necessidade de ações específicas por parte da enfermagem no contexto da Atenção Primária à Saúde.

RESUMEN Objetivo Identificar el conocimiento científico acerca de las implicaciones de la pandemia de COVID-19 en la primera infancia desde la perspectiva de las necesidades esenciales de los niños. Método Se realizó una revisión integrativa de la literatura en cinco bases de datos, que incluye la identificación del problema, la formulación de una pregunta orientadora, la búsqueda de la literatura, el análisis de los datos y una síntesis de los resultados. Se incluyeron artículos originales que trataban sobre niños menores de seis años y que fueron publicados entre los años 2020-2022. A. El análisis se llevó a cabo utilizando el marco teórico de las necesidades esenciales de los niños. Resultados Se analizaron 22 artículos. Se observó una sobrecarga y un incremento del estrés en los padres. Los niños mostraron cambios en su comportamiento y patrones de sueño, un mayor uso de medios digitales y una menor participación en actividades al aire libre. Se identificaron factores de protección relacionados con el vínculo familiar, el cuidado y recibimiento del niño. El cierre de guarderías y escuelas aisló a los cuidadores de los profesionales de la educación y de otros padres, aunque la reapertura proporcionó un mayor apoyo a las familias. Las necesidades más evidentes fueron las de relaciones de apoyo contínuas, experiencias apropiadas para el desarrollo y comunidades de apoyo. Hubo menos énfasis en aspectos de protección física y establecimiento de límites. No se identificaron experiencias respecto a diferencias individuales. Conclusión El conocimiento científico destaca vulnerabilidades y aspectos positivos significativos en la atención de la salud infantil que sugieren un impacto en el bienestar y desarrollo de los niños, con repercusiones para el desempeño de los profesionales de enfermería en el ámbito de la atención primaria de salud.

ABSTRACT Objective Identify scientific knowledge regarding the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on early childhood, specifically from the perspective of children's essential needs. Method An integrative literature review was conducted on five databases. The review process involved identifying a research problem, creating a guiding question, performing a literature search, analyzing data, and synthesizing the results. The review included original articles about children under six, published between 2020 and 2022. The theoretical framework of the child's essential needs was used for analysis. Results A total of 22 articles were analyzed. Findings indicated an increase in parental overload and stress levels. The children exhibited behavioral changes, sleep pattern disorders, increased digital media use, and reduced outdoor participation. Protective factors related to the familial bond, child care, and child reception were identified. Closure of daycare centers and schools resulted in a distance between the caregiver, the education professionals, and the fellow parents. In contrast, the reopening of those places brought added support to families. The needs, such as ongoing supportive relationships, developmentally appropriate experiences, and supportive communities, were more highlighted. Physical protection and setting boundaries were less prominent aspects. No experiences examining individual differences were identified. Conclusion The scientific knowledge points to significant vulnerabilities and certain potentialities in child health care during the COVID-19 pandemic. Those results suggest considerable impacts on child well-being and development and imply significant implications for nursing practices in Primary Health Care.