Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yaniv Abir, Caroline B. Marvin, Camilla van Geen, Maya Leshkowitz, Ran R. Hassin, Daphna Shohamy
Summary: This article describes data obtained in Spring 2020 showing that participants' drive to seek information about COVID-19 was related to their concern about the virus and their curiosity about other general topics. The study found that COVID-19 concern was associated with directed seeking of COVID-19-related content and better memory for such information. Interestingly, this motivation was also associated with an overall enhancement of information-seeking for content unrelated to COVID-19.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Psychology, Applied
Jessie M. Bridgewater, Sara R. Berzenski, Stacey N. Doan, Tuppett M. Yates
Summary: This study examines the association between different types of early life adversity and adolescents' sleep during the COVID-19 pandemic. It found that relational early life adversity is uniquely linked to sleep disturbances in adolescents. The association switches direction over time, with relational adversity initially predicting decreased sleep disturbances, but later contributing to increased sleep disturbances.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
B. Buchmann, L. K. Engelbrecht, P. Fernandez, F. P. Hutterer, M. K. Raich, C. H. Scheel, A. R. Bausch
Summary: The authors estimated COVID-19 mortality in Italy using a counterfactual time series analysis, finding that the actual deaths were approximately 1.5 times higher than official statistics. The proportion of population deaths and infection rates were also calculated for the most affected regions, showing significant differences from reported numbers.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Psychology, Clinical
Lucy S. King, Daisy E. Feddoes, Jaclyn S. Kirshenbaum, Kathryn L. Humphreys, Ian H. Gotlib
Summary: This study examines the stress and adversity related to the COVID-19 pandemic among pregnant women and its association with prenatal depressive symptoms. The findings suggest that pregnant women during the pandemic are more vulnerable to depression, and both individual and community-level factors contribute to COVID-19-related stress and adversity. Subjective stress responses are strongly associated with depressive symptoms during the pandemic.
PSYCHOLOGICAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Physics, Multidisciplinary
Kyungwon Kim, Minhyuk Lee
Summary: This study investigates the evolution of the complexity of the cryptocurrency market, using three complexity analyses and non-parametric tests to confirm the unpredictability of the market. The research finds that the COVID-19 pandemic has led to an increase in market unpredictability, affecting different patterns in the market due to its complexity.
Review
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Sara Prosperi, Francesco Chiarelli
Summary: During the COVID-19 pandemic, the implementation of strict measures like lockdowns and school closures caused significant disruptions in the lives of children and adolescents, leading to a sedentary lifestyle, increased use of electronic devices, and higher levels of stress-related symptoms. Studies have reported an increase in early and precocious puberty cases during this period, suggesting a potential role of environmental and lifestyle factors in triggering earlier pubertal onset. It is important to further investigate the exact impact of COVID-19 on pubertal development through global studies and long-term research.
FRONTIERS IN ENDOCRINOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Tigist F. Menkir, Taylor Chin, James A. Hay, Erik D. Surface, Pablo M. De Salazar, Caroline O. Buckee, Alexander Watts, Kamran Khan, Ryan Sherbo, Ada W. C. Yan, Michael J. Mina, Marc Lipsitch, Rene Niehus
Summary: This study estimates case importations from 18 Chinese cities to 43 international destinations, including 26 in Africa, by combining daily COVID-19 prevalence and flight passenger volume. It finds that while global case importations from China in early January primarily came from Wuhan, the source shifted to other cities in mid-February, especially for importations to African destinations.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Noam Lupu, Elizabeth J. Zechmeister
Summary: Research suggests that a public health crisis, such as a global pandemic, can impact political opinions in fragile democratic contexts in various ways, from supporting incumbents to eroding democratic attitudes. In the case of Haiti, the onset of the pandemic appeared to boost presidential approval and intentions to vote for the incumbent, but did not erode democratic attitudes.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Emma Kahle Monahan, Julie S. McCrae, Simeon Daferede
Summary: This study explores the association between family profiles of risk and resilience established before COVID-19 and changes in caregiver depression and stress during the pandemic. It also investigates how experiences of social loneliness moderate these associations. The findings suggest that families with less pre-pandemic adversity may exhibit coping strategies that buffer the negative impact of social loneliness on mental health.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Celia Andreu-Sanchez, Miguel Angel Martin-Pascual
Summary: The COVID-19 pandemic is the first global outbreak in the Information Age, originating in Asia and spreading rapidly worldwide, resulting in lockdowns and increased reach of traditional and social media. Our study conducted during the lockdown surveyed people's feelings and emotions using the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS). We present the resulting data, which can be valuable for psychologists interested in understanding the emotional impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and making comparisons before and after the 2020 lockdown period.
Article
Humanities, Multidisciplinary
Shisei Tei, Junya Fujino
Summary: This review examines the impact of fear on social ties, bias, and inter-group conflicts during the COVID-19 pandemic. It suggests that social ties can function as both risk and protective factors, alleviating loneliness but also reinforcing unfavourable biased bonds. Cognitive flexibility may mitigate these negative consequences, and context-adjusted viewpoints and reciprocal dialogues play a crucial role. The findings highlight the importance of implementing intervention programmes to reduce pandemic-induced fear and address related issues such as discrimination and stigma.
HUMANITIES & SOCIAL SCIENCES COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Sameh Nagui Saleh, Christoph U. Lehmann, Richard J. Medford
Summary: This study explores the web-based crowdfunding response in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in the US, showing a substantial increase in March, mainly attributed to COVID-19-related campaigns. However, as the pandemic continued, the number of campaigns per COVID-19 case dropped significantly across all states, with states with earlier disease burden showing fewer responses. COVID-19-related campaigns raised more funds, had longer descriptions, and were more likely to be shared on Facebook.
JOURNAL OF MEDICAL INTERNET RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Maya L. Rosen, Alexandra M. Rodman, Steven W. Kasparek, Makeda Mayes, Malila M. Freeman, Liliana J. Lengua, Andrew N. Meltzoff, Katie A. McLaughlin
Summary: During the COVID-19 pandemic, internalizing and externalizing psychopathology significantly increased in youth. Factors such as having a structured routine, reducing passive screen time, lower exposure to pandemic-related news media, more time in nature, and adequate sleep were associated with reduced psychopathology. The association between pandemic-related stressors and psychopathology was weaker for youth with limited passive screen time, and not significant for children with lower news media consumption related to the pandemic.
Editorial Material
Psychiatry
Rohan Borschmann, Paul A. Moran
Summary: Loneliness is associated with an increase in self-harm thoughts and behaviors, while high-quality social support protects against them. Monitoring mental health and the availability and quality of social support can inform effective interventions for those at risk of self-harm.
Article
Psychology, Biological
Qingqing Li, Shiqing Song, Guangcan Xiang, Zhenrong Fu, Zongkui Zhou, Hong Chen
Summary: This study used resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to investigate the relationship between self-control ability and early life adversity. The results showed that family unpredictability, rather than family harshness, was negatively correlated with self-control ability. The whole brain analysis revealed that self-control was associated with increased ALFF in the right middle and inferior frontal gyrus, as well as the left anterior insula, and decreased ALFF in the left precuneus. The mediating analysis further indicated that ALFF in the inferior frontal gyrus partially mediated the association between family unpredictability and self-control ability. These findings advance our understanding of the neural correlates underlying the relationship between early life adversity and self-control ability.
Article
Psychology, Developmental
Sihong Liu, Joan Lombardi, Philip A. Fisher
Summary: This study found that the COVID-19 pandemic had different impacts on households of children with special healthcare needs compared to those without. Caregivers of children with special healthcare needs experienced more emotional distress and reported higher levels of behavioral problems in their children. Structural barriers also led to higher percentages of missed preventive healthcare visits and vaccinations for children with special healthcare needs. Additionally, social support had positive effects on the well-being of caregivers and children in households without special healthcare needs, but not in households with special healthcare needs.
JOURNAL OF PEDIATRIC PSYCHOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Marlee R. Salisbury, Leslie E. Roos, Sarah R. Horn, Shannon J. Peake, Philip A. Fisher
Summary: Children with developmental delays or disabilities are at risk for self-regulation difficulties and behavior problems. Early intervention is crucial to prevent long-term adjustment challenges. Parenting has been identified as a target for intervention to improve children's functioning. This study evaluated the efficacy of two models of a preschool program with parent-only components. Both models showed significant improvements in child behavior, parental stress, and executive functioning. The findings highlight the importance of early intervention and parent training in supporting children with developmental delays or disabilities.
PREVENTION SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Psychiatry
Assaf Oshri, Zehua Cui, Cory Carvalho, Sihong Liu
Summary: This study examines the relationship between low-to-moderate perceived stress and psychopathological symptoms, as well as the intermediate role of cognitive functioning. The results suggest that cognitive functioning may mediate the associations between perceived stress and externalizing behaviors, providing preliminary support for the benefits of limited stress to human resilience.
PSYCHIATRY RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Sihong Liu, Maureen Zalewski, Liliana Lengua, Megan R. Gunnar, Nicole Giuliani, Philip A. Fisher
Summary: This study examines the impact of material hardship and unpredictability on the well-being of U.S. households with young children during the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings suggest that racial/ethnic minorities and lower-income households experienced higher levels of hardship and unpredictability, which negatively affected the well-being of caregivers and children. The study also highlights the role of disrupted family routines in mediating the effects of hardship and unpredictability on well-being outcomes.
SOCIAL SCIENCE & MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Psychology, Clinical
Maureen Zalewski, Sihong Liu, Megan Gunnar, Liliana J. Lengua, Philip A. Fisher
Summary: Parents of young children were identified as a subgroup experiencing significant mental-health symptoms during the pandemic. This study found that financial strain, decreased employment, and increased family conflict, along with pre-COVID-19 cumulative risk, were significant risk factors predicting poor mental-health trajectories in parents. These findings have important public-health implications as prolonged exposure to mental-health symptoms in parents poses a risk to child development.
CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Education, Special
Kathryn Hatherly, Shaelyn Stienwandt, Marlee R. Salisbury, Leslie E. Roos, Philip A. Fisher
Summary: This study found that family routines can reduce parental stress, but may be less practical for children with lower verbal skills. The importance of routines for minimizing behavioral problems is significant for children with average or higher nonverbal skills.
ADVANCES IN NEURODEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Andrea Imhof, Sihong Liu, Lisa Schlueter, Tiffany Phu, Sarah Watamura, Philip Fisher
Summary: Young children from low-SES backgrounds are at higher risk for delayed language development. The Filming Interactions to Nurture Development (FIND) program, a video-coaching intervention, was found to effectively promote expressive communication skills and improve auditory comprehension in children from low-SES backgrounds. The study suggests that the FIND intervention is beneficial in promoting language development in high-stress, low-SES environments.
PREVENTION SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Education & Educational Research
Nneka Ibekwe-Okafor, Jacqueline Sims, Sihong Liu, Stephanie Curenton-Jolly, Iheoma Iruka, Kerry-Ann Escayg, Beverly Bruno, Philip Fisher
Summary: Systemic racism and discriminatory practices contribute to health and economic disparities faced by Black children and families. This study aims to understand the relationship between racial discrimination, access to material resources, and Black children's behavioral functioning during the pandemic. Findings show that inadequate material resources during the pandemic are associated with increased externalizing and internalizing behaviors in Black children. Caregivers' concern for their children's experiences of discrimination is also linked to externalizing behaviors. This study highlights the impact of systemic racism and discrimination on Black children's well-being during COVID-19.
EARLY CHILDHOOD RESEARCH QUARTERLY
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Beiming Yang, Zachary Anderson, Zexi Zhou, Sihong Liu, Claudia M. Haase, Yang Qu
Summary: Adolescence is often associated with an increase in psychopathology. This study examined the interaction between family conflict and neural reward sensitivity in predicting youth's internalizing symptoms. The findings suggest that youth's neural reward sensitivity is a marker of susceptibility to adverse family environments and highlight the importance of cultivating supportive family environments where youth experience less general conflict within the family.
SOCIAL COGNITIVE AND AFFECTIVE NEUROSCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Neuroimaging
Nandita C. Vijayakumar, Theresa W. Cheng, Jessica E. Flannery, John C. A. Flournoy, Garrett H. Ross, Arian Mobasser, Zdena Op de Macks, Philip A. Fisher, Jennifer H. Pfeifer
Summary: This study investigated neural responses to exclusionary and inclusionary peer interactions in adolescents in foster care. The findings suggest that adolescents in foster care exhibit greater neural sensitivity to exclusion and reduced sensitivity to inclusion compared to a community sample.
NEUROIMAGE-CLINICAL
(2022)