Article
Environmental Studies
Keren Kaplan Mintz, Ofira Ayalon, Orly Nathan, Tzipi Eshet
Summary: The study found that being in close proximity to nature and viewing nature from windows contribute to higher levels of well-being, with activities in nature being associated with higher levels of positive affect. These benefits exist even among those economically harmed by the pandemic. Viewing nature images is also related to levels of well-being, mainly through reducing levels of stress and negative affect.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Francesco Bossi, Francesca Zaninotto, Sonia D'Arcangelo, Nicola Lattanzi, Andrea P. Malizia, Emiliano Ricciardi
Summary: Mindfulness interventions, especially online programs, have been proven effective in improving employee well-being and reducing stress, particularly after the Covid-19 lockdown. This study showed that an 8-week online mindfulness training based on the MBSR protocol had significant positive effects on mindfulness, positive affect, depression, and insomnia among healthy employees.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Psychology, Multidisciplinary
Moti Zwilling, Alberto Romano, Martina Favetta, Elena Ippolito, Meir Lotan
Summary: The COVID-19 lockdown posed challenges for mothers of individuals with intellectual disabilities, including Rett syndrome (RTT). However, a home-based remotely supervised motor rehabilitation program provided support and improved the well-being of these mothers. The results suggest that the lockdown did not negatively impact the mothers' well-being and the intervention helped them manage their daily routine at home.
FRONTIERS IN PSYCHOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Andreas Samus, Claire Freeman, Katharine J. M. Dickinson, Yolanda Van Heezik
Summary: Private gardens have a significant impact on urban biodiversity, and nature connectedness plays a crucial role in both proenvironmental behavior and personal well-being. This study reveals the positive associations between nature connectedness, private garden biodiversity, and mental well-being during the Covid-19 lockdown, emphasizing the importance of private garden qualities for mental health and the environment.
URBAN FORESTRY & URBAN GREENING
(2022)
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Ioannis D. Morres, Evangelos Galanis, Antonis Hatzigeorgiadis, Odysseas Androutsos, Yannis Theodorakis
Summary: The study found that adolescents during the lockdown in Greece exhibited poor well-being, insufficient physical activity levels, and moderate scores of healthy eating behavior. Additionally, increased physical activity and healthier eating behaviors were predictors of better well-being, while sedentary behavior predicted worse well-being.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Sara Ajanovic, Jon Garrido-Aguirre, Barbara Baro, Nuria Balanza, Rosauro Varo, Pere Millat-Martinez, Sara Arias, Jordi Fonollosa, Alexandre Perera-Lluna, Iolanda Jordan, Carmen Munoz-Almagro, Elisenda Bonet-Carne, Aina Crosas-Soler, Esther Via, Begonya Nafria, Juan Jose Garcia-Garcia, Quique Bassat
Summary: This study found that children and adolescents showed high resilience during lockdown, but experienced sleeping problems. Parents reported weight gain, increased irritability and anxiety, and sadness in their children. There was significant discrepancy between parents and children in evaluating children's sleeping disturbances.
FRONTIERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
(2021)
Article
Social Sciences, Interdisciplinary
Israel Escudero-Castillo, Fco Javier Mato-Diaz, Ana Rodriguez-Alvarez
Summary: In the Spring of 2020, many countries implemented different measures to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. This article examines how these measures affected individuals' labor market transitions and their psychological well-being. The study found that unemployment caused by lockdowns had a more negative impact on mental health compared to furloughs and teleworking. Gender differences showed that women were more adversely affected, especially those working from home, possibly due to work disruption and increased family responsibilities. Interestingly, women living in areas with stricter restrictions had a lower probability of worse psychological well-being compared to those in unrestricted areas, indicating their willingness to sacrifice freedom of movement to protect at-risk relatives.
APPLIED RESEARCH IN QUALITY OF LIFE
(2023)
Article
Psychology, Multidisciplinary
Lotta K. Harju, Joonas Rokka, Maira Magalhaes Lopes, Massimo Airoldi, Karine Raies
Summary: This study identified five distinct well-being profiles among employees during the first lockdown, with most employees falling into the category of Moderately positive, while some showed signs of Languishing. The results showed that employee well-being varied under lockdown, influenced by factors such as changes in financial situation, physical health, and boredom.
FRONTIERS IN PSYCHOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Costas I. Karageorghis, Jonathan M. Bird, Jasmin C. Hutchinson, Mark Hamer, Yvonne N. Delevoye-Turrell, Segolene M. R. Guerin, Elizabeth M. Mullin, Kathleen T. Mellano, Renee L. Parsons-Smith, Victoria R. Terry, Peter C. Terry
Summary: The study investigated the impact of COVID-19 lockdowns on physical activity, sedentary behavior, and mental health in four Western nations. Results showed a significant decline in planned physical activity, a reduction of about 2000 steps per day, large increases in sedentary behavior, especially among young adults, and a decline in mental health, particularly pronounced in women.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Emilie Orfeuvre, Nicolas Franck, Julien Plasse, Frederic Haesebaert
Summary: The COVID-19 lockdown had a serious impact on the well-being of young people with psychiatric disorders. This study identified that factors associated with well-being during the early phase of lockdown were mainly psychosocial and related to the disorganisation of daily life.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Natascha Merten, Amy A. Schultz, Matthew C. Walsh, Suzanne W. van Landingham, Paul E. Peppard, Carol D. S. Ryff, Kristen C. Malecki
Summary: This study aimed to investigate whether hearing and vision impairment were associated with increased psychological distress during the COVID-19 lockdown measures in Wisconsin in Spring/Summer 2020. The results showed that vision impairment was associated with increased generalized anxiety disorder, depressive symptoms, loneliness, and hopelessness. Hearing impairment was associated with increased loneliness and hopelessness. These findings suggest that individuals with sensory impairment may be particularly vulnerable to mental health problems during the COVID-19 pandemic.
ANNALS OF EPIDEMIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Pediatrics
Courtney K. Blackwell, Maxwell Mansolf, Phillip Sherlock, Jody Ganiban, Julie A. Hofheimer, Charles J. Barone, Traci A. Bekelman, Clancy Blair, David Cella, Shaina Collazo, Lisa A. Croen, Sean Deoni, Amy J. Elliott, Assiamira Ferrara, Rebecca C. Fry, Richard Gershon, Julie B. Herbstman, Margaret R. Karagas, Kaja Z. LeWinn, Amy Margolis, Rachel L. Miller, T. Michael O'Shea, Christina A. Porucznik, Rosalind J. Wright
Summary: Coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic-related family hardships have a negative impact on the psychological well-being of caregivers and youth, especially adolescent females. Family engagement and social support help promote the life satisfaction of youth.
Article
Psychology, Multidisciplinary
Evangelos C. Karademas, Christophoros Thomadakis
Summary: This study examined the association between representations of the COVID-19 pandemic, self-efficacy to cope with anti-pandemic measures, and psychological distress in the Greek general population. The findings revealed that perception of personal control, negative emotions towards the pandemic, and self-efficacy to cope with current measures were related to psychological distress. Additionally, there was a significant interaction between representation clusters and self-efficacy to cope with potential future difficulties. This suggests the importance of these factors in understanding and addressing psychological distress during a pandemic.
CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Psychology, Multidisciplinary
Vitor H. Oliveira, Paula C. Martins, Graca S. Carvalho
Summary: This study investigated children's daily activities during the lockdown and post-lockdown period, finding that there was an increase in sedentary behaviors and a decrease in active leisure and playing activities, particularly among socioeconomically vulnerable children. Girls were less physically active but engaged more in play and social activities compared to boys. Factors such as sleep, active leisure, playing and learning activities, and family coping strategies were found to be linked to better overall child well-being.
CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Psychology, Multidisciplinary
Estelle Michinov, Caroline Ruiller, Frederique Chedotel, Virginie Dodeler, Nicolas Michinov
Summary: This study examines the effects of working from home on employees' well-being and performance, and whether these effects vary depending on employees' psychological profiles. The results demonstrate that employees with a preference for solitude experience higher levels of loneliness, stress, and lower levels of job satisfaction and work engagement. They also perceive themselves as less creative and produce fewer ideas compared to employees with an affinity for social interaction.
FRONTIERS IN PSYCHOLOGY
(2022)
Letter
Psychology, Developmental
Elke Humer, Andrea Jesser, Paul L. Plener, Thomas Probst, Christoph Pieh
Summary: This study assessed attitudes towards vaccination in Austrian adolescents and found differences in vaccination readiness based on education status, gender, and migration background. The results showed that student had higher willingness to receive COVID-19 vaccination compared to apprentices, while migration background and female gender were associated with lower vaccination willingness. Therefore, efforts should be made to improve confidence and willingness to vaccinate adolescents with lower educational levels, those with migrant backgrounds, and females.
EUROPEAN CHILD & ADOLESCENT PSYCHIATRY
(2023)
Article
Psychology, Developmental
Rachel Dale, Andrea Jesser, Christoph Pieh, Teresa O'Rourke, Thomas Probst, Elke Humer
Summary: This study assessed the mental health of high school students in Austria 1.5 years after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The results showed deteriorations in mental health among girls, including decreased well-being and increased depressive symptoms, insomnia, and suicidal ideation. Boys showed an increase in suicidal thoughts. The findings highlight the need for increased psychological support and mental health literacy among adolescents.
EUROPEAN CHILD & ADOLESCENT PSYCHIATRY
(2023)
Article
Psychiatry
Rachel Dale, Karina Limburg, Gabriele Schmid-Muhlbauer, Thomas Probst, Claas Lahmann
Summary: This study aimed to investigate which baseline factors moderate the success of integrative psychotherapeutic group treatment (IPGT) compared to a self-help group (SHG) for functional vertigo. The results showed that baseline somatic symptoms and gender significantly moderated the effect of treatment type on post-treatment vertigo handicap. Patients with higher somatic symptom scores at baseline and women experienced greater reduction in vertigo handicap with IPGT compared to the control condition.
JOURNAL OF PSYCHOSOMATIC RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Biology
Michael Stadler, Andrea Jesser, Elke Humer, Barbara Haid, Peter Stippl, Wolfgang Schimboeck, Elisabeth Maass, Helmut Schwanzar, Daniela Leithner, Christoph Pieh, Thomas Probst
Summary: This study investigated the changes experienced by Austrian therapists when switching to remote psychotherapy. The results show that remote therapy offered more flexibility and was appreciated as a way to continue treatment. However, there were also challenges such as limited sensory perceptions, technical problems, and signs of fatigue. Overall, remote psychotherapy seems to have been well accepted and beneficial for Austrian therapists in many settings.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Marius Breitmayer, Michael Stach, Robin Kraft, Johannes Allgaier, Manfred Reichert, Winfried Schlee, Thomas Probst, Berthold Langguth, Ruediger Pryss
Summary: Mobile applications have become increasingly popular in healthcare, providing new possibilities for data collection and insights into diseases. Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) is a commonly used research method that aims to assess phenomena with ecological validity. TrackYourTinnitus (TYT) is an EMA-based mobile crowdsensing platform that helps predict the presence of tinnitus based on related dimensions captured in the app. Using machine learning techniques, the presence of tinnitus was predicted with up to 78% accuracy and an AUC of up to 85.7%.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Elke Humer, Barbara Pammer, Yvonne Schaffler, Oswald D. Kothgassner, Anna Felnhofer, Andrea Jesser, Christoph Pieh, Thomas Probst
Summary: Mental healthcare professionals in Austria showed lower prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms compared to the general population during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to an online survey. However, there was no difference in insomnia symptoms. Further research is needed to understand the reasons behind these findings.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Jaime Delgadillo, Sanja Budimir, Michael Barkham, Elke Humer, Christoph Pieh, Thomas Probst
Summary: This study aimed to investigate and model the interactions between various risk and protective factors for suicidal ideation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Bayesian network analyses were used to analyze cross-sectional data collected in Austria and the United Kingdom. The results showed high predictive accuracy of the Bayesian network models, explaining almost 50% of the variability in suicidal ideation. 15 interrelated risk and protective factors were identified, with 7 factors replicated in both countries.
FRONTIERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
(2023)
Editorial Material
Neurosciences
Ruediger Pryss, Winfried Schlee, Manfred Reichert, Thomas Probst, Berthold Langguth, Myra Spiliopoulou
FRONTIERS IN NEUROSCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Yvonne Schaffler, Monika Bauer, Barbara Schein, Andrea Jesser, Thomas Probst, Christoph Pieh, Elke Humer
Summary: This cross-sectional study examined the challenges and resources faced by 513 psychotherapists during the COVID-19 pandemic. Mental health-related issues, global crises, and government-imposed restrictions were identified as the main burdens. Social connections, mindfulness, work satisfaction, and internal processes were found to be essential resources. The study also revealed that psychotherapists with good well-being were older, more physically active, had less representation of females, worked in private practices, had more professional experience, treated more patients, and demonstrated optimism, health focus, and satisfaction with coping methods.
FRONTIERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Afsaneh Gachter, Barbara Zauner, Katja Haider, Yvonne Schaffler, Thomas Probst, Christoph Pieh, Elke Humer
Summary: This study aimed to analyze the concerns and sources of support of the Austrian population during the COVID-19 pandemic. It found that the greatest concerns were inflation and finances, followed by the war in Ukraine, mental health, and physical health. Social contacts and recreational activities were mentioned as the most important sources of support. Compared to previous data, concern about financial situations increased while pandemic-related concerns decreased.
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Sonja Fehkuehrer, Elke Humer, Stefan Kaltschik, Christoph Pieh, Thomas Probst, Gertraud Diestler, Andrea Jesser
Summary: This pilot study examines how young people envision the future amidst the burdens caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The analysis of responses from a survey on the mental health of Austrian students reveals their concerns and hopes for the future. Different experiences were found among young people based on gender, migration background, and psychological distress.
Meeting Abstract
Psychology, Multidisciplinary
Maria Kleinstaeuber, Karen Munoz, Grant Searchfield, Omer van den Bergh, Marta Walentynowicz, Karl White, Thomas Probst
ANNALS OF BEHAVIORAL MEDICINE
(2023)