scholarly journals (P1-97) Long-Term Effects of a Flood on the Psychosocial Health of Victims

2011 ◽  
Vol 26 (S1) ◽  
pp. s130-s130
Author(s):  
D. Maltais ◽  
L. Lachance

Long term Effects of a Flood on the Psychosocial Health of Victims D. Maltais1 et L. Lachance2, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, Québec, Canada, 1Département des sciences humaines, 2Département des sciences de la santé In July 1996, floods disrupted the lives of thousands of people living in rural and urban communities in the Saguenay area of Quebec. Data collected three years after the events showed that flood victims experienced more precarious psychological health, with various factors being controlled including sex, age, and life events. Flood victims demonstrated more post-traumatic symptoms, somatic symptoms, social dysfunctions, and depressive symptoms than non-victims. Victims also showed significantly lower levels of psychological well-being than non-victims. In order to identify the long-term impacts of flood exposure, a second study was conducted eight years after the event (2004) with the same groups of victims (N = 129) and non-victims (N = 89). Variance analyses show that urban survivors obtained improved scores on scales measuring PTSD, and depression yet remained significantly more affected than non-victims. Over time, victims also obtained improved scores on the GHQ-28 and the Affect Balance Scale yet also remained significantly different from non-victims on the GHQ-28. Rural victims improved their GHQ scores over time as well, yet maintained significant differences with rural non-victims for the PTSD score. No significant differences were observed over time (time 1 and time 2) or between groups (victims and non-victims) regarding psychological well-being and depressive symptoms in rural area.

2009 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 397-429 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chin-Chun Yi ◽  
Chyi-In Wu ◽  
Ying-Hwa Chang ◽  
Ming-Yi Chang

This study examines the growth trajectory of the psychological well-being of Taiwanese adolescents from early to late adolescence. Under the competitive educational system in Taiwan, family and school context are two major loci accounting for the developmental outcome. Data are taken from the Taiwan Youth Project, which is a longitudinal panel study of 2696 students since the year 2000. The study uses individual depressive symptoms as the dependent variable. Family cohesion, family educational strategy as well as classroom effects at school are chosen to indicate the potential contextual influence. Using the latent growth curve method, the analysis confirms that family and school factors do produce different effects over time. Family context is salient at the initial status, but not for subsequent development. Class cohesion as well as adolescents' perceptions of unfairness by teachers determine the depressive level, the linear slope and the non-linear quadratic growth curve. In other words, once the adolescent gets used to junior high school, the school context tends to exert more pronounced effects. Further analysis on gender comparisons indicates that selective family and school effects are more pronounced among females, with a greater degree of depressive symptoms over time. The article concludes that while family and school have different impacts on the growth curve of individual depressive symptoms, the school context exerts salient effects over an adolescent's life course.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jörg Matthes ◽  
Kevin Koban ◽  
Ariadne Neureiter ◽  
Anja Stevic

BACKGROUND Given that governmental prevention measures restricted most face-to-face communications, online self-disclosure via smartphones emerged as an alternative coping strategy that aimed at reducing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on people’s psychological health. Prepandemic research demonstrated that online self-disclosure benefits people’s psychological health by establishing meaningful relationships, obtaining social support, and achieving self-acceptance, particularly in times of crisis. However, it is unclear whether these dynamics transition well to lockdown conditions where online self-disclosure must stand almost entirely on its own. Longitudinal investigations are needed to gain insights into the psychological functionalities of online self-disclosure during the COVID-19 pandemic. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to determine the temporal associations between smartphone online self-disclosure (as a communicative behavior) and critical indicators of psychological health (including psychopathological, as well as hedonic and eudaimonic states) during the first COVID-19 lockdown in Austria. METHODS We conducted a representative 2-wave panel survey between late March/April 2020 and May 2020. A total of 416 participants completed both waves (43.1% attrition rate, given n=731 participants who completed the first wave). A partially metric measurement invariant overtime structural equation model was used to determine the temporal associations among online self-disclosure, fear of COVID-19, happiness, and psychological well-being. RESULTS The analysis revealed that fear of COVID-19 significantly predicted online self-disclosure over time (<i>b</i>=0.24, <i>P</i>=.003) and happiness over time (<i>b</i>=−0.14, <i>P</i>=.04), but not psychological well-being (<i>b</i>=0.03, <i>P</i>=.48), that is, stronger COVID-19 fears at T1 prompted more online self-disclosure and less happiness at T2. Online self-disclosure, on the other hand, significantly predicted happiness (<i>b</i>=0.09, <i>P</i>=.02), but neither fear of COVID-19 (<i>b</i>=−0.01, <i>P</i>=.57) nor psychological well-being (<i>b</i>=−0.01, <i>P</i>=.57) over time. Participants who engaged more strongly in online self-disclosure at T1 felt happier at T2, but they did not differ from less-disclosing participants concerning COVID-19 fears and psychological well-being at T2. Importantly, happiness and psychological well-being were significantly related over time (happiness T1 → psychological well-being T2: <i>b</i>=0.11, <i>P</i>&lt;.001; psychological well-being T1 → happiness T2: <i>b</i>=0.42, <i>P</i>&lt;.001). CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that online self-disclosure might play a pivotal role in coping with pandemic stressors. With restrictions on their options, individuals increasingly turn to their smartphones and social media to disclose their feelings, problems, and concerns during lockdown. While online self-disclosure might not alleviate fears or improve psychological well-being, our results demonstrate that it made people experience more happiness during this crisis. This psychological resource may help them withstand the severe psychological consequences of the COVID-19 crisis over longer timeframes.


Disasters ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 34 (4) ◽  
pp. 1031-1044 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew Scott LaJoie ◽  
Ginny Sprang ◽  
William Paul McKinney

2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 196-202 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sebastian Scherr ◽  
Catalina L. Toma ◽  
Barbara Schuster

Abstract. Prior research has shown an association between Facebook users’ likelihood of engaging in social surveillance (i.e., browsing through friends’ postings without directly interacting with them), their experience of envy, and their depressive symptoms. Yet the directionality and duration of this effect are unclear. Drawing on the stress generation hypothesis, we postulate that depression increases Facebook surveillance and envy, which may increase depression over time. Using a cross-lagged longitudinal design with two waves spaced 1 year apart, we find that, as expected, depression was associated with more Facebook surveillance and more envy, both initially and 1 year later. However, neither Facebook surveillance nor envy at Time 1 increased depression at Time 2. Instead, depression predicted envy, and envy predicted Facebook surveillance over time. The results show the utility of the stress generation hypothesis in a social media context and have implications for Facebook users’ psychological well-being.


Author(s):  
Eva Kahana ◽  
Tirth R Bhatta ◽  
Boaz Kahana ◽  
Nirmala Lekhak

Abstract Objectives Existing scholarship in social gerontology has paid relatively little attention to broader loving emotions, such as compassionate and altruistic love, as potentially meaningful mechanisms for improving later-life psychological well-being outside a family framework. Method Drawing from a 3-wave longitudinal survey of community-dwelling older residents (n = 334) of Miami, Florida, we utilized generalized estimating equation models to examine the influence of changes in compassionate love (i.e., feeling love toward other persons and experiencing love from others) on depressive symptoms over time. We also explored cross-sectional relationship between compassionate love and positive and negative affects. Results An increase in the feeling of being loved (β = −0.77, p &lt; .001) and feeling love for others (β = −0.78, p &lt; .001) led to a decline in odds of reporting greater levels of depressive symptoms over time. The odds of reporting higher level of positive affect were significantly greater for older adults who reported feeling loved by others (β = .63, p &lt; .001) and expressed love for other people (β = 0.43, p &lt; .05). Older adults who felt loved and expressed love for other people, respectively, had 0.71 and 0.54-point lower ordered log odds of reporting higher negative affect than those who reported lower levels of love. The statistically significant impact of feeling loved on all well-being outcomes was maintained even after adjustment for altruistic attitudes and emotional support. Except for depressive symptoms, such adjustments explained the positive influence of love for others on well-being outcomes. Discussion Our findings underscore the powerful influence of both receiving and giving loving emotions for the maintenance of later-life psychological well-being.


2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 263-278
Author(s):  
Shaogang Yang ◽  
Sharon To ◽  
Charles T. Helwig

This study examined rural and urban Chinese adolescents’ (aged 13–19 years, N = 395) attitudes toward children’s self-determination and nurturance rights, and how these attitudes relate to various dimensions of socialization in their family and school environments, including perceptions of parental and teacher autonomy support and responsiveness and family and school democratic climate. Relations between these variables and psychological well-being also were examined. Perceived parent and teacher autonomy support and responsiveness and democratic climate differentially predicted attitudes toward each type of right and were positively correlated with adolescents’ psychological well-being. Our findings suggest that environments that are structured more democratically and that are responsive to children’s autonomy needs contribute to their psychological health and well-being in diverse cultural settings.


2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S678-S678
Author(s):  
Sheung-Tak Cheng

Abstract This study examines the long-term effects of benefit-finding on caregivers’ depressive symptoms (primary outcome), and global burden, role overload, and psychological well-being (secondary outcomes). 96 Hong Kong Chinese caregivers of relatives with Alzheimer’s disease were randomly assigned to receive the benefit-finding intervention (BFT) or one of two control conditions, namely, simplified psychoeducation (lectures only; SIM-PE) or standard psychoeducation (STD-PE). Caregivers received four biweekly one-to-one interventions of three hours each at their own homes. Participants and raters were blind to experimental assignment. We focused on outcomes measured at 4- and 10-month follow-ups. The trajectories of intervention effects were modeled by BFT x time and BFT x time2 interaction terms. Mixed-effects regression showed significant BFT x time2 interaction effects on depressive symptoms against both control conditions, suggesting diminishing BFT effects over time. Z tests showed that, compared with controls, BFT participants reported substantial reductions in depressive symptoms at 4-month follow-up (d = -0.85 and -0.75 vs. SIM-PE and STD-PE respectively). At 10-month follow-up, BFT was indistinguishable from STD-PE whereas a moderate effect was observed in the comparison with SIM-PE (d = -0.52). In addition, some inconsistent effects on role overload were observed but no effect was found for the other outcome variables. It is concluded that benefit-finding is an efficacious intervention for depressive symptoms in Alzheimer caregivers, with strong effects in the medium-term post-intervention and possible moderate effects in the long-term.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica Ranieri ◽  
Fabiana Fiasca ◽  
Federica Guerra ◽  
Enrico Perilli ◽  
Antonella Mattei ◽  
...  

Background: Mammoplasty is the most common surgery used for breast augmentation (aesthetic plastic) and breast reconstruction (disease-related plastic) in women who have been diagnosed with and surgically treated for regional breast cancer with modified radical mastectomy. This study aims to examine the long-term effects of mammoplasty on the psychological well-being of women.Methods: Participants were 44 women aged 30–50 years (mean = 40.4 ± 5.9). They were divided into two groups based on the purpose of the breast surgery they underwent [augmentation surgery (AS) vs. reconstruction surgery (RS)] and the time that had elapsed since their surgery (≤3 vs. &gt;3 years).Results: Our findings suggest that women who underwent AS reported a decline in their psychological well-being over time. The women who had undergone AS ≤3 and &gt;3 years did not show any differences in emotional functioning, with the exception of the BREAST-Q scores on the satisfaction with breasts subscale. We examined the impact of mammoplasty on the satisfaction levels and well-being of women who had undergone RS (after MRM). They were less satisfied with their breasts than those who belonged to the AS group, confirming our hypothesis. However, this was true only among those who had undergone surgery ≤3 years earlier.Conclusions: In conclusion, our findings underscore the need to provide psychological support to those who have undergone breast AS and RS. Additionally, this study implies the need for personalized psychological interventions to improve the emotional adaptation process and enhance women's mental well-being.


BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. e046940
Author(s):  
Michel Sebastiaan Smit ◽  
Hein Raat ◽  
Famke Mölenberg ◽  
Mireille Eleonore Gabriëlle Wolfers ◽  
Rienke Bannink ◽  
...  

IntroductionPreventive interventions to reduce overweight and obesity in childhood and adolescence are studied on their effectiveness worldwide. A number with positive results. However, long-term effects of these interventions and their potentially wider influence on well-being and health have been less studied. This study aims to evaluate the long-term effects of a multicomponent intervention in elementary school children targeting individual behaviour as well as environment (Lekker Fit!). The primary outcomeis body mass index and the secondary outcomes are waist circumference, weight status, physical fitness, lifestyle, psychosocial health and academic performance.Methods and analysisIn a naturalistic effect evaluation with a retrospective, controlled design adolescents in secondary schools, from intervention and non-intervention elementary schools, will be compared on a wide set of outcome variables. Data will be collected by questionnaires and through anthropometric and fitness measurements by trained physical education teachers and research assistants. Baseline data consist of measurements from the adolescents at the age of 5 years old and are gathered from preventive youth healthcare records, from before the intervention took place. Multilevel regression models will be used and adjusted for baseline measurements and potential confounding variables on the individual and environmental level. Furthermore, propensity scores will be applied.Ethics and disseminationThe study has been approved by the Medical Research Ethics Committee of the Erasmus Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands (permission ID: MEC-2020-0644). Study findings will be disseminated in peer-reviewed journals and by conference presentations.Trial registration numberNL8799. Pre-results.


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