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Students’ emotional well-being and religiosity during the COVID-19 pandemic- an international study in 7 countries
- K. H. Karakula, A. Forma, R. Sitarz, J. Baj, D. Juchnowicz, J. Bogucki, W. Tuszyńska-Bogucka, M. L. Tee, C. A. Tee, J. T. Ly-Uson, M. S. Islam, M. T. Sikder, A. H. El-Monshed, A. Loutfy, M. F. Hussain Qureshi, M. Abbas, S. Taseen, M. Lakhani, S. Jayakumar, S. Ilango, S. Kumar, Á. A. Ruiz-Chow, A. Iturbide, D. D. González-Mille, H. Karakula-Juchnowicz
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- Journal:
- European Psychiatry / Volume 66 / Issue S1 / March 2023
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 19 July 2023, p. S406
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Introduction
There are no conclusive findings about the possible protective role of religion on students’ mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, more research is needed.
ObjectivesThe purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between the level of emotional distress and religiosity among students from 7 different countries during the COVID-19 pandemic.
MethodsData were collected by an online cross-sectional survey that was distributed amongst Polish (N = 1196), Bengali (N = 1537), Indian (N = 483), Mexican (N = 231), Egyptian (N = 565), Philippine (N = 2062), and Pakistani (N = 506) students (N = 6642) from 12th April to 1st June 2021. The respondents were asked several questions regarding their religiosity which was measured by The Duke University Religion Index (DUREL), the emotional distress was measured by the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21).
ResultsEgypt with Islam as the dominant religion showed the greatest temple attendance (organizational religious activity: M=5.27±1.36) and spirituality (intrinsic religiosity: M=5.27±1.36), p<0.0001. On another hand, Egyptian students had the lowest emotional distress measured in all categories DASS-21 (depression: M=4.87±10.17, anxiety: M=4.78±10.13, stress: M=20.76±11.46). Two countries with the dominant Christian religion achieved the highest score for private religious activities (non-organizational religious activity; Mexico: M=3.94±0.94, Poland: M=3.63±1.20; p<0.0001) and experienced a moderate level of depressive symptoms, anxiety, and stress. Students from Mexico presented the lowest attendance to church (M=2.46±1,39) and spirituality (M=6.68± 3.41) and had the second highest level of depressive symptoms (M=19.13±13.03) and stress (M=20.27±1.98). Philippines students had the highest DASS-21 score (depression: M=22.77±12.58, anxiety: M=16.07±10.77, stress: M=4.87±10.08) and their level of religiosity reached average values in the whole group. The performed regression analysis confirmed the importance of the 3 dimensions (organizational religious activity, non-organizational religious activity, intrinsic religiosity) of religiosity for the well-being of students, except for the relationship between anxiety and private religious activities. The result was as presented for depression: R2=0.0398, F(3.664)=91.764, p<0.0001, SE of E: 12.88; anxiety: R2=0.0124, F(3.664)=27.683, p<0.0001, SE of E: 10,62; stress: R2= 0.0350, F(3.664)=80.363, p<0.0001, SE of E: 12.30.
ConclusionsThe higher commitment to organizational religious activity, non-organizational religious activity, and intrinsic religiositywas correlated with the lower level of depressive symptoms, stress, and anxiety among students during the COVID-19 pandemic, but taking into account factors related to religiosity explains the level of emotional well-being to a small extent.
Disclosure of InterestNone Declared
Facing the COVID-19 pandemic – an assessment of students’ mental health and major coping strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic – an international study
- A. A. Forma, K. H. Karakuła, R. Sitarz, D. Juchnowicz, J. Baj, J. Bogucki, J. Rog, M. L. Tee, C. A. Tee, J. T. Ly-Uson, M. S. Islam, M. T. Sikder, A. H. El-Monshed, A. Loutfy, M. F. H. Qureshi, M. Abbas, S. Taseen, M. Lakhani, C. Wang, X. Wan, Y. Tan, R. Pan, R. Ho, S. Jayakumar, S. Ilango, S. Kumar K, Á. A. Ruiz-Chow, A. Iturbide, D. D. González-Mille, L. P. Doan, H. Karakuła-Juchnowicz
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- Journal:
- European Psychiatry / Volume 66 / Issue S1 / March 2023
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 19 July 2023, pp. S152-S153
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Introduction
TDuring COVID-19 pandemic, it was noticed that it was students who were mostly affected by the changes that aroused because of the pandemic. The interesting part is whether students’ well-being could be associated with their fields of study as well as coping strategies.
ObjectivesIn this study, we aimed to assess 1) the mental health of students from nine countries with a particular focus on depression, anxiety, and stress levels and their fields of study, 2) the major coping strategies of students after one year of the COVID-19 pandemic.
MethodsWe conducted an anonymous online cross-sectional survey on 12th April – 1st June 2021 that was distributed among the students from Poland, Mexico, Egypt, India, Pakistan, China, Vietnam, Philippines, and Bangladesh. To measure the emotional distress, we used the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21), and to identify the major coping strategies of students - the Brief-COPE.
ResultsWe gathered 7219 responses from students studying five major studies: medical studies (N=2821), social sciences (N=1471), technical sciences (N=891), artistic/humanistic studies (N=1094), sciences (N=942). The greatest intensity of depression (M=18.29±13.83; moderate intensity), anxiety (M=13.13±11.37; moderate intensity ), and stress (M=17.86±12.94; mild intensity) was observed among sciences students. Medical students presented the lowest intensity of all three components - depression (M=13.31±12.45; mild intensity), anxiety (M=10.37±10.57; moderate intensity), and stress (M=13.65±11.94; mild intensity). Students of all fields primarily used acceptance and self-distraction as their coping mechanisms, while the least commonly used were self-blame, denial, and substance use. The group of coping mechanisms the most frequently used was ‘emotional focus’. Medical students statistically less often used avoidant coping strategies compared to other fields of study. Substance use was only one coping mechanism that did not statistically differ between students of different fields of study. Behavioral disengagement presented the highest correlation with depression (r=0.54), anxiety (r=0.48), and stress (r=0.47) while religion presented the lowest positive correlation with depression (r=0.07), anxiety (r=0.14), and stress (r=0.11).
Conclusions1) The greatest intensity of depression, anxiety, and stress was observed among sciences students, while the lowest intensity of those components was found among students studying medicine.
2) Not using avoidant coping strategies might be associated with lower intensity of all DASS components among students.
3) Behavioral disengagement might be strongly associated with greater intensity of depression, anxiety, and stress among students.
4) There was no coping mechanism that provided the alleviation of emotional distress in all the fields of studies of students.
Disclosure of InterestNone Declared
A diet rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids as supportive therapy in the treatment and prevention of psychotic disorders
- R. Sitarz, D. Juchnowicz, K. Karakuła, A. Forma, J. Baj, J. Rog, R. Karpiński, A. Machrowska, H. Karakuła-Juchnowicz
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- Journal:
- European Psychiatry / Volume 66 / Issue S1 / March 2023
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 19 July 2023, pp. S1085-S1086
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Introduction
Proper nutrition with fats has a protective effect on the functioning of the nervous system. However, a disturbed ratio of essential polyunsaturated fatty acids supply is nowadays a common phenomenon. A diet overloaded with saturated fats and a shortage of those essential ones in the company with possibly some unfavorable genetic endowment could lead to the release of psychosis from the framework of diet defined by nature for thousands of years.
ObjectivesThe study aims to review the literature to assess the influence of supplementation with polyunsaturated fatty acids in the occurrence of psychotic disorders prevention, as well as their impact on remission prolongation.
MethodsLiterature review in PubMed, Google Scholar, and Web of Science using the keywords [psychosis] OR [psychotic] OR [schizophrenia] OR [unipolar] OR [bipolar] OR [schizoaffective] OR [depression] OR [manic] OR [hypomanic] OR [mania] OR [hypomania] OR [first episode psychosis] OR [ultra-high risk] OR [UHR] AND [polyunsaturated fatty acids] OR [PUFA] OR [prostaglandin] OR [phospholipid] OR [phospholipase A2] OR [arachidonic acid] OR [linoleic acid] OR [alpha-linolenic acid] OR [omega-3] OR [omega-6] OR [nutrition] OR [diet]. The review included original articles, reviews, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and case reports from 1977-2022 in Polish and English.
Results86 articles devoted to diet and nutrition in psychotic disorders were analyzed. Patients with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and schizoaffective disorders exhibit deficiencies in polyunsaturated fatty acids. Such results may indicate compliance with David Horrobin’s theory of the psychotic disorders development in predisposed individuals.
ConclusionsSupplementation with polyunsaturated fatty acids may be a chance for a selected group of patients to prolong remission but also hope to prevent the occurrence of psychotic disorders in particularly vulnerable individuals.
Disclosure of InterestNone Declared
Viral topic about the COVID-19 vaccination: the attitudes towards it and the relationship with the well-being and religiosity in a group of Polish students
- K. Karakula, A. Forma, E. Sitarz, J. Rog, J. Baj, D. Juchnowicz, H. Karakula-Juchnowicz
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- Journal:
- European Psychiatry / Volume 65 / Issue S1 / June 2022
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 01 September 2022, pp. S496-S497
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Introduction
The COVID-19 pandemic currently remains the most significant stressor affecting the global population. Researchers continually report widespread mistrust and negative attitudes towards vaccination, but only a little focus on its association with the emotional well-being.
ObjectivesWe aimed to investigate the attitudes towards vaccination against COVID-19, as well as its relationship with well-being and religiosity after one year of the pandemic duration amongst Polish students.
MethodsWe conducted an anonymous online cross-sectional survey between 12th April – 1st June 2021 amongst Polish students (n=1202). To evaluate emotional distress, we used the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21), for measuring spirituality/religiosity we used The Duke University Religion Index.
ResultsThe highest rate of vaccinated individuals was noted in a group of medical students (69.9%), the lowest - among responders studying science (1.9%). Students who wanted to be vaccinated had higher levels of depressive, anxiety, and stress symptoms compared to those who were already vaccinated (p=0.04); they also had higher depressive symptoms than unvaccinated and unwilling participants (p=0.028). Students who didn’t want to be vaccinated against COVID-19 showed the highest religiosity compared to those who would like to be vaccinated (p<0.001) or were vaccinated (p=0.003). There was a negative correlation between the level of religiosity and severity of depressive and anxiety symptoms (p=0.002).
Conclusions1. The attitudes towards vaccination against COVID-19 depended on the fields of study. 2. Religiousness has been linked with the attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccination as well as level of depression and anxiety amongst Polish students.
DisclosureNo significant relationships.
Depression symptom dimensions as predictors of antidepressant treatment outcome: replicable evidence for interest-activity symptoms
- R. Uher, R. H. Perlis, N. Henigsberg, A. Zobel, M. Rietschel, O. Mors, J. Hauser, M. Z. Dernovsek, D. Souery, M. Bajs, W. Maier, K. J. Aitchison, A. Farmer, P. McGuffin
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- Journal:
- Psychological Medicine / Volume 42 / Issue 5 / May 2012
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 20 September 2011, pp. 967-980
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Background
Symptom dimensions have not yet been comprehensively tested as predictors of the substantial heterogeneity in outcomes of antidepressant treatment in major depressive disorder.
MethodWe tested nine symptom dimensions derived from a previously published factor analysis of depression rating scales as predictors of outcome in 811 adults with moderate to severe depression treated with flexibly dosed escitalopram or nortriptyline in Genome-based Therapeutic Drugs for Depression (GENDEP). The effects of symptom dimensions were tested in mixed-effect regression models that controlled for overall initial depression severity, age, sex and recruitment centre. Significant results were tested for replicability in 3637 adult out-patients with non-psychotic major depression treated with citalopram in level I of Sequenced Treatment Alternatives to Relieve Depression (STAR*D).
ResultsThe interest-activity symptom dimension (reflecting low interest, reduced activity, indecisiveness and lack of enjoyment) at baseline strongly predicted poor treatment outcome in GENDEP, irrespective of overall depression severity, antidepressant type and outcome measure used. The prediction of poor treatment outcome by the interest-activity dimension was robustly replicated in STAR*D, independent of a comprehensive list of baseline covariates.
ConclusionsLoss of interest, diminished activity and inability to make decisions predict poor outcome of antidepressant treatment even after adjustment for overall depression severity and other clinical covariates. The prominence of such symptoms may require additional treatment strategies and should be accounted for in future investigations of antidepressant response.
Measuring depression: comparison and integration of three scales in the GENDEP study
- R. Uher, A. Farmer, W. Maier, M. Rietschel, J. Hauser, A. Marusic, O. Mors, A. Elkin, R. J. Williamson, C. Schmael, N. Henigsberg, J. Perez, J. Mendlewicz, J. G. E. Janzing, A. Zobel, M. Skibinska, D. Kozel, A. S. Stamp, M. Bajs, A. Placentino, M. Barreto, P. McGuffin, K. J. Aitchison
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- Journal:
- Psychological Medicine / Volume 38 / Issue 2 / February 2008
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 09 October 2007, pp. 289-300
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Background
A number of scales are used to estimate the severity of depression. However, differences between self-report and clinician rating, multi-dimensionality and different weighting of individual symptoms in summed scores may affect the validity of measurement. In this study we examined and integrated the psychometric properties of three commonly used rating scales.
MethodThe 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD-17), the Montgomery–Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) were administered to 660 adult patients with unipolar depression in a multi-centre pharmacogenetic study. Item response theory (IRT) and factor analysis were used to evaluate their psychometric properties and estimate true depression severity, as well as to group items and derive factor scores.
ResultsThe MADRS and the BDI provide internally consistent but mutually distinct estimates of depression severity. The HAMD-17 is not internally consistent and contains several items less suitable for out-patients. Factor analyses indicated a dominant depression factor. A model comprising three dimensions, namely ‘observed mood and anxiety’, ‘cognitive’ and ‘neurovegetative’, provided a more detailed description of depression severity.
ConclusionsThe MADRS and the BDI can be recommended as complementary measures of depression severity. The three factor scores are proposed for external validation.