Identifying Predictors of Psychological Distress During COVID-19: A Machine Learning Approach

Prout, Tracy A.; Zilcha‐Mano, Sigal; Doorn, Katie Aafjes‐van; Békés, Vera; Christman-Cohen, Isabelle; Whistler, Kathryn; Kui, Thomas; Giuseppe, Mariagrazia Di

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2020.586202

Cited by 125 publications

(125 citation statements)

References 96 publications

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“…Prout et al ( 2020 ) found the overall prevalence of anxiety and depressive symptoms has increased during pandemic, especially among younger females. Moreover, they found emotional regulation processes used by individuals were predictive of current distress experienced.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Self-Compassion and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Mobile Intervention (Serene) for Depression, Anxiety, and Stress: Promoting Adaptive Emotional Regulation and Wisdom

Al-Refae

Munroe

et al. 2021

Front. Psychol.

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Introduction: Many individuals and families are currently experiencing a high level of COVID-19-related stress and are struggling to find helpful coping mechanisms. Mindfulness-based interventions are becoming an increasingly popular treatment for individuals experiencing depression and chronic levels of stress. The app (Serene) draws from scholarly evidence on the efficacy of mindfulness meditations and builds on the pre-existing apps by incorporating techniques that are used in some therapies such as cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy.Methods: Participants were randomly assigned to a 4-week mindfulness and self-compassion-based cognitive smartphone intervention (Serene) or a wait-list control group. They were instructed to engage in self-compassion and mindfulness practices and a cognitive restructuring task. They also completed measures that evaluated their levels of depression, stress, anxiety, self-compassion, wisdom, psychological well-being, and subjective well-being. The intervention group was also instructed to track their weekly engagement with the app. Standardized effect sizes for between-group differences were calculated using Cohen's d for complete case analyses.Results: Complete case analyses from baseline to the end of this randomized controlled trial demonstrated significant moderate between-group differences for depressive symptoms (d = −0.43) and decisiveness (d = 0.34). Moderate between-group differences were also found for self-compassion (d = 0.6) such that significant improvements in self-kindness, common humanity, mindfulness and decreases in self-judgement, isolation, and overidentification were observed. A small between-group difference was found for emotional regulation (d = 0.28). Moreover, a significant moderate within-group decrease in stress (d = −0.52) and anxiety symptoms (d = −0.47) was also observed in the intervention group.Conclusions: Serene is an effective intervention that promotes increased levels of self-compassion and emotional regulation. Engaging with Serene may help reduce depressive symptoms through mindfulness, self-compassion, and cognitive restructuring which help reduce overidentification with one's negative emotions. As individuals rebalance their thinking through cognitive restructuring, they can identify the varying stressors in their life, develop action plans and engage in adaptive coping strategies to address them. Serene may promote greater self-understanding which may provide one with a more balanced perspective on their current upsetting situations to positively transform their challenges during the pandemic.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Self-Compassion and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Mobile Intervention (Serene) for Depression, Anxiety, and Stress: Promoting Adaptive Emotional Regulation and Wisdom

Al-Refae

Munroe

et al. 2021

Front. Psychol.

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“…Besides contingent and external factors, such as the exposure to COVID-19, other factors might influence individuals' level of distress during pandemic, such as individual differences in personality (Mazza et al, 2020;Morelli et al, 2020), dispositions (Conversano et al, 2020;Rossi et al, 2020;Sebri et al, 2021), and coping strategies (Prout et al, 2020). Literature indicates that individual differences in the ability to tolerate ambiguous situations (e.g.…”

Section: The Effect Of Intolerance Of Ambiguity On Distressmentioning

confidence: 99%

The interplay between risk and protective factors during the initial height of the COVID-19 crisis in Italy: The role of risk aversion and intolerance of ambiguity on distress

et al. 2021

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The present study aimed to test a model of relations to ascertain the determinants of distress caused by lockdown for COVID-19. It was hypothesized that the exposure to the COVID-19 increased distress directly and through the mediation of worry, health-related information seeking, and perception of the utility of the lockdown. It was also expected that higher levels of ambiguity intolerance corresponded to higher distress directly and through the mediation of worry, health information seeking behaviors, and perceived utility of the lockdown. Finally, it was expected that risk aversion positively influenced distress directly and through the increasing of worry, health-related information seeking behavior, and more positive perception of the utility of the lockdown The study was conducted in Italy during the mandatory lockdown for COVID-19 pandemic on 240 individuals (age range 18-76). Data recruitment was conducted via snowball sampling. COVID-19 exposure was positively associated with worry and health-related information seeking. Risk-aversion was positively associated with health-related information seeking and perceived utility of the lockdown to contain the spread of the virus. Worry and health-related information seeking were positively associated with distress, whereas the perceived utility of the lockdown was negatively associated with distress. Intolerance for the ambiguity was directly linked to distress with a positive sign. Findings suggest that risk aversion represents both a risk factor and a protective factor, based on what kind of variable mediates the relationship with distress, and that the intolerance to the ambiguity is a risk factor that busters distress.

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“…In Italy, higher levels of psychological distress were associated with the number of days in lockdown (Conversano et al ., 2020 ; Marazziti et al ., 2020 ) Recently, Salari and collaborators ( 2020 ) documented higher rates of COVID-19 related depression (33.7%), stress (29.6%), and anxiety (31.9%). Prout and collaborators ( 2020 ), using a machine learning algorithm, found that somatization and less reliance on adaptive defenses were associated with COVID-19 related distress. Finally, Brooks and collaborators ( 2020 ) emphasized that periods of isolation (even less than 10 days), may have effects on the emerge of psychopathological symptoms.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It is expected that the quarantine/social distance measures may facilitate feelings of loneliness with impacts on psychological distress and the lack of well-being, which facilitates difficulties in the regulation of psychological needs. Thus, it is expected that individuals who experience loneliness may also foster psychopathological symptoms (Banerjee, 2020 ; Brooks et al , 2020 ; Prout et al ., 2020 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploring the impacts of COVID-19 related social distancing on loneliness, psychological needs and symptomatology

Faustino

Vasco

Delgado

et al. 2021

ResPsy

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Loneliness may be a consequence of social distancing, a measure imposed by several governments to try to reduce the contagion of severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Despite being necessary, this measure may have thus caused a rise in mental health issues, leading to higher psychological distress and symptomatology. Thus, it is also important to explore how loneliness relates to the regulation of psychological needs. This study aims to explore the relationships between loneliness, symptomatology, and the regulation of psychological needs. 142 individuals (Mage=32.7, SD=10.9), answered self-report questionnaires in a cross-sectional design. Results show that loneliness is positively correlated with symptomatology and difficulties in the regulation of psychological needs, with these relationships being mediated by psychological distress and psychological well-being. We discuss our results with a focus on loneliness and related psychopathological symptomatology, as they seem to be core factors in the regulation of psychological needs.

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Identifying Predictors of Psychological Distress During COVID-19: A Machine Learning Approach

Cited by 125 publications

References 96 publications

A Self-Compassion and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Mobile Intervention (Serene) for Depression, Anxiety, and Stress: Promoting Adaptive Emotional Regulation and Wisdom

A Self-Compassion and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Mobile Intervention (Serene) for Depression, Anxiety, and Stress: Promoting Adaptive Emotional Regulation and Wisdom

The interplay between risk and protective factors during the initial height of the COVID-19 crisis in Italy: The role of risk aversion and intolerance of ambiguity on distress

Exploring the impacts of COVID-19 related social distancing on loneliness, psychological needs and symptomatology

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