Post-traumatic growth and perceived social support in young adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic

Objectives: Pandemics would certainly have a negative impact on mental health. Positive modifications as well as negative alterations have been documented in earlier viral pandemic according to previous investigations. Teenagers face a variety of challenges during adolescence. Adolescents may become more concerned if this time coincides with other worries. This study aims to investigate the positive changes that occur in a young adolescent’s life after COVID-19 pandemic, and to see how they relate to perceived social support. Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on adolescents who were randomly selected from high schools in Kerman, Iran 2020 during the COVID-19. the sample size was 108 and for sampling was used multi-stage random sampling at the end the data was analyzed by Pearson correlation test. Demographic information, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) and Posttraumatic Growth Inventory short form (PTGI-SF) were used to collect data. The data were subjected to descriptive and analytical statistical tests (Pearson correlation) using SPSS software version 24. Results: Statistically a positive correlation was found between the PTG total score and young homeschooled adolescents, parents working remotely, income loss and COVID-19 experience. Moreover, during the COVID-19 pandemic, a positive association was found between perceived social support and PTG total scores in young adolescents. There were also substantial positive connections between the MSPSS subscales and the PTGI overall score. Conclusion: Based on the findings, an overall growth in all areas of PTG was observed during the COVID-19 among young adolescents. Perceived social support scores have a positive and significant relationship with COVID-19 effects. In the crises we face throughout life, intimate family members and friends play a significant supporting role in adapting to these situations

Effectiveness of an online training program for improving nurses’ competencies in disaster risk management

Abstract Background Nurses’ incompetency in disaster risk management can have many negative consequences during disasters, so it is important to prepare nurses and improve their competencies in disaster risk management. This study was conducted with the aim of investigating the effectiveness of an online training program to improve competencies in disaster risk management. Method This interventional study was conducted on nurses working in a specialized trauma hospital affiliated with the Kerman University of Medical Sciences in southeastern Iran in 2023. Eighty-one nurses were randomly assigned into two interventions (n = 42) and control groups (n = 39). The intervention group received an online training program in four sessions, and both groups electronically completed the demographic questionnaire and the nurses’ perceptions of disaster core competencies scale (NPDCC) before and one month after the intervention. Results The study results showed no significant difference in disaster competency scores between the two groups before the intervention (p < 0.51), but the NPDCC score in the intervention group was statistically significant after the intervention compared to before the intervention (p < 0.02) and no statistically significant difference was observed between the two groups after the intervention (p < 0.16). Conclusion While the online training program was found to significantly improve the NPDCC score of nurses in the intervention group, this increase was not significant when compared to the control group. Therefore, we suggest continuous practical exercises and maneuvers to improve nurses’ perception of the competencies required for effective disaster management