Anxiety Levels and Coping Strategies to Deal with COVID-19: A Cross-Cultural Study among the Spanish and Latin American Healthcare Populations

Given its impact, COVID-19 has engendered great challenges in terms of health, highlighting the key role of health personnel. This study aims to analyze the level of anxiety, as well as coping strategies, among the health personnel in Latin American countries and Spain. An exploratory, descriptive, quantitative, cross-sectional study was conducted with 584 participants from the healthcare population. No significant differences were observed in anxiety levels due to COVID-19 between Latin American countries and Spain. In Spain, an active and passive coping style is used, while in Latin American countries, an avoidance coping style is employed; there is a direct correlation between anxiety levels and the avoidance coping style. There exists an inverse correlation between anxiety levels and the use of an active coping style; moreover, there are no significant differences in the anxiety level of health personnel depending on whether they have cared for patients with COVID-19. Low cognitive activity, use of the avoidance method and Spanish geography were the main predictive coping styles of anxiety. Effective measures are required for preserving the mental health of health professionals during pandemicsUniversidad Cooperativa de Colombia, Research Project “Psychological impact and coping with COVID-19 in health personnel from Spanish-speaking countries” (grant number INV2871)

Fiabilidad y validez del cuestionario para evaluar la nomofobia (QANP)

Background: The real meaning of the term nomophobia remains somewhat obscure in studies assessing this disorder. There is an increasing interest in further exploring nomophobia: however, currently available measuring tools appear to only address mobile phone abuse and/or addiction. The objective of this study was to create a Spanish-language instrument to measure nomophobia. Methods: We developed an 11-item scale that we administered to 968 participants drawn from the population of Granada (Spain). We first performed an Exploratory Factor Analysis. After assessing the nomological validity of the scale, we conducted a Confirmatory Factor Analysis. Results: The Exploratory Factor Analysis revealed a three-factor structure. Factor 1 (Mobile Phone Abuse) comprised five items that described 19% of the variance; Factor 2 (Loss of Control) comprised three items that explained 12% of the variance; and Factor 3 (Negative Consequences) comprised three items that explained 10% of the variance. Cronbach's Alpha reliability coefficient was 0.80. Limitations: Nomophobia is a modern disorder that has yet to be classified as a disease. Self-report measures are affected by biased replies, and therefore the presence of confounders may be a potential issue. Conclusion: This scale is reliable and valid. It provides future researchers with the means to measure nomophobia in the Spanish population.Antecedentes: El verdadero significado de la nomofobia parece estar oculto en los estudios que evalúan este trastorno. Existe un creciente interés en profundizar en el estudio de la nomofobia, sin embargo, las herramientas de medición disponibles desarrolladas hasta ahora parecen centrarse solo en el abuso y / o adicción a los teléfonos móviles. Por ello, el objetivo de este estudio objetivo proponer y validar un instrumento de medición de la nomofobia para la población española. Método: Desarrollamos una escala con 11 ítems que fue administrada a 968 participantes de la población de Granada (España). En primer lugar se realizó un análisis factorial exploratorio y posteriormente se realizó un análisis factorial confirmatorio. Resultados: El análisis factorial exploratorio reveló una estructura de tres factores. El factor 1 (abuso de teléfonos móviles) está compuesto por cinco ítems y explica un 19% de la varianza; Factor 2 (Pérdida de control) incluye tres ítems y explica el 12% de la varianza y Factor 3 (Consecuencias negativas) contiene tres ítems y explica el 10% de la varianza. El valor del coeficiente de fiabilidad Alpha de Cronbach fue 0.80. Limitaciones: La nomofobia es un trastorno moderno que aún no se ha clasificado como patología, las medidas de autoinforme presentas respuestas sesgadas por lo que podemos encontrar algún error o sesgo. Conclusión: QANP es una escala fiable y válida y proporciona a los investigadores una forma de medir la nomofobia para futuros estudios en la población española

Temperament and characteristics related to nomophobia

Nomophobia is defined as the fear of being out of mobile phone contact and is considered to be a phobia of the modern age. The current study set out to establish the relationship between temperament and personality and the development of nomophobia. The sample was composed of 968 participants selected from the Andalusian population, of which there were 182 males and 785 females aged from 23.19 years. The instruments used were the Questionnaire to Assess Nomophobia (QANIP; Olivencia-Carrión et al., 2018) and the Temperament and Character Inventory Revised (TCI-R; Cloninger et al., 1993). We found that cooperation is a characteristic that significantly reduces nomophobic levels, particularly for the two factors of Mobile Phone Addiction and Negative Consequences. Furthermore, Reward Dependence appears to be positively related to two of the factors involved in nomophobia, namely Mobile Phone Addiction and Loss of Control, suggesting a relationship between Nomophobia and personality. These findings are discussed in terms of their usefulness for identifying the personality predictors of nomophobia in order to develop preventive and intervention strategies

Active Coping and Anxiety Symptoms during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Spanish Adults

This research was funded by the financial aid conceded to the Research project "Impacto psicologico y afrontamiento del Covid-19 en personal sanitario de paises hispanohablantes" (Impacto psicologico y afrontamiento del Covid-19 en poblacion general) INV2871 by Universidad Cooperativa de Colombia. Grupo de Investigacion Estudios Sociales Interdisciplinares COD: COL0082654.The features of the COVID-19 pandemic and the social operations to contain the spread of the virus might have limited or altered coping, including healthy habits such as exercise, this contributing to a myriad of negative consequences for the mental health of the global population. We explored the contribution of coping and physical activity to the management of anxiety in Spanish adults during an active phase of the epidemic, as well as the relationship between these strategies. A total of 200 young and adult individuals (70% women) voluntarily completed an anxiety inventory, a coping skills self-report and a personal data section including exercise practice. The participants reported in average a mild yet existing level of anxiety symptoms; a third reported noticeable symptoms. At the time of the study, the participants used more adaptive than maladaptive coping styles. Participants’ anxiety was inversely correlated with an active coping style, and positively with an avoidant style; physical activity correlated positively with an active coping style, and regular exercisers used more frequently active coping. Controlling for confounders, active coping, avoidant coping and exercise during the pandemic predicted anxiety symptoms. Other findings indicated that exercise was used as a coping strategy for dealing with emotional distress. Our results highlight the positive impact of functional coping and exercise for the management of negative states such as anxiety during the pandemic, and underline the importance of developing interventions aimed at enhancing coping skills for promoting physical and mental well-being of the population during health and social crises.Universidad Cooperativa de Colombia INV2871Grupo de Investigacion Estudios Sociales Interdisciplinares COL008265

Las tic y la discapacidad: oportunidad de inclusión o factor de exclusión

Tesis Univ. Granada. Programa Oficial de Doctorado en Psicologí

Active Coping and Anxiety Symptoms during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Spanish Adults.

The features of the COVID-19 pandemic and the social operations to contain the spread of the virus might have limited or altered coping, including healthy habits such as exercise, this contributing to a myriad of negative consequences for the mental health of the global population. We explored the contribution of coping and physical activity to the management of anxiety in Spanish adults during an active phase of the epidemic, as well as the relationship between these strategies. A total of 200 young and adult individuals (70% women) voluntarily completed an anxiety inventory, a coping skills self-report and a personal data section including exercise practice. The participants reported in average a mild yet existing level of anxiety symptoms; a third reported noticeable symptoms. At the time of the study, the participants used more adaptive than maladaptive coping styles. Participants' anxiety was inversely correlated with an active coping style, and positively with an avoidant style; physical activity correlated positively with an active coping style, and regular exercisers used more frequently active coping. Controlling for confounders, active coping, avoidant coping and exercise during the pandemic predicted anxiety symptoms. Other findings indicated that exercise was used as a coping strategy for dealing with emotional distress. Our results highlight the positive impact of functional coping and exercise for the management of negative states such as anxiety during the pandemic, and underline the importance of developing interventions aimed at enhancing coping skills for promoting physical and mental well-being of the population during health and social crises

Reliability and construct validity testing of a questionnaire to assess nomophobia (QANP)

Background: The real meaning of the term nomophobia remains somewhat obscure in studies assessing this disorder. There is an increasing interest in further exploring nomophobia: however, currently available measuring tools appear to only address mobile phone abuse and/or addiction. The objective of this study was to create a Spanish-language instrument to measure nomophobia. Methods: We developed an 11-item scale that we administered to 968 participants drawn from the population of Granada (Spain). We first performed an Exploratory Factor Analysis. After assessing the nomological validity of the scale, we conducted a Confirmatory Factor Analysis. Results: The Exploratory Factor Analysis revealed a three-factor structure. Factor 1 (Mobile Phone Abuse) comprised five items that described 19% of the variance; Factor 2 (Loss of Control) comprised three items that explained 12% of the variance; and Factor 3 (Negative Consequences) comprised three items that explained 10% of the variance. Cronbach’s Alpha reliability coefficient was 0.80. Limitations: Nomophobia is a modern disorder that has yet to be classified as a disease. Self-report measures are affected by biased replies, and therefore the presence of confounders may be a potential issue. Conclusion: This scale is reliable and valid. It provides future researchers with the means to measure nomophobia in the Spanish population.Antecedentes: El verdadero significado de la nomofobia parece estar oculto en los estudios que evalúan este trastorno. Existe un creciente interés en profundizar en el estudio de la nomofobia, sin embargo, las herramientas de medición disponibles desarrolladas hasta ahora parecen centrarse solo en el abuso y / o adicción a los teléfonos móviles. Por ello, el objetivo de este estudio objetivo proponer y validar un instrumento de medición de la nomofobia para la población española. Método: Desarrollamos una escala con 11 ítems que fue administrada a 968 participantes de la población de Granada (España). En primer lugar se realizó un análisis factorial exploratorio y posteriormente se realizó un análisis factorial confirmatorio. Resultados: El análisis factorial exploratorio reveló una estructura de tres factores. El factor 1 (abuso de teléfonos móviles) está compuesto por cinco ítems y explica un 19% de la varianza; Factor 2 (Pérdida de control) incluye tres ítems y explica el 12% de la varianza y Factor 3 (Consecuencias negativas) contiene tres ítems y explica el 10% de la varianza. El valor del coeficiente de fiabilidad Alpha de Cronbach fue 0.80. Limitaciones: La nomofobia es un trastorno moderno que aún no se ha clasificado como patología, las medidas de autoinforme presentas respuestas sesgadas por lo que podemos encontrar algún error o sesgo. Conclusión: QANP es una escala fiable y válida y proporciona a los investigadores una forma de medir la nomofobia para futuros estudios en la población española