BACKGROUND

In the Philippines, the prevalence of food insecurity increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, affecting the nutritional status of communities nationwide. Urban areas in particular are vulnerable to the harmful effects of food insecurity, and the effects are extended and magnified when it comes to children.

This study aims to evaluate the coping strategies of households with children aged 0-10 years old in an urban poor community in Quezon City. In particular, the study will determine Coping Strategies Index (CSI) scores and the frequency of specific coping strategies used.

A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the coping strategies of 405 households with children in the community during the pandemic. Mothers or caregivers were given a survey inquiring about the sociodemographic data and CSI.

Sociodemographic profiling showed that the households generally belonged to class D and E (PhP 15,000 and below) income households (73.8%). The majority of the household heads (52.6%) have their highest educational attainment at the high school level. The majority (77.5%) of the households were categorized as having low CSI classification (90%CI: 73.9, 80.8). This could indicate that relief operations conducted in the community may have helped ease their food insecurity. Coping strategies that were most frequently employed by the households were depending on less preferred or more affordable food (74.8%), rationing money for prepared food (69.1%), and purchasing food on credit (58.5%).

Low CSI classification was noted, which may be due to increased adaptation to persistent food insecurity and the utilization of coping strategies not indicated in the questionnaire. Common coping strategies used by households include reliance on less favored or less costly food items, rationing resources for prepared food, and food on credit. It is recommended that the results collected be used to target food availability and accessibility interventions in the community.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the manifestations of sensory hypersensitivity in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and individuals with subclinical autistic traits. METHODS: From September 2021 to April 2023, interviews were conducted on 18 college students with high levels of autistic traits and sensory hypersensitivity selected using the Adolescent/Adult Sensory Profile and the Autism Spectrum Quotient (as subclinical group). Interviews were also conducted on the parents of 11 children with ASD aged 6-13 years selected using the intensity sampling method (as clinical group). Qualitative content analysis and thematic analysis were performed on the interview texts to investigate the scenarios and impact of sensory hypersensitivity and coping strategies in the two groups. RESULTS: The Autism Spectrum Quotient score was significantly positively correlated with sensory hypersensitivity (r=0.504, P<0.001; n=225). Sensory modalities that triggered sensitive reactions were similar in the subclinical and clinical groups, with auditory hypersensitivity being the most prominent. Sensory hypersensitivity had significant negative impact on emotional wellbeing, cognitive ability, physical health, interpersonal relationships, and general adaptive functioning. These dimensions were interconnected, culminating in a holistic experience. Avoidance was the most commonly used coping mechanism for both groups (16 subclinical participants mentioned it 44 times; 8 clinical participants mentioned it 40 times). The clinical group required more support and help from their caregivers (18 times), while the subclinical group used more proactive coping strategies (e.g., facing sensitive scenarios, distracting attention) to alleviate the negative impact (51 times). CONCLUSIONS Sensory hypersensitivity is a common manifestation across the broad ASD phenotype, posing negative effects on multiple aspects of their lives. There is an urgent need for social tolerance and acceptance as well as the development of effective intervention measures.
Humans ; Child ; Autism Spectrum Disorder/physiopathology* ; Male ; Female ; Adolescent ; Adaptation, Psychological ; Autistic Disorder/psychology* ; Sensation Disorders/etiology* ; Qualitative Research

OBJECTIVES: Depression is a common negative emotion that can significantly impact physical and mental health. Due to their occupational characteristics, medical staff are more susceptible to depression compared to the general population. This study aims to explore the influence of future-oriented coping on depression among medical staff and the mediating roles of psychological resilience and perceived stress, providing theoretical guidance for depression intervention strategies in this group. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among medical staff at a tertiary hospital using convenience sampling. Data were collected via the "Wenjuanxing" platform. A total of 754 questionnaires were distributed; after excluding invalid responses (e.g., duplicate IPs or insufficient completion time), 655 valid questionnaires were retained (valid response rate: 86.87%). Instruments included a demographic questionnaire, the Future-Oriented Coping Scale, the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, the Perceived Stress Scale, and the Self-Rating Depression Scale. All scales demonstrated high internal consistency (Cronbach's α>0.88) and validity. SPSS 27.0 was used for descriptive analysis, and PROCESS macro (Model 6) was used to test the chain mediation model. Harman's one-factor test was applied to control for common method bias. RESULTS: Descriptive analyses showed that future-oriented coping was positively correlated with psychological resilience and negatively correlated with perceived stress and depression. Mediation analysis revealed that future-oriented coping significantly predicted lower depression levels among medical staff (β=-0.283, P<0.001). Psychological resilience partially mediated the relationship (effect size=-0.329, accounting for 34.13% of the total effect), as did perceived stress (effect size=-0.099, 10.27%). A significant chain mediation path was identified: "future-oriented coping → psychological resilience → perceived stress → depression" (effect size=-0.253, 26.24%). The total indirect effect accounted for 70.64% of the overall effect, highlighting the substantial role of the mediating pathways. CONCLUSIONS Future-oriented coping can reduce depressive symptoms in medical staff, with psychological resilience and perceived stress serving as key mediators in a chain structure. These findings suggest that enhancing future-oriented coping strategies and psychological resilience may improve stress adaptation and reduce depression levels in this population.
Humans ; Adaptation, Psychological ; Resilience, Psychological ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Depression/psychology* ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Stress, Psychological/psychology* ; Male ; Female ; Adult ; Middle Aged ; Medical Staff/psychology* ; Occupational Stress/psychology*

OBJECTIVES: End stage renal disease (ESRD) is a major disease that seriously threatens the health of young people, and kidney transplantation is an effective treatment method to improve its prognosis.Young ESRD patients at a critical stage of life development often face significant physical and psychological challenges while waiting for kidney transplantation. Their psychological state directly affects treatment compliance and transplantation outcomes.This study aims to explore the psychological experiences of young patients with end stage renal disease during the waiting period for kidney transplantation, and provide a reference for formulating relevant psychological intervention measures. METHODS: A descriptive qualitative research design was adopted. Using purposive sampling, 20 young ESRD patients awaiting for kidney transplantation at the Transplantation Center of Xiangya Third Hospital, Central South University, from June to August 2024, were recruited. Based on the socio-ecological systems theory, a semi-structured interview outline was developed, and directed content analysis was applied to analyze the interview data. RESULTS: According to the results of qualitative interviews, 3 themes and 9 sub-themes were summarized as follows: Microsystem (disease pain experience, anxiety during transplantation waiting period, cognitive differentiation and coping differences), mesosystem (imbalance of family roles and dependent guilt, physician-patient trust dynamics, ambivalence toward peer support), and macrosystem (decision-making powerlessness caused by information asymmetry, sociocultural stigma and public bias, institutional dependence and passive behavior). CONCLUSIONS Young ESRD patients experience complex psychological experiences during the waiting period for kidney transplantation. Healthcare providers should explore corresponding intervention measures based on patients' psychological status to improve their waiting period experience and promote both physical and mental health.
Humans ; Kidney Transplantation/psychology* ; Kidney Failure, Chronic/surgery* ; Qualitative Research ; Female ; Male ; Adult ; Adaptation, Psychological ; Waiting Lists ; Young Adult ; Adolescent ; Anxiety/psychology*

Background: In the Philippines, the prevalence of food insecurity increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, affecting the nutritional status of communities nationwide. Urban areas in particular are vulnerable to the harmful effects of food insecurity, and the effects are extended and magnified when it comes to children. Objectives: This study aims to evaluate the coping strategies of households with children aged 0-10 years old in an urban poor community in Quezon City. In particular, the study will determine Coping Strategies Index (CSI) scores and the frequency of specific coping strategies used. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the coping strategies of 405 households with children in the community during the pandemic. Mothers or caregivers were given a survey inquiring about the sociodemographic data and CSI. Results: Sociodemographic profiling showed that the households generally belonged to class D and E (PhP 15,000 and below) income households (73.8%). The majority of the household heads (52.6%) have their highest educational attainment at the high school level. The majority (77.5%) of the households were categorized as having low CSI classification (90%CI: 73.9, 80.8). This could indicate that relief operations conducted in the community may have helped ease their food insecurity. Coping strategies that were most frequently employed by the households were depending on less preferred or more affordable food (74.8%), rationing money for prepared food (69.1%), and purchasing food on credit (58.5%). Conclusion Low CSI classification was noted, which may be due to increased adaptation to persistent food insecurity and the utilization of coping strategies not indicated in the questionnaire. Common coping strategies used by households include reliance on less favored or less costly food items, rationing resources for prepared food, and food on credit. It is recommended that the results collected be used to target food availability and accessibility interventions in the community.
Food Insecurity ; Adaptation, Psychological

OBJECTIVE: To explore the mediating role of the partner's dyadic coping in improving the stigma and quality of life (QOL) of the patient with premature ejaculation (PE). METHODS: We selected 480 PE patients seeking medical care in the clinic of urology and andrology from January to June 2023 by convenience sampling. Using a General Information Questionnaire, Dyadic Coping Inventory, Social Impact Scale, and Short-Form 12 Quality of Life Scale, we conducted an investigation among the patients and analyzed the mediation effect of the partner's dyadic coping on the patients' stigma and QOL. RESULTS: The mean scores on the partner's dyadic coping and the patients' stigma and QOL were (68.58±14.96), (47.67±30.13) and (90.18±28.93), respectively, with a significant correlation between the partner's dyadic coping and the patients' stigma and QOL (P<0.01). And the partner's dyadic coping was found to have an evident mediating role in improving the stigma and QOL of the patients, with a mediation effect of 36.38% of the total effect. CONCLUSION The QOL of the PE patients is at a below-average level, and the partner's dyadic coping plays a mediating role in improving the stigma and QOL of the patients. Design of dyadic coping-related intervention plans is recommended to improve the partner's dyadic coping, reduce the stigma of the patients and increase their QOL.
Humans ; Quality of Life ; Male ; Adaptation, Psychological ; Premature Ejaculation/psychology* ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Sexual Partners/psychology* ; Social Stigma ; Adult ; Middle Aged

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM-5) (American Psychiatric Association, 2013) defines autism spectrum disorder (ASD) as a complex neurodevelopmental disorder that begins in early childhood and is accompanied by social communication deficits and repetitive stereotyped behaviors. According to the monitoring data released in 2021 in the United States, the prevalence of ASD in children was as high as 2.27%; that is, one in 44 children had autism (Maenneret al., 2021). China publicly reported this figure to be around 0.7% (Zhou et al., 2020). The current view is that children with ASD are generally impaired in their adaptation ability (McDonaldet al., 2016; Hodgeet al., 2021; Opertoet al., 2021). Adaptive behaviors comprise the conceptual, social, and practical skills that enable individuals to adapt to the environment, which play an important role in daily life (McDonald et al., 2019). "Adaptive behavior" was first described by Doll (1936). Subsequently, abnormalities in adaptive behavior were included in the criteria for intellectual disability for the first time (Heber, 1961). The American Association on Mental Retardation (AAMR) has refined and specified this term several times. Researchers hold different opinions on the structure of social adaptive capability. Greenspan and Granfield (1992) divided social adaptive capability into social understanding and social interaction. However, an increasing number of scholars considered that the concept of adaptive behaviors in children was constructed via multiple dimensions. The most representative one among them was the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales (VABS) proposed by Sparrow et al. (1984). This scale illustrates that adaptive behavior includes communication, daily living skills, socialization, and motor skills. Harrison and Oakland (2003) developed an Adaptive Behavior Assessment System (ABAS), by applying the theory of adaptive behavior proposed by AAMR and the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD). This system shows that adaptive behavior has three adaptive composites, namely, conceptual composite (including communication, learning function, and self-management), social composite (including leisure and social skills), and practical composite (including community application, home living, health and safety, and self-care). As there are different requirements for the social adaptive capability of children from different cultural backgrounds and various regions, Chinese scholars have translated the Normal Development of Social Skills from Infant to Junior High School Children (S-M) scale compiled by Japanese scholars into Chinese, which is now widely used in China (Zhang et al., 1995). The impairment of adaptive function in children with ASD includes multiple dimensions, such as socialization, communication, and daily living skills (Kanne et al., 2011), and the degree of impairment can predict the prognosis and outcome in real life, including education acquisition and independent living ability (Farley et al., 2009). Therefore, adaptive behavioral capacity is considered to be a key intervention point that directly affects the individual and social outcomes of autistic children (Veenstra-VanderWeele et al., 2017; Bölte et al., 2019).
Humans ; Autism Spectrum Disorder/psychology* ; Male ; Adaptation, Psychological ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Child ; Retrospective Studies ; China/epidemiology*

Background and Objective: The University of the Philippines Manila (UPM) subcommittee on students in distress was convened during the COVID-19 pandemic to develop “plans, programs and mechanisms” to deal with students experiencing distress and mental health concerns. This study was conducted as one of the activities of the Subcommittee to inform policy to address the following research objective: to describe the experiences, perceptions, and knowledge of both students and faculty members of UP Manila regarding distress. Methods: An online survey tool was created using the results from seven online focus group discussions among 20 faculty of UP Manila. The survey was conducted for one month among faculty and students sampled from the seven colleges of UP Manila and the three extension campuses of the Schools of Health Sciences. The different categories which were consistently perceived as important by both faculty and students as well as those with disparity in the perceptions between faculty and students were described and discussed. Results: A total of 136 faculty (F) and 290 students (S) participated in the study, representing 39% vs 98% (F vs S) of the target sample, respectively. Results showed that among the effects of stressors for students, avoidance of schoolwork (F79 vs S70.3%) and sleep disturbance (F79.4 vs S72.4%), were perceived by both faculty and students as the most frequently perceived response of students to stress.Among the causes of stress, unclear boundaries between school and home (F73.5 vs S63.1%), family duties (F76.5 vs S50.7%), lack of socialization (F89 vs S57.6%), limited recreational activity (F76.5 vs S64.8%), adapting to new ways of socialization (F67.6 vs S53.8%), and internet signal (F99.3 vs S88.3%) were perceived by both faculty and students as the most frequently perceived causes of stress. Among the coping mechanisms, connecting with friends online (F86.8 vs S69.7%), listening to music (F72.8 vs S78.3%), browsing social media (F82.4 vs S81%), viewing movies (F84.6 vs S74.5%), and sleeping or resting (F67.6 vs S84.1%) were perceived by both faculty and students as the most employed by students to cope with stress.Results also show that there were marked disparities in the perceptions of faculty and students. Among the effects of stressors, the largest disparities were in non-performance in academics (F86 vs S51.7%) and academic failure (F76.5 vs S53.8%). Of the causative factors, the largest disparities were in the areas of death (F94.1 vs S14.5%) or sickness in the family (F66.9 vs S0%), family issues (F82.4 vs S24.5%), financial concerns (F89 vs S36.9%), absence of physical connectedness and interaction, (F94.9 vs S23.8%) lack of socialization (F89 vs S57.6%), owning a gadget (F73.5 vs S22.1%), and lack of funds for the internet (F79.4 vs S22.4%).Among the support systems available in the university (psychosocial, academic and wellness activities of the colleges), 70% of the faculty perceived that the students were aware of the support process offered by the university. In contrast, 28% of students were aware of the support services offered to them. Conclusion This study shows that UP Manila faculty and students perceived stress due to the effects of COVID-19 on teaching, learning, and everyday living. Distress among student respondents was commonly perceived to be caused by family concerns, environmental restrictions, connectivity issues, and experiencing a sense of lack. While support services and mental health programs have been in place within the university, only 28% of students perceive that students in distress were aware of the process in receiving support.
Adaptation, Psychological ; Mental Health ; COVID-19 ; Education

OBJECTIVES: To develop a Chinese version of the Stress Adaption Scale (SAS) and to assess its reliability and validity among Chinese patients with multimorbidity. METHODS: The Brislin model was used to translate, synthesize, back-translate, and cross culturally adapt the SAS. A total of 323 multimorbidity patients selected by convenience sampling method from four hospitals in Zhejiang province. The critical ratio method, total question correlation method, and graded response model (item characteristic curve and item discrimination) were used for item analysis. Cronbach's alpha coefficient and split-half reliability were used for the reliability analysis. Content validity analysis, structural validity analysis, and criterion association validity analysis were performed by expert scoring method, confirmatory factor analysis, and Pearson correlation coefficient method, respectively. RESULTS: The Chinese version of the SAS contained 2 dimensions of resilience and thriving, with a total of 10 items. In the item analysis, the critical ratio method showed that the critical ratio of all items was greater than 3.0 (P<0.001); the correlation coefficient method showed that the Pearson correlation coefficients for all items exceeded 0.4 (P<0.01). The graded response model showed that items of the revised scale exhibited distinct item characteristic curves and all items had discrimination parameters exceeding 1.0. In the reliability analysis, Cronbach's alpha coefficient of the revised Chinese version of the SAS scale was 0.849, and the split-half reliability was 0.873. In the validity analysis, the item-level content validity index and scale-level content validity index both exceeded 0.80. In the confirmatory factor analysis, the revised two-factor model showed satisfactory fit indices (χ²/df=3.115, RMSEA=0.081, RMR=0.046, GFI=0.937, AGFI=0.898, CFI=0.936, TLI=0.915). In the criterion-related validity analysis, the Chinese version of the SAS score was negatively correlated with the Perceived Stress Scale and the Treatment Burden Questionnaire, with correlation coefficients of －0.592 and －0.482, respectively (both P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS The Chinese version of the SAS has good reliability and validity, which can be used to evaluate the stress adaption capacity among multimorbidity patients in China, and provides a reference for developing individualized health management measures.
Humans ; Adaptation, Psychological ; Asian People ; China ; Multimorbidity ; Reproducibility of Results ; Stress, Psychological/psychology* ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Translating ; Cross-Cultural Comparison

Humans ; Child ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Singapore ; Neoplasms/psychology* ; Adaptation, Psychological ; Parents/psychology*