| 1. |
- Andersson, Claes, et al.
(author)
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Academic self-efficacy : Associations with self-reported COVID-19 symptoms, mental health, and trust in universities' management of the pandemic-induced university lockdown
- 2022
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In: Journal of American College Health. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0744-8481 .- 1940-3208.
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objective: To investigate perceived changes in academic self-efficacy associated with self-reported symptoms of COVID-19, changes in mental health, and trust in universities’ management of the pandemic and transition to remote education during lockdown of Swedish universities in the spring of 2020. Methods: 4495 participated and 3638 responded to self-efficacy questions. Associations were investigated using multinomial regression. Results: Most students reported self-experienced effects on self-efficacy. Lowered self-efficacy was associated with symptoms of contagion, perceived worsening of mental health and low trust in universities’ capacity to successfully manage the lockdown and transition to emergency remote education. Increased self-efficacy was associated with better perceived mental health and high trust in universities. Conclusion: The initial phase of the pandemic was associated with a larger proportion of students reporting self-experienced negative effects on academic self-efficacy. Since self-efficacy is a predictor of academic performance, it is likely that students’ academic performance will be adversely affected.
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| 2. |
- Andersson, Claes, et al.
(author)
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Effects of COVID-19 contagion in cohabitants and family members on mental health and academic self-efficacy among university students in Sweden : a prospective longitudinal study
- 2024
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In: BMJ Open. - : BMJ Publishing Group Ltd. - 2044-6055. ; 14:3
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objective This study used causal inference to estimate the longitudinal effects of contagion in cohabitants and family members on university students’ mental health and academic self-efficacy during the COVID-19 pandemic. Design A prospective longitudinal study including a baseline online measurement in May 2020, and online follow-ups after 5 months and 10 months. Participants were recruited through open-access online advertising. Setting Public universities and university colleges in Sweden. Participants The analytical sample included 2796 students. Outcome measures Contagion in cohabitants and in family members was assessed at baseline and at the 5-month follow-up. Mental health and academic self-efficacy were assessed at the 5-month and 10-month follow-ups. Results Mild symptoms reported in cohabitants at baseline resulted in negative mental health effects at follow-up 5 months later, and mild baseline symptoms in family members resulted in negative effects on academic self-efficacy at follow-ups both 5 and 10 months later. Conclusions Notwithstanding the lack of precision in estimated effects, the findings emphasise the importance of social relationships and the challenges of providing students with sufficient support in times of crisis.
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| 3. |
- Andersson, Claes, et al.
(author)
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Trust in academic management during the COVID-19 pandemic : longitudinal effects on mental health and academic self-efficacy
- 2024
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In: Cogent Education. - : TAYLOR & FRANCIS AS. - 2331-186X. ; 11:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In higher education, students' trust in the university management may affect both mental health and academic self-efficacy. This longitudinal study, conducted during the most challenging course of the COVID-19 pandemic, uses multinomial regression and causal inference to estimate the effects of students' trust in their universities' strategies for managing the pandemic, on students' self-reported changes in mental health and academic self-efficacy. The analyzed sample (N = 2796) was recruited through online advertising and responded to a baseline online survey in the late spring of 2020, with two follow-up surveys five and ten months later. Results show that positive trust in university management of the pandemic protected against experiencing one's mental health and academic self-efficacy as worse rather than unchanged, both five and ten months after the baseline assessment. The findings emphasize the importance of developing and maintaining trust-building measures between academia and students to support students' mental health and academic self-efficacy in times of uncertainty.
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| 4. |
- Annell, Stefan, et al.
(author)
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Newcomers Taking Different Paths : Proximal Socialization Outcome Profiles among Police Officers
- 2022
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In: 15th EAOHP Conference 2022. Supporting knowledge comparison to promote good practice in occupational health psychology. - Nottingham : European Academy of Occupational Health Psychology. - 9780992878665 ; , s. 532-533
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Conference paper (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Background: Answering calls for an interactionist approach that would help clarify the complexity of organizational socialization, this study applied a person-centered analytic approach aiming to examine the role of proximal socialization outcome profiles for distal outcomes. Organizational socialization concerns the learning and adjustment process enabling newcomers to adapt to an organizational role. Proximal outcomes (or adjustment indicators) are assumed to reflect how well individuals adjust on their way to become organizational insiders, while distal outcomes reflect the ultimate organizational socialization outcomes. Thus, proximal outcomes precede distal outcomes, mediating effects of various organizational and individual socialization factors (known as antecedents) that foster the socialization process.Method: In this study, a person-centered analytic approach was used to examine the role of proximal socialization outcome profiles for distal outcomes. Data from new police officers in Sweden (N = 430), from three time points (T0 = Application process [spring 2008], T1 = Near end of field training [end of 2010], and T2 = Near end of first work year [end of 2011]), were analyzed. First, latent profile analysis (LPA) was performed to identify proximal outcomes profiles. Then, the identified profiles were validated by a complementary analysis, which examined differences in antecedents and distal socialization outcomes among officers with different profiles.Results: Among the new police officers, three proximal outcome profiles were identified – a vulnerable (35%), a troublesome (11%), and a successful (54%) – with profiles exhibiting distinct patterns in the proximal outcome indicators role conflict, task mastery, and social integration. Complementary analysis showed subgroup differences in some antecedents (e.g., personality and psychosocial working conditions) and distal outcomes (e.g., organizational commitment, job satisfaction, and work-related anxiety), thus emphasizing the role of personality and psychosocial working conditions in organizational socialization.Implications: The study showed that proximal socialization outcome indicators may form profiles that characterize subgroups of newcomers following different socialization paths. Depicting how the socialization process may differ among subgroups is a significant theoretical contribution that adds nuance to traditional stage models. Findings also emphasize that both psychosocial working conditions and personality are important antecedents, which support viewing organizational socialization as an interactive process including both the individual and the environment. Accordingly, the study suggests the person-centered approach as promising for gaining new insights regarding organizational socialization processes. Further, this study indicates that the socialization process was successful for most new police officers. Still, for a fairly large proportion (i.e., the Vulnerable and Troublesome groups), the proximal outcome profiles indicated a less favourable adjustment. The differences in proximal outcome profiles suggest that the Troublesome and the Vulnerable groups struggled with somewhat different adjustment challenges, which may yield organizational challenges. From an applied perspective, the findings suggest that targeting the challenges and needs that characterize different groups of newcomers may help organizations to tailor actions facilitating learning and adjustment among newcomers. Moreover, to facilitate newcomers’ socialization, organizations may also benefit from monitoring newcomers’ experiences of their working climate as well as their personality.
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| 5. |
- Annell, Stefan, 1970-, et al.
(author)
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On the same path? Profiles of proximal socialization outcomes among new police officers
- 2022
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In: Nordic Psychology. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1901-2276 .- 1904-0016. ; 74:4, s. 301-324
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Answering calls for an interactionist approach that would help clarify complex relationships among organizational socialization variables, this study applied a person-centered analytic approach aiming to examine the role of proximal socialization outcome profiles for distal outcomes. This approach is novel to organizational socialization research, contrasting the variable-centered approach dominating the field. Data from new police officers in Sweden (N = 430) were analyzed using latent profile analysis (LPA). Three proximal outcome profiles – a vulnerable (n = 151), a troublesome (n = 47), and a successful (n = 232) – were identified, with distinct patterns in the proximal outcome indicators role conflict, task mastery, and social integration. Complementary analysis showed subgroup differences in some antecedents and distal outcomes, which emphasized the role of personality and psychosocial working conditions. Thus, the findings show that proximal socialization outcome indicators may yield profiles characteristic of subgroups of newcomers who follow different socialization paths. Importantly, the findings show that a person-centered approach can add nuance to the understanding of how socialization processes differ among newcomers. While these results are promising, their generalizability to other professions and organizations remains to be investigated, which calls for continued person-centered research of organizational socialization processes.
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| 6. |
- Berman, Anne H, et al.
(author)
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Assessment and internet interventions for mental health problems among university students : Swedish partnership in the WHO World Mental Health international college student study
- 2023
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In: Abstracts from the 12th Swedish Congress on internet interventions (SWEsrii), Uppsala University, Sweden. ; , s. 9-9
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Conference paper (other academic/artistic)abstract
- One in three university students present with mental health symptoms. Help-seeking behavior is low due to emotional and practical barriers. The objectives of this session are to introduce and report on initial findings of the Swedish part of the WHO World Mental Health International College Student (WMH-ICS) project, which aims at mapping students’ mental health problems and proactively deliver internet interventions to those identified at risk.1) Project introduction: The project conducts annual epidemiological surveys with 15 universities and colleges in Sweden. Students presenting with mental health problems in surveys are offered participation in a three-arm RCT, evaluating guided or unguided transdiagnostic ICBT against waiting list. In an embedded trial-within-trial, participants in treatment showing no improvement are randomized to personally adapted treatment (1:1) at mid-treatment.2) Students' experiences of a campus-wide mental health surveyBetween 2020–2022, over 2000 college students completing the WMH-ICS survey commented on their experience with it. We report results from an analysis of the open-ended responses using Consensual Qualitative Research- Modified methodology.3) Feasibility pilot resultsIn a single-group pilot study (n=28), students screening positive for depression (PHQ-9) and/or anxiety (GAD-7) received therapist-guided transdiagnostic ICBT over 8 weeks. We report on feasibility outcomes such as recruitment, uptake, measures of acceptability, and adaptive treatment procedures.4) Implementing digital psychology in academic curriculumsThe project led to a proof-of-concept course establishment for advanced clinical psychology students and health professionals: “Digital Psychology in Theory and Practice”. We report on the course syllabus and experiences of pilot course participants.
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| 7. |
- Berman, Anne H, et al.
(author)
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Mental wellbeing in Swedish university students : protective and risk factors in a cross-sectional study
- 2023
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In: International Journal of Behavioral Medicine. - : Springer Nature. ; 30, s. S66-S67
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objective: Mental wellbeing is a fundamental aspect of the broader notion of quality of life. Little is known about the mental wellbeing of university students in general and Swedish university students in particular. As emerging adults, university students typically experience substantial changes to their living conditions, relationships, and academic stress, and depression and anxiety are prospectively associated with lower academic achievement at the end of the first year.Methods: Data from five cross-sectional cohorts (n = 7423), collected between spring 2020 and spring 2022, were compared descriptively, regarding sociodemographic factors, lifetime and past 30-day symptoms of mental health problems, experiences of bullying, feeling loved and measures of well-being. Linear regression identified protective factors for wellbeing according to the Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (SWEMWBS), and risk factors for lower wellbeing.Results: Participants were > 70% women, 24–27 years old, 75–83% born in Sweden. About one-third had experienced physical bullying at school and about 70% felt loved and cared for. About two-thirds had medium levels of wellbeing, with one-third having low levels and about 5% having high levels. Protective factors for wellbeing included older age, male gender, feeling loved most of the time, and the grit construct. Risk factors included being an international student, non-heterosexual sexual orientation, having symptoms of depression or anxiety most of the time, and experiencing effort/reward imbalance.Conclusions: A large proportion of students experience less than optimal wellbeing. Interventions to enhance positive, nurturing relationships and reinforce grit-related factors could support students in this challenging period of life.
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| 8. |
- Berman, Anne H, et al.
(author)
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Teaching digital mental health treatment in theory and practice : a proof-of-concept pilot and feasibility study
- 2023
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In: International Journal of Behavioral Medicine. ; , s. 66-66, s. 6-7
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objective: The labor market for mental health professionals increasingly requires competency in digital mental health treatment (DMHT). This presentation targets DMHT practitioners as course developers and teachers, describing proof-of-concept findings based on a) development of a remotely delivered DMHT course; and b) results from a qualitative evaluation of students’ experiences from the first course round.Methods: The course syllabus was developed through two structured workshops, attended by 11 stakeholders with DMHT experience. For the qualitative evaluation, interviews with seven women participants in the first course round were analyzed according to an inductive, phenomenographic approach.Results: The course development process established a 12-week syllabus covering historical development and evidence for DMHT and an 8-week DMHT clinical practicum treating students with common mental health problems. Examination was formulated as individual case reports encompassing reflections on a) the therapist and client roles; b) ethical aspects of DMHT; and c) future innovations for DMHT. The course is offered via a standard learning management system, with the practicum completed on a separate DMHT platform. The qualitative analysis of the first pilot course round, where students role-played therapists and clients, yielded six themes: overall course experience, treatment program and platform, therapist role, client role, supervision and the alliance.Conclusions: This proof-of-concept procedure led to course establishment in two formats: as an ordinary elective course for advanced clinical psychology students, and as a stand-alone national course for health professionals with basic psychotherapy training. Following local adaptation, the course could be replicated at additional universities globally.
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| 9. |
- Berman, Anne H., Professor, et al.
(author)
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Transdiagnostic and tailored internet intervention to improve mental health among university students : Research protocol for a randomized controlled trial
- 2024
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In: Trials. - : Springer Nature. - 1745-6215. ; 25:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Emerging adulthood is often associated with mental health problems. About one in three university students report symptoms of depression and anxiety that can negatively affect their developmental trajectory concerning work, intimate relationships, and health. This can interfere with academic performance, as mood and anxiety disorders are key predictors of dropout from higher education. A treatment gap exists, where a considerable proportion of students do not seek help for mood and anxiety symptoms. Offering internet interventions to students with mental health problems could reduce the treatment gap, increase mental health, and improve academic performance. A meta-analysis on internet interventions for university students showed small effects for depression and none for anxiety. Larger trials are recommended to further explore effects of guidance, transdiagnostic approaches, and individual treatment components.Methods: This study will offer 1200 university students in Sweden participation in a three-armed randomized controlled trial (RCT) evaluating a guided or unguided transdiagnostic internet intervention for mild to moderate depression and anxiety, where the waitlist control group accesses the intervention at 6-month follow-up. Students reporting suicidal ideation/behaviors will be excluded and referred to treatment within the existing healthcare system. An embedded study within the trial (SWAT) will assess at week 3 of 8 whether participants in the guided and unguided groups are at higher risk of failing to benefit from treatment. Those at risk will be randomized to an adaptive treatment strategy, or to continue the treatment as originally randomized. Primary outcomes are symptoms of depression and anxiety. Follow-ups will occur at post-treatment and at 6-, 12-, and 24-month post-randomization. Between-group outcome analyses will be reported, and qualitative interviews about treatment experiences are planned.Discussion: This study investigates the effects of a transdiagnostic internet intervention among university students in Sweden, with an adaptive treatment strategy employed during the course of treatment to minimize the risk of treatment failure. The study will contribute knowledge about longitudinal trajectories of mental health and well-being following treatment, taking into account possible gender differences in responsiveness to treatment. With time, effective internet interventions could make treatment for mental health issues more widely accessible to the student group.
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| 10. |
- Folkesson, Lisa, et al.
(author)
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Economic vulnerability and adolescent health : Fragile family finances and health functioning among Swedish adolescents
- 2010
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In: International Journal of Behavioral Medicine. - : Springer. ; , s. S275-S275
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: While adult health is known to vary by socioeconomic status (SES) and gender, less is known about the linkages between socioeconomic circumstances and various aspects of health in adolescents. Aim: This study set out to investigate how household financial insecurity relates to different aspects of health in adolescent girls and boys aged 10-18. Method: Data came from the Swedish Child LNU and Child-Ulf studies of 2000-2003 that include approximately 5400 children aged 10-18 who answered questions relating to health. Parents were also asked to report "cash-margin" a frequently used single-item measure asking whether parents can access 12,000 SEK in a week's time if they have to. Results: A majority, 85% of the parents were able to access 12,000 SEK in a week if necessary while 15% were unable to do so. Analyses performed separately for girls and boys showed significant main effects of cash margin on somatic health, negative functioning and positive functioning for both groups. There was no significant age x cash margin interactions. Cash margin was significantly related to stomach ache, insomnia, difficulties concentrating, irritability, short temperedness, sadness, tension/nervousness, belief in the future, endurance and happy mood in both girls and boys. Girls with no cash margin reported more headache while boys with no cash margin reported higher levels of self-assurance. No other significant relationships emerged. Discussion: While most previous studies use symptom and problem indices, this study covers multiple aspects of health functioning. To conclude, fragile family finances during adolescence as reflected in poor positive functioning and high levels of negative functioning suggest stressful living conditions that may influence academic achievement, life-choices and future health.
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