Background: The 2020 COVID-19 pandemic led to uncertainty, stress, significant losses, and concern for physical and mental health. University students are a vulnerable subgroup affected by the...Show moreBackground: The 2020 COVID-19 pandemic led to uncertainty, stress, significant losses, and concern for physical and mental health. University students are a vulnerable subgroup affected by the outbreak. It has adversely affected their academic and social lives. Previous findings indicate heightened anxiety, depression, and PTSD symptoms. Negative coping strategies such as alcohol consumption were used to overcome the effects of pandemic fear. The aim of the study is to investigate the link between pandemic fear and negative mental health issues, and alcohol use. Methods: The study had a cross-sectional design, involving 139 university students. Online self-report measures were used to assess pandemic fear, alcohol use, depressive, anxiety, and PTSD symptoms. The covariates age, gender, and educational level were controlled for in the statistical analyses. Multiple linear regression was used to examine the relationship between pandemic fear and depressive, anxiety, and PTSD symptoms. Moderated regression was used to examine the moderating effect of alcohol use on the above-mentioned link. Bonferroni correction was used to adjust alpha levels. Results: Pandemic fear was positively linked with depressive, anxiety, and PTSD symptoms among university students. However, although alcohol use might be used as a negative coping strategy, its moderating role on the link between pandemic fear and mental health outcomes was not statistically significant. Conclusion: Overall, as pandemic fear increased, mental health issues increased in university students. Future studies with longitudinal design and larger statistical power that considers other covariates, and has measures other than self-report might be more reliable in evaluating this further.Show less
The current research focuses on the connection between the traumatic childhood experiences of the mother and the behavioural problems of their children. In this study this is examined by looking at...Show moreThe current research focuses on the connection between the traumatic childhood experiences of the mother and the behavioural problems of their children. In this study this is examined by looking at the relationship and if this is mediated by two separate factors. This study uses data from a Dutch sample of mothers and children who stay at a women’s shelter and all have suffered from interparental violence. The participants were twelve mother-child-dyads with a variety of nationalities. The mothers were between the ages of 26 and 48 years old (M = 32.75, SD = 6.02) and their children between the ages of 1 and 6 years old (M = 3.5, SD = 1.57). The current study uses the data from the first research-appointment, in which the mothers filled out some questionnaires about themselves and their children. The relationship between mothers’ childhood trauma and the behavioural problems of their child is examined while also exploring if this relationship is mediated. It is expected that this relationship is mediated by the presence of posttraumatic stress disorder-symptoms (PTSD) of mothers and by traumatic life events. The results show no significant relationship between mothers’ childhood trauma and the behavioural problems of their children. The mediation by traumatic life events is also not found in this study. At last, the relationship is also not mediated by PTSD-symptoms in this study. While this study doesn’t have any significant findings, the possible explanations and implications for further research and practise are discussed.Show less
