This study was aimed to adapt and analyze the psychometric properties of the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) in its full (PSS-14) and two short versions (PSS-10, PSS-4). Psychometric analysis of the Russian versions of the PSS was performed on a sample of 558 Russian-speaking respondents, including 278 men and 280 women aged 18 to 78 (M=48.10; SD=13.91). The participants completed the Russian versions of the PSS and Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21). The factor validity of the PSS was assessed by exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, which indicated a two-factor structure, including distress factor (direct-item scale) and coping factor (reverse-item scale). Perceived stress scores correlated positively on all versions of the PSS with psychological distress scores on the DASS-21. The internal reliability of the adapted scales was revealed by α-Cronbach’s coefficients, whose values were α=0.841 for PSS-14, α=0.831 for PSS-10, and α=0.703 for PSS-4. The known-groups validity was confirmed by the fact that women scored higher on perceived stress on the PSS-14, PSS-10, and PSS-4. In conclusion, the PSS-10 is preferred for research tasks and the PSS-4 can be used in time-limited testing conditions.

The spread of SARS-CoV-2 infection has increased the risk of mental health problems, including post-traumatic stress disorders (PTSD), and healthcare workers (HCWs) are at greater risk than other occupational groups. This observational cross-sectional study aimed to explore the symptoms of depression, anxiety, and PTSD among dental HCWs in Russia during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The survey was carried out among 128 dental HCWs from three dental clinics of Ekaterinburg, Russia. The mean age of the sample was 38.6 years. Depression, anxiety, and stress were assessed using the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21); PTSD was assessed using the PTSD Symptom Scale-Self-Report (PSS-SR); subjective distress was assessed using the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R). The results indicated that 20.3–24.2% HCWs had mild to extremely severe symptoms of psychological distress, and 7.1–29.7% had clinical symptoms of PTSD. No differences between females and males were revealed. HCWs working directly with patients had significantly higher levels of PTSD symptoms and the risk of PTSD development compared to those working indirectly, whereas older HCWs had significantly higher levels of both psychological distress and PTSD symptoms compared to younger HCWs. Thus, dental HCWs are at high risk for psychological distress and PTSD symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Aim. The Generalized Anxiety Disorder–7 is the «gold standard» for assessing anxiety in clinical and population studies. The aim of this study was to adapt the Russian version of the GAD–7. Method. In this cross–sectional study, 1,130 respondents participated. They were recruited through accidental sampling. The participants completed the Russian versions of the GAD–7 and the Patient Health Questionnaire–9 (PHQ–9) measuring the severity of depressive symptomatology. Results. The factor structure of the Russian version of the GAD–7 corresponds to both a unidimensional model that measures the general anxiety score and a two–dimensional model that highlights the cognitive–emotional and somatic components of anxiety. The adapted scale has high internal reliability (α = 0,93) and convergent validity, confirmed through statistically significant positive correlations between the GAD–7 and the PHQ–9 scores. Conclusion. The Russian version of the GAD–7 is valid and reliable and can be recommended for assessing anxiety in the general population. Avenues for further psychometric examining lie in expanding validation procedures and involving clinical samples to prove the specificity and sensitivity of the GAD–7, and to determine its diagnostic capabilities in clinical research and practice.

The healthy lifestyle of people around the world has changed dramatically during the COVID-19 pandemic. The personality risk factors for these processes from around the world remain understudied. This study aimed to examine the associations of the Big Five traits with a healthy lifestyle during the COVID-19 pandemic. In a cross-sectional study, data from 1215 Russian university students were analyzed. Participants completed the Big Five Inventory-10 and Short Multidimensional Inventory Lifestyle Evaluation. The results showed that personality traits predicted many dimensions of a healthy lifestyle during the COVID-19 pandemic. Diet and nutrition were positively predicted by extraversion, agreeableness, and conscientiousness, and it was negatively predicted by neuroticism. Substance abuse was positively predicted by agreeableness and conscientiousness, and it was negatively predicted by extraversion. Physical activity was positively predicted by extraversion and conscientiousness, and it was negatively predicted by neuroticism. Stress management was positively predicted by extraversion and conscientiousness, and it was negatively predicted by neuroticism. Restorative sleep was positively predicted by extraversion and conscientiousness, and it was negatively predicted by neuroticism. Social support for healthy practices was positively predicted by extraversion, agreeableness, and conscientiousness. Environmental exposures were positively predicted by extraversion, and neuroticism was positively and negatively predicted by conscientiousness. Our findings may be useful for further exploration of personality risk factors for healthy practices in challenging life circumstances.

The aim of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Russian version of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). The participants were 1800 Russians, including 1076 (59.8%) women and 724 (40.2%) men aged 18 to 90 years (M=30.2; SD=14.5). They completed the Russian version of the PHQ-9. The results showed that the Russian PHQ-9 had high internal reliability (α-Cronbach=0.89). The single-factor structure of the Russian PHQ-9, confirmed by exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis, highlights the factor validity of the adapted questionnaire. Among the Russians surveyed, 34.4% had high depression, from 22.1% to 81.7% of the participants reported various symptoms of depressive disorders. Depressive symptoms were more common in women and younger respondents, with the exception of complaints about sleep problems, which were more common in older respondents. Further psychometric tests of the Russian PHQ-9 should attract objective data and people with diagnosed depressive disorders.

Objective: Previous studies highlighted a high prevalence of mental health issues among students during the COVID-19 pandemic, but there is no evidence from Russia. This study was aimed to examine the prevalence of somatic and psychological distress among Russian university students. Method: The cross-sectional study was conducted in March-April 2021. The participants were university students from several regions of Russia (N = 1236). The Patient Health Questionnaire-15 and Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scales-21 were used to measure the somatic and psychological distress. Results: The prevalence of somatic burden, depression, anxiety, and stress was 72.2%, 54.7%, 63.4%, and 55.4%, respectively. Somatic burden, anxiety, and stress were more frequently observed in females and students with experience of COVID-19 disease compared to males and students without experience of COVID-19 disease. Conclusions: These data illuminate the high prevalence and potential risk factors for somatic and psychological distress among Russian university students and determine the importance of psychoeducation and preventive measures in the Russian university environment.