The COVID-19 outbreak has taken a heavy toll on the mental well-being of healthcare workers. This study aims to describe a psychological screening program developed at a large University Hospital in Milan, Italy, and assess the psychological outcomes of employees and associated factors. A survey was electronically conducted among hospital employees between July and October 2020. Sociodemographic data, information about COVID-19 experience and three scales assessing anxiety (STAI-Y1), depression (HAM-D) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PCL-5) were collected. A total of 308 employees (80% women; mean age 45.1 years) responded: 16% physicians, 68% other healthcare professionals, and 16% administrative staff. Employees reported moderate/severe symptoms of anxiety (23%), depression (53%), and post-traumatic stress disorder (40%). At multivariate logistic regression analysis, having suffered a loss for COVID-19 in the personal context was independently associated with higher risk of moderate/severe anxiety (OR = 2.40; 95% CI 1.16–4.98), being female was associated with higher risk of moderate/severe depression (OR = 2.82; 95% CI 1.43–5.59), and having had a family member affected by COVID-19 was associated with higher risk of moderate/severe post-traumatic stress disorder (OR = 2.75; 95% CI 1.01–7.48). COVID-19 personal experience may have a profound impact on hospital workers’ mental health and should be considered in supportive interventions.

The COVID-19 outbreak has impacted the wellbeing of people worldwide, potentially increasing maladaptive psychological responses of vulnerable populations. Although young adults with multiple sclerosis (yawMS) might be at greater risk of developing psychological distress linked to the pandemic, they might also be able to adapt to stress and find meaning in adverse life events. The aim of the present study was to explore benefit finding in response to the pandemic in a sample of yawMS. As part of a larger project, data were collected using a cross-sectional, web-based survey. Benefit finding was analysed using a qualitative thematic approach; descriptive and inferential statistics were performed to describe the sample and compare sub-groups. Out of 247 respondents with mostly relapsing-remitting MS, 199 (31.9 ± 6.97 years) reported at least one benefit. Qualitative analysis showed that during the pandemic yawMS found benefits related to three themes: personal growth, relational growth, and existential growth. No differences in benefit finding were found between age sub-groups (18–30 vs. 31–45). Participants reported a wide range of benefits, some of which seem to be specific to MS or the pandemic. Results have been transformed into tips to be introduced in clinical practice to promote resilience in yawMS through meaning making.

Purpose of Review: Problematic social media use (PSMU) is linked to negative mental health outcomes. A clear understanding of antecedents of PSMU in mid-adolescents is lacking. The present study aims to explore protective/risk factors of PSMU and strategies to prevent or reduce PSMU in mid-adolescents. A systematic search of peer-reviewed studies published from 2014 onward was conducted on four electronic databases. The review was prospectively registered on PROSPERO (CRD42024507719). Inclusion criteria encompassed longitudinal or interventional studies focusing on mid-adolescents, assessing PSMU with validated measures. Recent Findings: The included longitudinal studies investigated a variety of sociodemographic (e.g., gender), intrapersonal (e.g., depressive symptoms) and interpersonal variables (e.g., parenting practices), finding mixed results. Longitudinal studies were considered to be of good/fair quality. Although the included interventions focused on different approaches, they were all group-based, mostly delivered in schools, with a rather short duration (4 to 8 sessions). Promising results in reducing PSMU emerged for two of them, but studies were rated as being of fair/poor quality. Summary: Despite the growing interest in PSMU, the heterogeneity and the relatively small number of studies targeting mid-adolescents make it challenging to draw definitive conclusions. More knowledge is needed on protective/risk factors of PSMU and on strategies to prevent and reduce PSMU.

Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) is a salient factor influencing adolescents' mental health in the digital age. This two-wave longitudinal study examined whether self-esteem mediates the association between emotion regulation difficulties and FoMO over a five-month interval, while controlling for baseline levels of FoMO and self-esteem, as well as age and sex. A total of 1311 adolescents (57.5% female; M = 16.4, SD = 1.1) completed self-report measures of FoMO, self-esteem (RSES), and the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale-Short Form (DERS-SF). Regression analyses showed that the DERS Strategies subscale, reflecting limited access to effective emotion regulation strategies, was the only dimension that uniquely predicted FoMO at follow-up after controlling for baseline levels. Structural equation modeling supported a mediation model, with a significant indirect effect of emotion regulation difficulties on FoMO at follow-up via self-esteem. The final model demonstrated good fit and explained 55% of the variance in FoMO at follow-up. Findings indicate that difficulties accessing adaptive regulation strategies may be associated with lower self-esteem over time, which in turn relates to higher FoMO. Interventions targeting emotion regulation and self-esteem may help mitigate FoMO-related distress in adolescence.

Background and Objectives: Fatigue, despite being one of the most common and disabling symptoms in multiple sclerosis (MS), is far from being fully understood. The aim of the present study was to explore the association between fatigue and resilience, illness perception, and mindfulness traits, accounting for the impact of anxiety and depression in young adults with MS (YawMS). Methods: For this cross-sectional exploratory analysis, the following inclusion criteria applied: age 18–45 years, MS diagnosis, Expanded Disability Status Scale <3.5. Fifty-one YAwMS (mean age: 33.5 ± 6.7 years; 76% women, 24% men; 96% relapsing-remitting MS) completed validated questionnaires. Student’s t-tests and Spearman correlations, with partial correlations controlling for anxiety and depression, were performed. Finally, a preliminary multivariate model (seemingly unrelated regression) was applied. Results: Despite low disability levels, 69% experienced moderate to severe fatigue (average fatigue score 61.9 ± 17.9). Higher total fatigue was associated with negative illness perception, particularly regarding identity and consequences (p = 0.66 and p = 0.67, respectively), and lower levels of non-judgment and non-reactivity (p = −0.48 and p = −0.54, respectively), and these relationships persisted after controlling for anxiety and depression. Although resilience was negatively correlated with fatigue, its impact was not maintained. Conclusions: Our findings emphasize the relevance of fatigue in YawMS with low disability levels. Cognitive and emotional processing might be associated with fatigue, beyond and beside disease severity itself.