BACKGROUNDInfertility significantly impacts couples’ quality of life (QoL), with women often reporting a greater psychological burden. However, evidence regarding the effects of socioeconomic and medical variables remains mixed, particularly for couples with primary infertility in Central/Eastern Europe. This study used a dyadic approach to investigate how gender, medical history, and sociodemographic factors affect fertility-related QoL (FertiQoL) in Czech couples seeking treatment for primary infertility.PARTICIPANTS AND PROCEDUREThis cross-sectional multicenter study included 469 heterosexual couples diagnosed with primary infertility from four Czech fertility clinics. Participants completed the FertiQoL questionnaire and a sociodemographic survey. Medical data were provided by attending physicians. The Actor-Partner Interdependence Model (APIM) was employed to analyze the interdependent data from the couples.RESULTSA significant gender effect was found, with women reporting lower total, Emotional, Mind-Body, and Social FertiQoL scores than their male partners. The cause of infertility was a key moderator: men with a male-factor or mixed-factor diagnosis reported lower Emotional and Mind-Body QoL, whereas women’s scores were consistently low regardless of etiology. Prior experience with assisted reproductive technology (ART) was associated with lower Emotional scores for both partners, while lower Mind-Body scores were observed for women only. Residing in mid-sized cities and having a higher household income were associated with better QoL. Conversely, longer relationship duration was negatively associated with total, Relational, and Social scores.CONCLUSIONSThe findings underscore the necessity of integrating psychological support into standard fertility care. A dyadic, context-sensitive approach is crucial for identifying and supporting at-risk groups. Interventions should be pro-actively offered to all patients, with a targeted focus on women – especially those with prior ART experience – and men diagnosed with male-factor infertility, who represent a distinct vulnerable population requiring tailored support.

Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is a severe mood-related condition affecting 3-8% of women of reproductive age. It is characterized by affective, cognitive, and physical symptoms that occur during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle and resolve shortly after menstruation. This study explored the prevalence of self-reported psychological symptoms consistent with PMDD criteria among Italian women during the COVID-19 quarantine. We conducted a cross-sectional, anonymous online survey, which included items based on DSM-5 symptom criteria, in May 2020, using Google Forms. A total of 109 women were enrolled; 77% of the sample reported suffering from premenstrual symptoms. Approximately 36.7% of respondents reported experiencing at least five symptoms, including one core affective symptom. The results of this study are not consistent with the existing literature. These findings highlight the need for greater attention to women's mental health during periods of heightened stress.

BACKGROUNDSex addiction is a behavioural addiction that has received increasing scientific attention in recent years. Indeed, problematic sexual behaviours represent a growing clinical concern, often associated with significant emotional distress and interpersonal difficulties. In light of this, the present study aimed to investigate its psychological antecedents by exploring the role of alexithymia and dissociation, and by examining the effect of gender as a covariate.PARTICIPANTS AND PROCEDUREA sample of 326 participants completed validated self-report measures assessing alexithymia, dissociative experiences, and problematic sexual behaviour. Data analysis included ANOVAs, regression models, and a path analysis.RESULTSThe results showed that two subdimensions of alexithymia (difficulty in identifying feelings and difficulty in describing feelings) were significantly associated with higher levels of sex addiction. Moreover, the dissociation subdimension of absorption significantly mediated both relationships, while dissociative amnesia and depersonalization/derealization did not show significant mediation effects. Gender also played a role, with male participants reporting higher levels of problematic sexual behaviour.CONCLUSIONSThese findings offer novel insight into the emotional and dissociative processes underlying sex addiction. The results emphasize the central role of absorption (a form of dissociation involving deep immersion in internal experience) as a potential emotional avoidance strategy that may sustain compulsive sexual behaviours. Understanding these mechanisms can guide future research and inform the development of targeted clinical interventions. Additionally, the relevance of gender differences suggests the importance of considering sex-specific pathways in assessment and treatment planning.

Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) has had a growing impact in Western cultures, manifesting itself in social pressures to achieve physical standards, affecting both men and women. Media influences have magnified these ideals, promoting a standardized body appearance, which has generated an increase in appearance-related disorders. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated body concerns. Therefore, we aimed to determine the post-pandemic prevalence and its consequences. For these purposes, a systematic review was carried out based on the PRISMA strategy to identify relevant studies between 2019 and 2023 in databases such as Web of Science and Scopus. Selection criteria were applied, including cross-sectional or longitudinal studies that focused on populations without a previous diagnosis of BDD and used clinical instruments. Of the 52 articles identified, 10 met the inclusion criteria and were selected. Four were used for the systematic review and 6 to carry out the meta-analysis. The prevalence of BDD was high, at 20.8% (6 studies, logOR = 0.208 [95% CI: 0.121-0.294], Z = 4.69, p < .001, I2 = 98.51%). In conclusion, the restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic such as remaining in isolation, the closure of beauty services, and the increase in the use of social networks and video calls increased anxiety and stress levels in patients diagnosed with BDD and also in people with symptoms related to BDD.

It is widely known that losing a baby is a stressful experience in a woman's life. However, the mechanisms through which loss and grief affect mental health are complex and multifaceted. Based on the framework of stress-and-coping theory, this cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate the potential moderating effects of social support, resilience, and spirituality on the relationship between complicated grief and quality of life among women who have experienced pregnancy loss. Data from paper-pencil surveys were obtained from 333 Bavarian females aged 18-67 years who had suffered the loss of a pregnancy. Moderated regression modelling using 5,000 bootstrap confidence intervals was conducted to test the hypotheses. The results confirmed the moderating role of spirituality and social support. More specifically, the relationship between complicated grief and quality of life was significant when social support or spirituality was low and non-significant when levels of each moderator were high. While resilience was a positive predictor of quality of life, it did not prove to be a significant moderator in the impact of complicated grief. Our findings suggest that healthcare providers and support systems should consider tailoring interventions that focus on spirituality and social support to break the negative impact of experiences related to pregnancy loss on overall mental health. Nevertheless, it is important to note that the data were drawn from support groups organized by Caritas Germany, underscoring the need for more diverse demographic representation to enhance generaliz-ability.

The aging of societies highlights the importance of understanding the lives of the elderly. Researchers are interested in identifying factors of psychological well-being associated with age as it is crucial to find out what contributes to a fulfilling life of older people. However, the relationship of psychological well-being with adaptive and maladaptive functioning remains ambiguous. This study aimed to assess this relationship among older adults. The study involved 332 individuals aged 60 to 97, with an average age of 71.93 years, of whom 36.4% were male. A nationally representative sample of older adults was obtained using multistage stratified sampling. The short supplementary scale of the Lithuanian Psychological Well-Being Scale and Older Adult Self Report (OASR/60+) were used. The hierarchical regression analysis revealed that, even after controlling for other factors of psychological well-being, certain specific problems - namely anxiety/depression, thought problems, and irritability/disinhibition - were significant predictors of psychological well-being. Our study underscores the importance of targeting specific maladaptive behaviors, such as anxiety, thought problems, and irritability when developing interventions for the elderly. Addressing these issues may enhance their psychological well-being and contribute to successful aging.

BACKGROUNDThe aim of the article is to show the main approaches in defining employee well-being (EWB) and employee experience (EX), their antecedents and effects within organizations and the relations between these two phenomena. The second objective is to explore human resources (HR) practitioners’ knowledge of how to distinguish between the two phenomena and their approach to taking responsibility for implementing and investing in EWB and EX initiatives in organizations.PARTICIPANTS AND PROCEDUREResearch procedure leveraged computer-assisted web interview technique, where respondents filled out online version of the questionnaire, distributed through the LinkedIn platform. A total of 41 HR experts completed the questionnaire. Respondents represented large companies, mainly managers with more than 10 years of experience.RESULTSThere are significant differences between EX and EWB in the literature; however, the boundaries are blurred, especially in the context of their relations with personal and organizational outcomes resulting from increasing or maintaining the two concepts. Practitioners acknowledge the differences between the two constructs, yet the initiatives they deliver address the same goals without considering distinctions. Responsibility for managing and implementing interventions related to EWB and EX is mainly held by one subject – the HR department. Finally, no matter the approach to EX or EWB, most of the investments are focused on vocational skill development, physical health and comfortable working conditions.CONCLUSIONSDespite differences in the scientific literature, EWB and EX interpermeate conceptually and influence each other in the organizational environment. This leads to actions that are focused equally on both phenomena without regard to their impact on people and organizations. An in-depth investigation of the mechanisms responsible for creating and maintaining EWB and EX allows to understand the mutual penetrability.

Burnout and empathy are distinct but related constructs essential to effective healthcare delivery. Although their relationship is widely acknowledged, existing research shows inconclusive findings regarding the direction and the nature of this association. The predominant evidence supports a negative correlation, but studies usually did not take into account that the empathy construct is multidimensional. Little is known about the interplay of empathy and burnout dimensions in healthcare workers (HCWs), especially during the COVID-19 pandemic times. The present study was intended to fill the above-mentioned gaps. A total of 412 HCWs (nurses - 47.3%, physicians - 28.4%, psychologists - 13.6%, and other health care professionals - 10.7%), aged 21 to 69 years (M = 36.63, SD = 11.76) took part in a web-based cross-sectional study from June to November 2020. The participants filled out a survey with measures assessing two dimensions of burnout (exhaustion and disengagement), three dimensions of empathy (empathic concern - EC, personal distress - PD and perspective taking - PT), depression and anxiety symptoms. We found a negative association between the disengagement dimension of burnout with EC and PT and a positive association with PD, whereas exhaustion was positively related to EC and PD. Hierarchical regression analysis, however, revealed that EC, PT, and PD are predictors of disengagement, whereas exhaustion is predicted exclusively by PD. We also found no evidence that working in a place dedicated to COVID-19 moderated the relationships between dimensions of empathy and burnout. Previous studies suggested a negative relationship between empathy and burnout. We found, however, evidence for both positive and negative correlations between different aspects of the empathy and burnout dimensions, with positive associations of personal distress with burnout being stronger than negative associations of PT and EC with disengagement, suggesting that the relationship between empathy and burnout is more complex.

There is a need for cross-cultural research on the relationship between competitive anxiety, BMI, and sports training frequency in athletes. Especially in a post-COVID-19 world, adverse changes associated with weight gain and increased sedentary lifestyles have been observed. Whether this trend occurs in athletes and how BMI and frequency of sports training affect anxiety levels in Polish and Indian athletes are the subjects of this study. One hundred athletes were successfully recruited in India (n = 50, gender-balanced), and in Poland (n = 50, gender-balanced). Their age ranged from 18 to 30 (Indian athletes: M = 23.65, SD = 2.75; Polish athletes: M = 23.50, SD = 3.27). The level of competitive anxiety was measured using the Sports Anxiety Scale-2. Respondents were asked about demographics along with weight, height, and frequency of training. A t-test was used to compare the total anxiety score, subscale scores, and BMI between the Indian and Polish samples. A two-factor ANOVA with repeated measures was administered to evaluate the interaction between Indian and Polish athletes' trait anxiety and BMI. Moreover, the interaction between Indian and Polish athletes' BMI and frequency of sports training was also tested. The results showed that there was a significant difference between the anxiety levels of Indian and Polish athletes t(73.41) = -4.28, p < .001. The interaction between BMI and total anxiety score between Polish and Indian sports players was significant (p = .001). However, no statistically significant interaction was found between frequency of sports training and BMI. The anxiety levels are higher due to higher BMI. These adverse changes in the behavioural area and their effects on physical health also concern young athletes. Further research is necessary to assess the late impact of the pandemic on the lives of athletes as these costs are accompanied by many others localized in the psychological sphere, which are only becoming apparent.

BACKGROUNDThe study aimed to assess the differences in anxiety management types between German and Polish samples. The research was conducted in the context of health-related variables and anxiety management types during the period of March to April 2020. The research project was approved by the Ethical Committee at the Institute of Psychology at the University of Gdansk, Poland.PARTICIPANTS AND PROCEDUREGerman Sample: Consisted of 323 subjects with an average age of 46 years. 73% were females, and 26% were males. Polish Sample: Included 100 subjects with an average age of 42 years. 73% were females, and 27% were males. The study collected data on various health-related variables and anxiety management types using specific measurement procedures.RESULTSThere were significant differences in the frequency distribution of anxiety management types between the Polish and German samples (p < .001). In the Polish sample, 60% showed negative anxiety management types (Sensitizer, Repressor, Highly anxious), compared to the German sample with 52%. 40% of the Polish and 48% of the German sample showed positive expressions. There were stronger significant differences in both samples regarding health-related variables, with the Polish sample being at a disadvantage.CONCLUSIONSThe study provides a comprehensive insight into the anxiety management types between German and Polish samples, revealing distinct differences in their responses. The Polish sample exhibited a higher prevalence of negative anxiety management types compared to the German sample. These disparities can be attributed to a myriad of factors, including historical traumas, transgenerational experiences, and the influence of dominant religions in each country. The findings underscore the importance of considering cultural, historical, and religious contexts when assessing and addressing mental health and coping mechanisms across different populations. Further research with larger samples and diverse groups could offer a more nuanced understanding of these patterns and their underlying causes.