The COVID-19 pandemic and related restrictions can impact mental health. To quantify the mental health burden of COVID-19 pandemic, we conducted a systematic

University or College years seem to be a stressful time for students due to many challenges: academic, personal adjustment to a new life, and socially building new friendships. Life satisfaction is considered one of the basic components of psychological well-being. Studies have supported that lower levels of life satisfaction have been related to high levels of anxiety. Also the constructs of assertiveness and empathy seem to be related with life satisfaction. The present study compares 1 st and 4 th-year undergraduate students in relation to variables such as life satisfaction (The Life Satisfaction Index), stress, (STAI) assertiveness (Rathus Assertiveness Schedule) and empathy (Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI)). The participants were in total 410, 1 st year (N = 205) and 4 th year (N = 205) undergraduate students. All findings are discussed in detail; some main results showed that: 1) Independently of sex students had similar anxiety levels; life satisfaction was significantly higher among those with low state anxiety but not with low trait anxiety; 2) Trait anxiety score analysis revealed nonsignificant results; 3) Young women are more life satisfied compared to young men among 1 st year students; 4) The percent of students with high life satisfaction is significantly higher among those that grew up in urban and semi-urban regions compared to those that grew up in other regions. The findings of the present study emphasize the need to explore ways to help undergraduate students to adjust during their academic years and life at the University.

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Abstract:The presented study examined the Active Empathic Listening Scale's (AELS) validity and reliability in a sample of 3955 Greek educators of all teaching levels and specialties. The sample was randomly split and an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was conducted in the even subsample to evaluate the scale's construct validity. A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was performed in the odd subsample to confirm the three-factor model identified by the EFA. The chi square test (χ 2 ) of the model was significant (p < 0.05), due to the large sample size. The root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA), the comparative fit index (CFI), and the goodness of fit index (GFI) values were 0.080, 0.971, and 0.962, respectively, further supporting the fit of the three-factor model. Cronbach's alpha coefficient was used to test internal consistency reliability and was satisfactory exceeding 0.76 for AELS' subscales. The intercorrelations of the three subscales were all positive and significant (p < 0.001), ranging from 0.46 to 0.54. Student's t-tests and the computation of effect sizes showed that women, principals, and those who had received training in mental health promotion scored higher on all three subscales. Age and years of teaching experience were also positively correlated with most of the AELS' subscales, but the correlations were very low. The analyses confirmed the three-factor model of AELS and demonstrated its validity and reliability in measuring Greek teachers' active listening attitudes.

George, a 23-year-old Greek student, was referred by a psychiatrist for treatment to a University Counseling Centre in Athens. He was diagnosed with social anxiety disorder and specific phobia situational type. He was complaining of panic attacks and severe symptoms of anxiety. These symptoms were triggered when in certain social situations and also when travelling by plane, driving a car and visiting tall buildings or high places. His symptoms lead him to avoid finding himself in such situations, to the point that it had affected his daily life. George was diagnosed with social anxiety disorder and with specific phobia, situational type (in this case acrophobia) and was given 20 individual sessions of cognitivebehavior therapy. Following therapy, and follow-up occurring one month post treatment, George no longer met the criteria for social phobia and symptoms leading to acrophobia were reduced. He demonstrated improvements in many areas including driving a car in and out of Athens and visiting tall buildings.

The present study aimed at testing and exploring the psychometric properties of the Counselor Burnout Inventory (CBI) in Greek school counsellors. Two hundred school counsellors from all over Greece participated in the study. The confirmatory study revealed four dimensions of the Greek version of CBI; namely, exhaustion, deterioration in personal life, incompetence, and negative work environment. Adequate psychometric properties of the version were revealed as well. The results also showed a negative relation between age and three dimensions of CBI, imposing the need for special training offered to young school counsellors in order for them to cope effectively and early enough with the burnout syndrome.

Conspiracy theories can have particularly harmful effects by negatively shaping health-related behaviours. A significant number of COVID-19 specific conspiracy theories emerged in the immediate aftermath of the pandemic outbreak. The aim of this study was to systematically review the literature on conspiracy theories related to COVID-19 during the first year of the pandemic (2020), to identify their prevalence, their determinants and their public health consequences. A comprehensive literature search was carried out in PubMed and PsycINFO to detect all studies examining any conspiracy theory related to COVID-19 between January 1st 2020, and January 10th 2021. Forty-three studies were included with a total of 61,809 participants. Between 0.4 and 82.7% of participants agreed with at least one conspiracy belief. Certain sociodemographic factors (young age, female gender, being non-white, lower socioeconomic status), psychological aspects (pessimism, blaming others, anger) and other qualities (political conservatism, religiosity, mistrust in science and using social media as source of information) were associated with increased acceptance of conspiracy theories. Conspiracy beliefs led to harmful health-related behaviours and posed a serious public health threat. Large-scale collaborations between governments and healthcare organizations are needed to curb the spread of conspiracy theories and their adverse consequences.

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