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There is a gap in understanding on how physiologically observed activity is related to the subjective, internally oriented experience during resting state. Microstate analysis is a frequent approach to evaluate resting-state EEG. But the relationship of commonly observed resting-state microstates to psychological domains of resting is not clear. The Amsterdam Resting-State Questionnaire (ARSQ) was recently introduced, offering an effective way to quantify subjective states after a period of resting and associate these quantifiers to psychological and physiological variables. In a sample of 94 healthy volunteers who participated in closed-eyes 5 min. resting session with concurrent EEG recording and subsequent filling of the ARSQ we evaluated parameters of microstate Classes A, B, C, D. We showed a moderate negative association between contribution (r = -0.40) of Class C and experienced Somatic Awareness (SA). The negative correlation between Class C and SA seems reasonable as Class C becomes more dominant when connections to contextual information (and bodily sensations as assessed with SA) are loosened (in reduced attention states, during sleep, hypnosis, or psychosis). We suggest that the use of questionnaires such as the ARSQ is helpful in exploring the variation of resting-state EEG parameters and its relationship to variation in non-sensory experiences.

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Introduction: Little is known about the impact of restrictive measures during the COVID-19 pandemic on self-image and engagement in exercise and other coping strategies alongside the use of image and performance-enhancing drugs (IPEDs) to boost performance and appearance.Objectives: To assess the role of anxiety about appearance and self-compassion on the practice of physical exercise and use of IPEDs during lockdown.Methods: An international online questionnaire was carried out using the Exercise Addiction Inventory (EAI), the Appearance Anxiety Inventory (AAI), and the Self-Compassion Scale (SCS) in addition to questions on the use of IPEDs.Results: The sample consisted of 3,161 (65% female) adults from Italy (41.1%), Spain (15.7%), the United Kingdom (UK) (12.0%), Lithuania (11.6%), Portugal (10.5%), Japan (5.5%), and Hungary (3.5%). The mean age was 35.05 years (SD = 12.10). Overall, 4.3% of the participants were found to engage in excessive or problematic exercise with peaks registered in the UK (11.0%) and Spain (5.4%). The sample reported the use of a wide range of drugs and medicines to boost image and performance (28%) and maintained use during the lockdown, mostly in Hungary (56.6%), Japan (46.8%), and the UK (33.8%), with 6.4% who started to use a new drug. Significant appearance anxiety levels were found across the sample, with 18.1% in Italy, 16.9% in Japan, and 16.7% in Portugal. Logistic regression models revealed a strong association between physical exercise and IPED use. Anxiety about appearance also significantly increased the probability of using IPEDs. However, self-compassion did not significantly predict such behavior. Anxiety about appearance and self-compassion were non-significant predictors associated with engaging in physical exercise.Discussion and Conclusion: This study identified risks of problematic exercising and appearance anxiety among the general population during the COVID-19 lockdown period across all the participating countries with significant gender differences. Such behaviors were positively associated with the unsupervised use of IPEDs, although no interaction between physical exercise and appearance anxiety was observed. Further considerations are needed to explore the impact of socially restrictive measures among vulnerable groups, and the implementation of more targeted responses.

Background: Problematic internet use (PIU) is a serious global mental health issue that especially manifested during the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Engagement in PIU as an impulsive coping with mental distress may pose a long-lasting threat to develop anxiety and depressive disorders. The first aim of our study was to investigate the prevalence of PIU and mental distress symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic among university students in Lithuania. The second aim was to test the hypothesis that PIU affects anxiety and depressive symptoms through the mediating role of impulsivity.Methods: The cross-sectional study was comprised of 619 university students (92.9% females and 7.1% males) with a mean age of 22 ± 3 years who participated in an online survey from May to November, 2020. Participants completed the following scales: the Problematic Internet Use Questionnaire-9, the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire-7, the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, and the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-11. K-means cluster analysis and one-way multivariate analysis of variance were used for group comparison in terms of internet use time and habit change during COVID-19 pandemic. Structural equation modeling was applied to examine the mediating effect of impulsivity in association between PIU and mental distress, while controlling for age.Results: In sum, 45.1% of the participants reported PIU and 38.1% had markedly expressed symptoms of anxiety while 43.6% of the students reported moderate to severe depressive symptoms. During the COVID-19 pandemic 76% of the students reported at least moderate increase in their internet use time. Anxiety and depressive symptoms were significantly higher in the group of frequent internet users. The results of the structural equational modeling analysis showed a statistically significant effect of PIU on subjective anxiety symptoms and the statistically significant effect of PIU on subjective depression symptoms, both mediated via impulsivity.Conclusions: During COVID-19 pandemic, PIU, anxiety and depression symptoms are highly prevalent among students. Findings also suggest that relationships between PIU, anxiety and depressive symptoms are mediated via impulsivity. These results underscore the importance of the inclusion of impulsivity factor in the studies analyzing longitudinal effects of PIU on mental distress during COVID-19 pandemic.

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