The Covid-19 pandemic obliged people around the world to stay home and self-isolate, with a number of negative psychological consequences. This study focuses on the protective role of character strengths in sustaining mental health and self-efficacy during lockdown. Data were collected from 944 Italian respondents (mean age = 37.24 years, SD = 14.50) by means of an online survey investigating character strengths, psychological distress and Covid-19-related self-efficacy one month after lockdown began. Using principal component analysis, four strengths factors were extracted, namely transcendence, interpersonal, openness and restraint. Regression models with second-order factors showed that transcendence strengths had a strong inverse association with psychological distress, and a positive association with self-efficacy. Regression models with single strengths identified hope, zest, prudence, love and forgiveness as the strengths most associated with distress, love and zest as the most related to self-efficacy and zest to general mental health. Openness factor and appreciation of beauty showed an unexpected direct relation with psychological distress. These results provide original evidence of the association of character strengths, and transcendence strengths in particular, with mental health and self-efficacy in a pandemic and are discussed within the field of positive psychology.

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Background Adaptability regulates individuals' cognitive, behavioural and emotional responses to new, unexpected and uncertain situations, but to date no study has analysed whether adaptability contemporarily favours cognitive, behavioural and emotional aspects of learning. Aims This study aims to address this gap by examining (i) the direct relations between adaptability and achievement emotions, self‐regulated learning strategies and academic self‐efficacy and (ii) the direct and indirect relations between adaptability and academic achievement and life satisfaction through and over the other study‐related factors. Sample A total of 1083 students (415 males, Mage = 13.37, SDage = 1.97, age range = 10–18) in grades 6–12 participated to the study. Method Questionnaires were used to measure students' adaptability, positive and negative achievement emotions, self‐regulated learning strategies, academic self‐efficacy and life satisfaction. Schools provided grades obtained by each student at the end of the academic year. Results A path analysis based on 1083 students (10–18 years old) confirmed that adaptability directly relates to the three study‐related factors considered and to life satisfaction and indirectly relates to academic achievement and life satisfaction—through the mediation of the other variables. Conclusions The results, discussed in accordance with the self‐regulated learning theory, enlarge the nomological framework of adaptability and highlight its importance for emotional, behavioural and cognitive aspects of self‐regulated learning.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic forced most Italian athletes to cease their regular training activities, with possible consequences on both mental and physical health. The present study aimed at assessing changes in Physical Activity (PA) from pre- to lockdown, and examining the relationships among lockdown PA, quality of life (mental and physical health), motivation to exercise, psychological distress, intolerance of uncertainty, and body dissatisfaction.Methods: A total of 204 athletes of different sports (91 elite; 110 females; mean age = 22.55, SD = 5.76) answered an online survey investigating demographics, sport-related questions, PA (IPAQ-S), quality of life (SF-12), and psychological variables (BREQ-2, DASS-21, IUS-R, and EDI-3-Body dissatisfaction subscale).Results: Both elite and non-elite athletes significantly reduced their PA intensity and volume (p < 0.001). Elite athletes did not differ from non-elite in terms of total PA intensity and hours of training during lockdown (p > 0.05). Elite and individual athletes showed higher intrinsic motivation to exercise compared to non-elite and team sports (p < 0.01). Female athletes displayed higher distress, worse mental health, and higher body dissatisfaction than males (p < 0.05). Mediation models showed that vigorous PA positively affected both mental (p < 0.05) and physical (p < 0.001) health during lockdown, independently of distress and intolerance of uncertainty.Conclusion: The COVID-19 lockdown was taxing for athletes, particularly professionals; those who were able to practice PA at high intensity during lockdown reported better mental and physical health.