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This research aimed to explore the effects of physical activity and training routine on mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic and the proclaimed emergency state and curfew. To measure the mental health components of psychological distress and subjective well-being, two studies were conducted on different samples: Study 1 during the beginning of curfew in Serbia (N = 678) and Study 2 during the ending phase (N = 398). The results of Study 1 showed that elite athletes as well as those with high level of physical activity experienced the lowest distress. Furthermore, effects of the changes in the training routine on distress among physically active individuals depended on the level of sports participation with elite athletes who reduced trainings showing lower anxiety compared to recreational athletes who reduced trainings as well or kept the same training routine. Thus, we could conclude that in the early stage of the pandemic, elite athletes showed better mental health and adaptability to the crisis situation. Results of Study 2 showed that although all the participants had decreased well-being during the curfew, compared to the period before the pandemic and the curfew, there were no differences in well-being between elite and recreational athletes, who had higher well-being compared to non-athletes. However, this effect held both before and during the curfew showing that physically active individuals did not additionally benefit from this decrease compared to the non-active. Furthermore, athletes who became physically inactive showed lower well-being compared to those who kept the same training routine. Thus, in the later stage of the pandemic, prolonged physical inactivity had negative effects on mental health.

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Although it is one of the central concepts of Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy (REBT), unconditional self-acceptance has not been sufficiently empirically examined, especially not experimentally. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the effects of unconditional self-acceptance on mental health indicators in an egoprovoking experimental situation. For a sample of 182 students, we simulated the situation of public speaking. After the simulation, participants were given previously prepared and randomly assigned positive, neutral and negative feedback.

Partic ipation in long-distance races such as a marathon, half, and mini-marathon has become increasingly popular in the last few years in Serbia, and the same trend is evident in a number of other countries. Why does an increasing number of people go beyond limits of ordinary recreation and jogging and participate in such a demanding activity? Data from 289 runners (54% male) who had completed at least one endurance running (ER) race, assessing their motivation (MOMS), positive and negative affect, and subjective well-being has been collected. After testing the original theoretical MOMS model using confirmatory factor analysis, recommendations for the scale and its latent structure were given and the relations between that latent structure and mental health outcomes were examined. Our results suggest that ER is more than physical recreation or competition. Coping with negative emotional states represents a significant reason for practicing ER. As such, it could be understood as a strategy for improvement in the emotional well-being domain, which is an essential component of overall mental-health, hence, the main underlying reason why a large number of people participates in such a physically demanding task.

Prema teoriji Racionalno emotivno bihejvioralne terapije (REBT), iracionalna uverenja predstavljaju uzročne mehanizme uključene u nastanak psiholoških poremećaja i problema (David, Freeman, & DiGiuseppe, 2009). U praksi postoji razvijen sistem konsultativnog rada sa nastavnicima, zasnovan na identifikaciji i osporavanju specifičnih iracionalnih uverenja (Bora, Bernard, Trip, Decsei-Radu, & Chereji, 2009; Terjesen & Kurasaki, 2009). Dosadašnja istraživanja u ovoj oblasti su se ticala psihometrijske operacionalizacije iracionalnih uverenja nastavnika, kao i vezom između tih uverenja i nastavničkog stresa (Bora et al., 2009). Mi pretpostavljamo da osim uverenja postoje i specifični organizacijski izvori stresa u školama koji utiču na nivo nastavničkog stresa. Cilj ovog istraživanja bio je ispitivanje veze između izvora stresa na radu (u školama), specifičnih iracionalnih uverenja i nivoa psihološkog distresa kod nastavnog osoblja. Uzorak u istraživanju činilo je 186 nastavnika i učitelja oba pola, iz osnovnih i srednjih škola sa teritorije Zrenjanina i Sombora (Vojvodina). Prosečna starost ispitanika je 40 godina. Instrumenti korišćeni za prikupljanje podataka su: Skala nastavničkih iracionalnih uverenja (The Teacher Irrational Belief Scale – TIBS), Izvori radnog stresa (IRS) i Skala depresivnosti, anksioznosti i stresa (Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale – DASS-21). Za obradu podataka korišćeno je strukturalno modelovanje. Rezultati ukazuju da i stresori na radu i iracionalna uverenja imaju direktnog uticaja na distres. Uverenja, dakle, predstavljaju parcijalne medijatore u ovoj vezi. To je očekivan rezultat koji je objašnjen razlikovanjem 'zdravog' i 'nezdravog' emocionalnog odgovora u REBT teoriji i praksi.

2Cilj ovog istraživanja je provera validnosti srpske adaptacije Upitnika emocionalne regulacije (Emotion Regulation Questionnaire -ERQ: Gross & John, 2003). ERQ počiva na Grossovom Procesnom modelu nastanka emocija prema kojem regulacija emocija može nastati pre i posle javljanja emocionalnog odgovora. Ovim upitnikom se mere dve strategije emocionalne regulacije: Kognitivna preformulacija (KP) koja se dešava pre nego što se emocionalni odgovor razvije i odnosi se na reinterpretaciju emocionalno pobuđujuće situacije, i Emocionalna supresija (ES) koja se odnosi na regulaciju već nastalog emocionalnog odgovora. U prvoj studiji je, na uzorku od 623 ispitanika iz opšte populacije (35.5% muških, prosečna starost 27.97), proveravana faktorska struktura upitnika ERQ. Konfirmatornom faktorskom analizom je kao najbolji izdvojen model koji pretpostavlja dva faktora -ES i KP, s tim što je za KP pretpostavljena bifaktorska struktura. Pokazano je da se deo varijanse KP može pripisati efektu metoda koji više potiče od ajtema koji se odnose na preformulaciju pozitivnih emocija. U drugoj studiji, na uzorku od 223 studenata, proveravana je divergentna validnost skala ERQ-a preko korelacija sa osobinama ličnosti HEXACO modela i sa dimenzijama afekta. Ispitane su korelacije i sa sirovim skorovima ERQ-a i sa skorovima koji su parcijalizovani u odnosu na metodski efekat. Iako su korelacije sa parcijalizovanim skorovima nešto više, generalno nema razlika u njihovoj značajnosti, odnosno efekat metoda je praktično zanemarljiv. Emocionalna supresija ostvaruje negativnu povezanost sa Emocionalnošću, Ekstraverzijom i Pozitivnim afektom, a Kognitivna preformulacija ostvaruje pozitivne veze sa Ekstraverzijom i Pozitivnim afektom, a negativne sa Negativnim afektom, čime je potvrđena validnost skala ERQ-a.Ključne reči: emocionalna regulacija, ERQ, kognitivna preformulacija, emocionalna supresija 2 Rad je nastao u okviru projekta Ministarstva prosvete, nauke i tehnološkog razvoja "Nasledni, sredinski i psihološki činioci mentalnog zdravlja" (ON179006).

Recent studies have demonstrated that social isolation during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the mental and physical health of people worldwide. However, it remains unknown whether physical activity can improve mental health in a state of emergency. The present study aimed to examine the importance of physical exercising and stress management mechanisms (problem-focused, emotion-focused, and avoidant) in the context of mental health indicators (depression, anxiety, and nonspecific stress) in conditions of social isolation during COVID-19-induced lockdown in Serbia. The sample consisted of 680 adults (66% female), mean aged 35.91years (SD = 12.45). The results indicated a significant relation between physical exercising and a reduced stress response and confirmed the usefulness of the already well-known problem-focused strategies. Avoidant and emotion-focused coping were associated with poorer mental health outcomes. However, as a moderator, physical activity lowered anxiety levels in individuals prone to emotion-focused coping.