Mental Health, Culture and Resilience—Approaching the COVID-19 Pandemic From a South African Perspective

Mashaphu, Sibongile; Talatala, Mvuyiso; Seape, Sebolelo; Eriksson, Lennart; Chiliza, Bonginkosi

doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2021.611108

Cited by 16 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 25 publications

(23 reference statements)

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“…Stress at an early stage of working life can contribute to burnout, depression, and unfavorable work outcomes in later life, depending on the life course perspective [ 14 , 15 ]. Various psychosocial interventions have been suggested to overcome stress, such as relaxation, mindfulness practices, or social engagement, ideally performed in groups [ 16 , 17 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mental Health Mobile Apps in the French App Store: Assessment Study of Functionality and Quality

Carrouel¹,

Vigneulles²,

Bourgeois³

et al. 2022

JMIR Mhealth Uhealth

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Background Approximately 800 million people, representing 11% of the world’s population, are affected by mental health problems. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated problems and triggered a decline in well-being, with drastic increase in the incidence of conditions such as anxiety, depression, and stress. Approximately 20,000 mental health apps are listed in mobile app stores. However, no significant evaluation of mental health apps in French, spoken by approximately 300 million people, has been identified in the literature yet. Objective This study aims to review the mental health mobile apps currently available on the French Apple App Store and Google Play Store and to evaluate their quality using Mobile App Rating Scale–French (MARS-F). Methods Screening of mental health apps was conducted from June 10, 2022, to June 17, 2022, on the French Apple App Store and Google Play Store. A shortlist of 12 apps was identified using the criteria of selection and assessed using MARS-F by 9 mental health professionals. Intraclass correlation was used to evaluate interrater agreement. Mean (SD) scores and their distributions for each section and item were calculated. Results The highest scores for MARS-F quality were obtained by Soutien psy avec Mon Sherpa (mean 3.85, SD 0.48), Evoluno (mean 3.54, SD 0.72), and Teale (mean 3.53, SD 0.87). Mean engagement scores (section A) ranged from 2.33 (SD 0.69) for Reflexe reussite to 3.80 (SD 0.61) for Soutien psy avec Mon Sherpa. Mean aesthetics scores (section C) ranged from 2.52 (SD 0.62) for Mental Booster to 3.89 (SD 0.69) for Soutien psy avec Mon Sherpa. Mean information scores (section D) ranged from 2.00 (SD 0.75) for Mental Booster to 3.46 (SD 0.77) for Soutien psy avec Mon Sherpa. Mean Mobile App Rating Scale subjective quality (section E) score varied from 1.22 (SD 0.26) for VOS – journal de l’humeur to 2.69 (SD 0.84) for Soutien psy avec Mon Sherpa. Mean app specificity (section F) score varied from 1.56 (SD 0.97) for Mental Booster to 3.31 (SD 1.22) for Evoluno. For all the mental health apps studied, except Soutien psy avec Mon Sherpa (11/12, 92%), the subjective quality score was always lower than the app specificity score, which was always lower than the MARS-F quality score, and that was lower than the rating score from the iPhone Operating System or Android app stores. Conclusions Mental health professionals assessed that, despite the lack of scientific evidence, the mental health mobile apps available on the French Apple App Store and Google Play Store were of good quality. However, they are reluctant to use them in their professional practice. Additional investigations are needed to assess their compliance with recommendations and their long-term impact on users.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mental Health Mobile Apps in the French App Store: Assessment Study of Functionality and Quality

Carrouel¹,

Vigneulles²,

Bourgeois³

et al. 2022

JMIR Mhealth Uhealth

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“…For instance, when social isolation increases adult psychological distress and precipitates anger (Brooks et al, 2020). Moreover, as in this study, space proximity with confinement to an overcrowded house may have triggered adult stress responses (Mashaphu et al, 2021;Russell et al, 2020). Children are at risk of psychological maladjustment when parents cannot attend to children's physical, emotional and schooling needs (Maree, 2021;Thibodeau-Nielsen et al, 2021).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 59%

“…Likewise, Ting et al (2021) found that cultural responses and religious beliefs moderate everyday stress and major life crises such as the effects of the pandemic. Similarly, religious and cultural events in South Africa lie at the heart of communities’ social systems and contribute to a sense of connectedness and belonging ( Mashaphu et al, 2021 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Risks and opportunities for children's well-being in resource-constrained multigenerational households during COVID-19: Implications for school psychology interventions

Mohangi

2022

School Psychology International

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The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic had a global impact on family social and economic well-being. Individuals and families sought alternative living arrangements as a result of the financial crisis, health implications, and housing insecurity, with many joining multigenerational households. However, it is unknown how multigenerational family life affects children's well-being. Therefore, this qualitative study explored risks and resilience-building opportunities for children's psychological and social well-being in resource-constrained multigenerational households during the COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa. Five multigenerational families were selected through snowball sampling and case design. The three generations of participants were grandparents ( n = 5), parents ( n = 7), and children ( n = 4). Data were gathered through a questionnaire and interviews. The study received institutional ethics approval. After thematic analysis, two themes and six sub-themes were identified. Risks were related to interpersonal conflict, family collective fear of COVID-19, and children's multiple other fears. Opportunities were identified as academic support, shared responsibilities, life skills and values acquisition, and family cohesion. Results demonstrated the potential risks and resilience-building opportunities multigenerational households present for children's psychosocial well-being. Multisystemic influences in a multigenerational household contribute to children's adjustment. These outcomes necessitate systemic school psychology interventions. Longitudinal studies are recommended to explore child well-being trends in multigenerational households in varying socioeconomic contexts.

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“…Social capital is intrinsically linked to the resilience of individuals and communities and the two dimensions mutually influence each other. The response to Covid has determined interesting phenomena of resilience in low-income countries and there are studies, especially conducted in Africa, that show the connections between Covid, vulnerability and resilience ( 61 – 64 ).…”

Section: The Sources Of Health Disparities and The Mental Health Care...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Social Vulnerability and Mental Health Inequalities in the “Syndemic”: Call for Action

Mezzina

Gopikumar

Jenkins³

et al. 2022

Front. Psychiatry

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Covid-19 is referred to as a “syndemic,” i.e., the consequences of the disease are exacerbated by social and economic disparity. Poor housing, unstable work conditions, caste, class, race and gender based inequities and low incomes have a profound effect on mental health and wellbeing. Such disparities are increasing between, among and within countries and are exacerbated by human rights violations, in institution and in society, stigma and discrimination. Social capital can mediate health outcomes, through trust and reciprocity, political participation, and by mental health service systems, which can be coercive or more open to demand of emancipation and freedom. Societal inequalities affect especially vulnerable groups, and Covid itself had a wider impact on the most socially vulnerable and marginalized populations, suffering for structural discrimination and violence. There are complex relations among these social processes and domains, and mental health inequalities and disparity. Participation and engagement of citizens and community organizations is now required in order to achieve a radical transformation in mental health. A Local and Global Action Plan has been launched recently, by a coalition of organizations representing people with lived experience of mental health care; who use services; family members, mental health professionals, policy makers and researchers, such as the International Mental Health Collaborating Network, the World Federation for Mental Health, the World Association for Psychosocial Rehabilitation, the Global Alliance of Mental Illness Advocacy Networks (GAMIAN), The Mental Health Resource Hub in Chennai, India, The Movement for Global Mental Health (MGMH) and others. The Action Plan addresses the need for fundamental change by focusing on social determinants and achieving equity in mental health care. Equally the need for the politics of wellbeing has to be embedded in a system that places mental health within development and social justice paradigm, enhancing core human capabilities and contrasting discriminatory practices. These targets are for people and organizations to adopt locally within their communities and services, and also to indicate possible innovative solutions to Politics. This global endeavor may represent an alternative to the global mental discourse inspired by the traditional biomedical model.

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Mental Health, Culture and Resilience—Approaching the COVID-19 Pandemic From a South African Perspective

Cited by 16 publications

References 25 publications

Mental Health Mobile Apps in the French App Store: Assessment Study of Functionality and Quality

Mental Health Mobile Apps in the French App Store: Assessment Study of Functionality and Quality

Risks and opportunities for children's well-being in resource-constrained multigenerational households during COVID-19: Implications for school psychology interventions

Social Vulnerability and Mental Health Inequalities in the “Syndemic”: Call for Action

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