Hopelessness and burnout in Italian healthcare workers during COVID-19 pandemic: the mediating role of trait emotional intelligence

Objective: The study aims to assess the impact of COVID-19 on healthcare workers’ work-related stress during the first wave of the pandemic in Italy. The main objective is to investigate the existence of a positive correlation between hopelessness and burnout, assuming that burnout may be  a riskfactor for the development of hopelessness, and to analyze the role thattrait Emotional Intelligence (TEI) and changes in workload could have in this relationship. Furthermore, evaluate any significant differences in burnoutand hopelessness levels in the function of some demographic variables, such as gender, professional profiles, and different working zones of Italy, tobetter understand how the diverse diffusion of the pandemic had affected Italian healthcare workers. Methods: An online survey was used to collect data between April and June,2020, with 562 responses among nurses (52.1%) and physicians (47.9%).Demographics and changes in workload and work conditions were collectedthrough an ad hoc questionnaire. The Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire-Short Form (TEIQue-SF), The Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS), and the Link Burnout Questionnaire (LBQ) were used to assess Trait Emotional Intelligence(TEI), hopelessness, and burnout, respectively. Results: Correlation analysis showed a significant positive relationship betweenhopelessness and each burnout dimension. TEI showed negative correlations both with burnout dimensions and hopelessness. Significant differences in burnout and hopelessness levels emerged as a function of some demographic variables such as gender, professional profiles (nurses or physicians), and different working zone of Italy (northern or southern). Results showed that TEI partially mediated the relationship between hopelessness and every burnout dimension,while the interaction of changes in workload was non-significant.Discussion: The mediating role of TEI in the burnout-hopelessness relationship partly explains the protective role that individual factors had on healthcareworkers mental health. Our findings support the need to integrate considerations on both psychological risk and protective factors into COVID-19 care, including the monitoring of psychological symptoms and social needs, especially among healthcare workers

EXPLORING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TRAIT EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE, ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION ON SCHOLASTIC COMPETENCE IN PRIMARY SCHOOL CHILDREN

The construct of Emotional Intelligence (EI) has been studied as a potential predictor of a good physical and psychological health. Among the different possible EI formulations, Trait EI can act as an important predictor for the good development of psychological wellbeing and social interaction during childhood, and individual differences in trait EI can be relevant for a positive adaptation, emotional competence, socio- emotional behavior and scholastic results within the school context. The present pilot study is a cross-sectional design that involved 150 children aged 8-10 years from several primary schools located in Sicily. This study is part of a larger research project and data collection is still ongoing. The main aims are to explore how TEI relate and could affect children scholastic competences such as scholastic integration and academic results, anxiety and depression and to explore gender and age differences in the selected sample in order to evaluate if these individual differences could be important to be assessed to explain children socio-emotional development. The Hypotheses are that TEI is positively related with better scholastic integration, conduct and results; High levels of depression and anxiety are negatively correlated with TEI; High levels of anxiety and depression will be negatively correlated with scholastic integration and results. The “Drawn Stories Technique” and the “Classroom Drawing” was used to measure emotional state of children and their scholastic integration respectively. Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire Child Short Form was used for Trait EI. The Anxiety Scale Questionnaire for Children was used to assess anxious symptoms. The Children Depression Inventory was used to assess possible depressive symptoms. Preliminary results showed that Academic performance was measured through children’s final school grades and school conduct. Preliminary results showed that, consistent with the hypotheses, TEI was negatively and significantly correlated both with anxiety (r=-396;p<0,01) and depression (r=-521;p>0,01) Exploring these constructs may have practical implications and could be used for the identification of emotional as well as school maladjustment

Potential uses of anthropogenic noise as a source of information in animal sensory and communication systems

Although current research on the impact of anthropogenic noise has focused on the detrimental effects, there is a range of ways by which animals could benefit from increased noise levels. Here we discuss two potential uses of anthropogenic noise. First, local variations in the ambient-noise field could be used to perceive objects and navigate within an environment. Second, introduced sound cues could be used as a signal for prey detection or orientation and navigation. Although the disadvantages of noise pollution will likely outweigh any positive effects, it is important to acknowledge that such changes may benefit some species