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The student population has been highly vulnerable to the risk of mental health deterioration during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. This study aimed to reveal the prevalence and predictors of mental health among students in Poland, Slovenia, Czechia, Ukraine, Russia, Germany, Turkey, Israel, and Colombia in a socioeconomic context during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study was conducted among 2349 students (69% women) from May–July 2020. Data were collected by means of the Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7), Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-8), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), Gender Inequality Index (GII), Standard & Poor's Global Ratings, the Oxford COVID-19 Government Response Tracker (OxCGRT), and a sociodemographic survey. Descriptive statistics and Bayesian multilevel skew-normal regression analyses were conducted. The prevalence of high stress, depression, and generalized anxiety symptoms in the total sample was 61.30%, 40.3%, and 30%, respectively. The multilevel Bayesian model showed that female sex was a credible predictor of PSS-10, GAD-7, and PHQ-8 scores. In addition, place of residence (town) and educational level (first-cycle studies) were risk factors for the PHQ-8. This study showed that mental health issues are alarming in the student population. Regular psychological support should be provided to students by universities.

The purpose of this study is to examine the association of anxiety with self-rated general health, satisfaction with life, stress and coping strategies of university students during the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak in Poland. A total of 914 university students, ranged in age between 18 and 40 years old ( = 23.04, = 2.60), participated in an online survey. The study was performed between 30 March and 30 April 2020, during the general coronavirus quarantine. Participants completed a standard psychological questionnaire, including General Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7), General Self-Rated Health (GSRH), Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations (CISS). The majority of students (65%) showed mild to severe GAD and a high level of perceived stress (56%). Those students who had the worst evaluated current GSRH, in comparison to the situation before the COVID-19 outbreak, also demonstrated higher levels of anxiety, perceived stress, and emotion-oriented coping styles. The study indicates that the variance of anxiety during the COVID-19 outbreak may be explained for about 60% by such variables, like high stress, low general self-rated health, female gender, and frequent use of both emotion-oriented and task-oriented coping styles. University students experience extremely high stress and anxiety during quarantine period and they need professional help to cope with COVID-19 pandemic. The results of this study may help prepare appropriate future intervention and effective prevention programs at universities.

Background: This study examined the relationship of academic performance with the Big Five traits of personality, academic motivation, and gender in a cross-cultural context. Methods: Participants in the study were 424 university students of physical education (PE) departments from Poland (53%) and Ukraine (47%). Undergraduates completed a brief version of the International Personality Item Pool (Mini-IPIP) to assess the Five-Factor model of personality, the Academic Motivations Scale (AMS), and grade point average (GPA). Results: Polish PE students scored higher in emotional stability and extroversion and had a higher GPA than Ukrainian PE undergraduates. Gender differences were found in both personality traits and academic motivation scales. Intrinsic motivation may predict academic performance. Conscientiousness and intellect emerged as mediators of the relationship between intrinsic motivation and academic performance and gender was found as a moderator in the relationship between conscientiousness and academic success. Conclusions: Women are more motivated regarding academic achievements than men. In addition to intrinsic motivation, the most important factors for academic grades are some personality traits, gender, and cultural differences. Openness and conscientiousness in men are mediators between intrinsic motivation and academic performance. The results of this study may be useful for PE academic teachers to improve the motivation of their students.

Research indicates that university and college students are at higher risk of experiencing mental health problems than other populations. This study aims to examine the relationship between Physical Activity (PA) and the mental health of Ukrainian university students during the Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic lockdown. The conventional sample consisted of 1512 students from 11 Ukrainian universities, with a mean age of 20 years (M = 20.06, SD = 3.05) and 69% of whom were female. The cross-sectional online survey was disseminated through the most popular social media channels in Ukraine (i.e., Facebook, Viber, Telegram) and included the Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) scale to measure anxiety and the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) to assess depression. Data were collected from 14 May to 4 June 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak in Ukraine. Among university students, 43% were engaged in PA ≥ 150 min weekly, 24% met the criteria of GAD, and 32% met the criteria of depression. More students were involved in PA before the COVID-19 outbreak than during the national lockdown. Students with anxiety and depression were almost two times less likely to engage in PA than their counterparts without mental health disorders. The inactive group had higher scores of anxiety and depression than the physically active group. The relationship of PA with anxiety and depression was statistically significant but weak during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Previous research on aggression in martial arts and combat sports (MA&CS) has shown mixed results. Some studies showed that MA&CS training lowers aggression levels, while other studies found it increases aggression or has no effect. To explain better this inconsistency, this study used latent class analysis to identify distinct subgroups of MA&CS practitioners based on aggression levels and related demographic and sports factors. Previous research predominantly employed a variable-centered approach to investigate the relationships between variables and their impact on outcomes. This study adopts a person-centered approach to identify subgroups that exhibit similar patterns of aggression, thereby enhancing the understanding of individual differences through variable configurations. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 367 participants aged between 16 and 57 years old ( M  = 27.28, SD  = 9.52), including 23% of women, and 76% MA&CS athletes in such disciplines as Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ), karate Kyokushin (KK), mixed martial arts (MMA), and wrestling. Participants completed paper-and-pencil self-report psychological questionnaires, including the Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire and provided demographic information. Latent class analysis was performed using aggression scores, age, gender, education, economic status, MA&CS training experience, and discipline. Three latent classes were identified: MA&CS Experts ( n  = 182), MA&CS Newbies ( n  = 95), and Non-Athletes ( n  = 90). Among MA&CS Experts were more women [χ 2 (2) = 14.55, p  < 0.001], older participants [H(2) = 236.42, p  < 0.001], more experienced [H(2) = 8.31, p  = 0.004], those with higher education [χ 2 (10) = 572.93, p  < 0.001] and economic status [χ 2 (8) = 60.67, p  < 0.001], and lower aggression scores [ F (2, 161) = 10.443, p  < 0.001], compared to MA&CS Newbies. MA&CS Newbies had higher physical aggression than Non-Athletes ( p  < 0.001). BJJ was overrepresented in the MA&CS Experts class, while KK and MMA were underrepresented [χ 2 (8) = 396.69, p  < 0.001]. The MA&CS Newbies included athletes representing all four MA&CS disciplines in a similar proportion. The results highlight the role of long-term MA&CS training in potentially reducing aggression, particularly hostility, physical aggression, and verbal aggression. Demographic factors like age, gender, education, and economic status were also important in distinguishing the latent classes. The findings suggest aggression in MA&CS is a complex phenomenon influenced by multiple socio-cultural factors. Both the type of MA&CS and socio-demographic factors should be controlled by researchers and sports coaches if the goal of training is to reduce aggression in martial arts athletes.

Background A cross-sectional study was performed to examine life satisfaction differences between university students from nine countries during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. A cross-national comparison of the association between life satisfaction and a set of variables was also conducted. Methods Participants in the study were 2349 university students with a mean age of 23 years ( M = 23.15, SD = 4.66). There was a predominance of women (69.26%) and individuals studying at the bachelor level (78%). The research was conducted between May and July 2020 in nine countries: Slovenia (n=209), the Czech Republic (Czechia)(n=308), Germany (n=267), Poland (n=301), Ukraine (n=310), Russia (n=285), Turkey (n=310), Israel (n=199), and Colombia (n=153). Participants completed an online survey involving measures of satisfaction with life (SWLS), exposure to COVID-19, perceived negative impact of coronavirus (PNIC) on students' well-being, general self-reported health (GSRH), physical activity (PA), and some demographics (gender, place of residence, level of study). A one-way ANOVA was used to explore cross-national differences in life satisfaction. The χ 2 independence test was performed separately in each country to examine associations between life satisfaction and other variables. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regressions were used to identify life satisfaction predictors among a set of demographic and health-related variables in each of the nine countries. Results The level of life satisfaction varied between university students from the nine countries. The results for life satisfaction and the other variables differed between countries. Numerous associations were noted between satisfaction with life and several variables, and these showed cross-national differences. Distinct predictors of life satisfaction were observed for each country. However, poor self-rated physical health was a predictor of low life satisfaction independent of the country. Conclusions The association between life satisfaction and subjective assessment of physical health seems to be universal, while the other variables are related to cross-cultural differences. Special public health attention should be focused on psychologically supporting people who do not feel healthy.

Background Research indicates that mental health worsened during the Coronavirus crisis, in particular among women and university students. However, few longitudinal studies have so far investigated the changes in mental health outcomes across three subsequent waves of the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, this study aims to examine changes in mental health among university students. Methods A total of 1,961university students from Poland, at mean age 23.23 years ( SD = 3.16, 57.47% of women) were included in this repeated cross-sectional study across three waves of the COVID-19 pandemic: W1 ( n = 657), W2 ( n = 654), and W3 ( n = 650). They completed the online survey with the Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), General Self-Rated Health (GSRH), and Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), as well as sociodemographic variables. Results The prevalence of people at high risk of anxiety and perceived stress, poorer physical health, and low life satisfaction changed significantly across three waves of the COVID-19 pandemic. The results of the two-way ANOVA showed that both the wave (W1W2, W1>W3), and genders (menW3, W2>W3), and was significantly worse in women than in men. The level of life satisfaction also decreased significantly in W3 (W1>W3, W2>W3), but did not differ between men and women. High GAD risk was presented two times more frequently among women and people who subjectively assessed their health as poor, three times more likely in participants dissatisfied with their lives, and seven times more probably in persons with high-stress levels. Conclusions The results of this study consistently indicate (using parametric and non-parametric statistical analysis) that there are significant differences in mental health problems across three waves of the COVID-19 pandemic. It suggests that pandemic waves should be considered in future review studies and meta-analyses. Furthermore, these findings indicate a potential role for prevention and intervention programs aimed at alleviating life satisfaction and subjective assessment of health and improving coping skills to reduce stress and anxiety.

Research using latent profile analysis (LPA) has yielded inconsistent results regarding the number of personality profiles among athletes, the specific configuration of the Big Five traits, and their interpretation. This study seeks to explore personality types by excluding additional variables from the LPA model, aiming to assess how well personality profiles are universal (independent of gender and cultural context) and can predict academic achievement in student athletes. A cross-sectional study was conducted using a paper-and-pencil questionnaire among 424 student athletes from two universities in Poland and Ukraine. The average age of participants was 20 years old (M = 20.01; SD = 2.48), 62% were male, 53% lived in Poland, and 58% studied Sports Sciences vs. 42% Physical Education. The Mini-International Personality Item Pool (Mini-IPIP) was used to assess the Big Five personality traits, and grade point average (GPA) was used to measure students’ academic achievements in the last semester. The LPA identified four personality profiles: (1) Restrained Neurotic (Profile 1, 32%), Open Extravert (Profile 2, 42%), Competitive Neurotic (Profile 3, 17%), and Cooperative Perfectionist (Profile 4, 8%). Profiles 1, 3, and 4 showed similarly low levels of emotional stability, extraversion, and intellect but differed significantly in agreeableness and conscientiousness. Gender and country differences across athletes representing specific profiles were also noted. Profile 2 showed the strongest link with academic achievement. Hierarchical multiple linear regression showed that LPA profiles explained only 2% of GPA variance, compared to Big Five personality traits (9%) and demographic variables, such as sex, country, and study major (8%), which were also included in the following steps in the regression model, explaining only 9% and 8%, respectively. Most student athletes (52%) with personality profiles 1 (Restrained Neurotic), 3 (Competitive Neurotic), and 4 (Cooperative Perfectionist) may require psychological training to better cope with negative emotions and stress arising in competitive and academic settings. Profile 2 (Open Extravert) seems to be the most adaptive and potentially successful personality type. Personality types are, at least to some extent, related to gender and country of residence. More cross-cultural research is required to further verify the types of athletic personalities.

In this study, we aimed to explain the interplay mechanism between stress, life satisfaction, and coping styles among university students. A cohort study was performed during the first (wave 1; W1) and second (wave 2; W2) waves of the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The total sample included 231 university students, of which 59.31% were women. The Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations (CISS) were included in one online survey. Stress, emotion-oriented, and avoidance-oriented coping styles increased from W1 to W2 of the COVID-19 pandemic, while life satisfaction and task-oriented coping decreased. The partial mediation effect of all three coping styles during W1 and W2 (in a cross-sectional approach) on the relationship between perceived stress and life satisfaction was confirmed in this study. The task-oriented and emotion-oriented coping styles can play a mediating role in the reciprocal relationship between life satisfaction and perceived stress during W1 and W2 of the pandemic. There were no mutual interactions between stress and life satisfaction from a longitudinal approach. Coping styles changed subsequently due to stressful environmental changes related to lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic. Having a wide range of coping strategies from which to choose during an unstable situation should help manage stress and well-being.

The conflict between work and family demands increased during the COVID-19 pandemic due to changes in lifestyle related to the lockdown. This study examines the associations between work-family conflict (WFC) and family-work conflict (FWC) with work-specific, family-specific, and well-being-related variables during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. The results may be used in practice to improve the well-being of employees by adjusting home-based work and family areas of life to dynamic changes during the pandemic. The sample of 736 adults from Poland (53.26%) and Ukraine (46.74%), aged between 19 and 72 (M = 39.40; SD = 10.80), participated in the study. The cross-sectional study was performed using an online survey, including sociodemographic variables, measures of WFC, time pressure, remote work assessment (RWAS), physical health (GSRH), life satisfaction (SWLS), perceived stress (PSS-10), anxiety (GAD-7), and depression (PHQ-9). This study showed numerous inter-group differences in all variables across the country, gender, relationship status, parenthood, caring for children under 12, and remote working status. A high WFC is more likely among Polish workers (than Ukrainian workers), people with a low level of self-perceived time pressure, and high symptoms of stress. Caring for children under 12, low self-perceived time pressure, and high stress can predict FWC. Various paths lead from perceived stress via WFC and FWC, physical health, anxiety, and depression to life satisfaction, as suggested by the structural equation modeling analysis. Parents of children under 12 and women are the most vulnerable groups for increased WFC, FWC, and worse mental health and well-being. Prevention programs should focus on reducing stress, anxiety, and work demands in these adult populations. A unique contribution to the existing knowledge revealed patterns of associations between WFC and FWC in relation to well-being dimensions in a cross-cultural context during the pandemic.