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Mentalizing, Resilience, and Mental Health Status among Healthcare Workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study

Author

Listed:
  • Teodora Safiye

    (Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, Svetozara Markovića 69, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia)

  • Medo Gutić

    (Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, Svetozara Markovića 69, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia
    Public Health Institution Health Center “Dr Branko Zogovic”, Hridska bb, 84325 Plav, Montenegro
    Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Dr Subotića 8, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia)

  • Jakša Dubljanin

    (Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, Svetozara Markovića 69, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia
    Department of Cardiology, University Clinical Hospital Center Zemun, Vukova 9, 11080 Belgrade, Serbia)

  • Tamara M. Stojanović

    (Faculty of Philology and Arts, University of Kragujevac, Jovana Cvijića bb, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia)

  • Draško Dubljanin

    (Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, Svetozara Markovića 69, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia
    Department of Pulmonology, University Clinical Hospital Center Zvezdara, Dimitrija Tucovića 161, 11120 Belgrade, Serbia)

  • Andreja Kovačević

    (Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, Svetozara Markovića 69, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia
    Department of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation, Institute for Rehabilitation Belgrade, Sokobanjska 17, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia)

  • Milena Zlatanović

    (Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, Svetozara Markovića 69, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia
    Department of Medical Studies Ćuprija, Academy of Educational and Medical Vocational Studies Kruševac, Bulevar Vojske bb, 35230 Ćuprija, Serbia)

  • Denis H. Demirović

    (Department of Psychology, Faculty of Philoshopy and Arts, State University of Novi Pazar, Vuka Karadžića 9, 36300 Novi Pazar, Serbia)

  • Nemanja Nenezić

    (Department of Medical Studies Ćuprija, Academy of Educational and Medical Vocational Studies Kruševac, Bulevar Vojske bb, 35230 Ćuprija, Serbia)

  • Ardea Milidrag

    (Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, Svetozara Markovića 69, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia)

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused unprecedented stress on healthcare professionals worldwide. Since resilience and mentalizing capacity play very important preventive roles when it comes to mental health, the main goal of this study was to determine whether the capacity for mentalizing and resilience could explain the levels of depression, anxiety, and stress among healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study was conducted in Serbia on a sample of 406 healthcare workers (141 doctors and 265 nurses) aged 19 to 65 (M = 40.11, SD = 9.41). The participants’ mental health status was evaluated using the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale—DASS-42. The Reflective Functioning Questionnaire was used to evaluate the capacity for mentalizing. Resilience was assessed using the Brief Resilience Scale. The results of the correlation analysis showed that there were negative correlations between resilience and all three dimensions of mental health status: depression, anxiety, and stress. Hypermentalizing was negatively correlated with depression, anxiety, and stress, while hypomentalizing was positively correlated. Hierarchical linear regression analysis showed that both resilience and hypermentalizing were significant negative predictors of depression, anxiety, and stress, and that hypomentalizing was a significant positive predictor of depression, anxiety, and stress. Furthermore, socioeconomic status was a significant negative predictor of depression, anxiety, and stress. Marital status, number of children, and work environment were not statistically significant predictors of any of the three dimensions of mental health status among the healthcare workers in this study. There is an urgent need to establish and implement strategies to foster resilience and enhance the capacity for mentalizing among healthcare workers in order to minimize the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health.

Suggested Citation

  • Teodora Safiye & Medo Gutić & Jakša Dubljanin & Tamara M. Stojanović & Draško Dubljanin & Andreja Kovačević & Milena Zlatanović & Denis H. Demirović & Nemanja Nenezić & Ardea Milidrag, 2023. "Mentalizing, Resilience, and Mental Health Status among Healthcare Workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(8), pages 1-14, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:8:p:5594-:d:1128181
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Isidora Vujčić & Teodora Safiye & Bojana Milikić & Emina Popović & Draško Dubljanin & Eleonora Dubljanin & Jakša Dubljanin & Milanko Čabarkapa, 2021. "Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Epidemic and Mental Health Status in the General Adult Population of Serbia: A Cross-Sectional Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-15, February.
    2. Ahmed Yassin & Abdel-Hameed Al-Mistarehi & Khalid El-Salem & Reema A. Karasneh & Sayer Al-Azzam & Aref A. Qarqash & Aws G. Khasawneh & Anas M. Zein Alaabdin & Ola Soudah, 2022. "Prevalence Estimates and Risk Factors of Anxiety among Healthcare Workers in Jordan over One Year of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(5), pages 1-20, February.
    3. Vittorio Lenzo & Alberto Sardella & Alessandro Musetti & Maria Cristina Petralia & Irene Grado & Maria C. Quattropani, 2022. "Failures in Reflective Functioning and Reported Symptoms of Anxiety and Depression in Bereaved Individuals: A Study on a Sample of Family Caregivers of Palliative Care Patients," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-9, September.
    4. Thanakrit Jeamjitvibool & Cherdsak Duangchan & Andria Mousa & Wiriya Mahikul, 2022. "The Association between Resilience and Psychological Distress during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(22), pages 1-17, November.
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