Informatics Publishing Limited

Anjo George ¹, M Vinothkumar ²

Affiliations
1 Research Scholar, Department of Psychology Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, IN
2 Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, IN

Abstract

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an inflammatory disease whose causes are still unknown. RA can be a significant hardship for those who suffer from it and their families. People with RA are afraid of long-term pain, stiffness, and exhaustion from a psychological standpoint. They are concerned about the loss of function, employment impairment, and the disease's potential socioeconomic consequences. Long-term medication can be a potential threat and harm the individual. Most people experience physical and psychosocial issues more than the general population. While compared to a healthy population, patients with RA report lower quality of life in various dimensions which consists of the physical state of health, one's attitude and surroundings, and degree of freedom. The onset of rheumatic diseases significantly affects the quality of life, resulting in a reduction in life satisfaction and well-being. Quality of life constitutes physical, psychological, and social well-being and the ability to participate in daily activities. The goal of this study is to find out what factors influence the quality of life in rheumatoid arthritis patients. A sample of 90 adults diagnosed with RA aged between 40-55 years is chosen from the locality of Kerala. The personal data sheet and standardized questionnaires were used to measure the quality of life, meaning in life, hope, and mindfulness. The study results indicated that hope, meaning in life and mindfulness positively predicted quality of life. The results indicated the interplay of psychological factors of individuals with rheumatoid arthritis which may contribute to designing psychological interventions emphasizing the role of hope, meaning in life, and mindfulness.

Keywords

meaning in life, hope, quality of life, and mindfulness

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Nivetha Shri M. ¹, M. Vinothkumar ², Anjo George ³

Affiliations
1 Post Graduate Student, Department of Psychology, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, IN
2 Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, IN
3 Ph. D. Research Scholar, Department of Psychology, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, IN

Abstract

Everyone was isolated for a lengthy period during the COVID lockdown, which resulted in binge-watching. An alarming trend has been burgeoning among emerging adults with internet usage due to online streaming platforms such as Netflix, Hotstar, Amazon Prime, and others. Binge-watching is very popular, especially among the younger generation, and they have access to the internet regularly. People started spending their valuable time in front of screens and always watched episodes of series and shows repetitively in one sitting. This habit produced multiple negative outcomes and created an unbalance in society. People started desensitizing the value of time and started neglecting their physical and psychological health. The more binge-watching you do, the more sleep deprivation you'll have, which can lead to both mental and physical exhaustion. From a psychological point of view, there is a growing need to figure out the consequences of binge-watching and its related aspects. The major aim of the present study is to explore the relationship between binge-watching, sleep quality, and fatigue among emerging adults. A sample of 140 emerging adults aged between 18-22 were selected from various colleges located in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. The personal data sheet and standardized instruments were used to measure binge-watching, sleep quality, and fatigue. The study results showed that there is a significant relationship between binge-watching, sleep quality, and fatigue. Hence, the study results can be adopted to design certain psychological interventions to improve sleep quality and diminish binge-watching and fatigue.

Keywords

Binge Watching, Sleep Quality, Fatigue, and COVID.

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Danu Jaffrin A ¹, M. Vinothkumar ¹, Anjo George ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Psychology, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, IN

Abstract

Taking care of special children is a more challenging task. Handling a dependent child requires more inner resources and active efforts. Primary caregivers may experience the occurrence of multiple stressors in their day-to-day activities. All the stressors may enhance or worsen the caregiver's survival journey in a short period. All these hardships may affect their level of care for the children and also affect their functional areas, such as family, work, and social relations. To overcome these difficulties, caregivers use different strategies, and coping is one of them. The selection and use of appropriate coping mechanisms are essential in their lives. It is important to explore what kind of coping mechanism is more effective for primary caregivers and what is not accurate to them. The goal of the present study is to understand the relationship between caregiver burden and coping strategies among parents of special children. Purposive sampling was adopted, and it included a total sample of 65 in the age range between 22- 46. People who belong to the Chennai, Madurai, and Coimbatore districts of Tamil Nadu are considered for the study. The personal data sheet and standardized instruments were used to measure caregiver burden and coping. The study results showed that there is a significant relationship between caregiver burden and coping and that emotionfocused coping significantly predicted caregiver burden. The study results provide an insight into designing an appropriate psychological intervention to improve functional coping and caregiver burden.

Keywords

coping, caregiver burden, emotion-focused coping

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Anjo George ¹, M. Vinothkumar ¹

Affiliations
1 Department o f Psychology, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu ., IN

Abstract

Chronic diseases are still considered one of the leading causes of death worldwide and a major concern for national health systems. Rheumatoid arthritis is one of them with an unknown etiology. The prolonged course of illness has many impacts, and early diagnosis may provide opportunities to stop symptoms or the disease from getting worse or improve patients’ quality of life. Environmental factors and personal characteristics, such as lifestyle choices and psychological makeup, can influence how negatively a disease affects a person’s quality of life. Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) is a form of cognitive behavioral therapy that aims to reduce the painful subjective experiences that are the causes of suffering and other psychological difficulties. It focuses on the client’s ability to accept the conditions rather than control or escape them. It also helps to establish oneself with more clarity and purpose to survive the conditions. ACT involves attempts to change the existing perception by replacing specific maladaptive thoughts. It emphasizes the relative influence of conditioned thoughts and their negative influence on one’s meaningful life. The present study aims to examine the benefits of ACT-based intervention and its impact on rheumatoid arthritis patients. A review analysis showed that acceptance and commitment therapy greatly support RA patients and help manage the disease. Even though it has several benefits, it is not applied in arthritis patients as a therapeutic technique. The study recommends the inclusion of acceptance-based interventions along with pharmacotherapy to address the psychosocial problems of arthritis patients.

Keywords

rheumatoid arthritis, acceptance, and commitment therapy, and quality o f life

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Anjo George ¹, M. Vinothkumar ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Psychology, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, IN

Abstract

Education helps everyone to equip themselves to develop values and satisfy themselves by following the ideals of the culture and society. It acts as a vital component in flourishing by inculcating a sense of meaning and purpose in life. It also helps people to bring out their inherent potential and other qualities by nurturing the environment for an integrated outcome. In recent years India witnessed a gradual shift in the education sector and witnessed many repercussions. Students enrolled in higher education institutions encountered many uncertainties and challenges along with their academic demands. Doctoral students are one among them with more psychosocial problems than other academic communities. Altogether, the threats they experience in the education field limit and not allowing them for a meaningful growth and development. The current article is an attempt to portray the issues and challenges doctoral scholars deal with and also try to suggest some measures to overcome them by implementing certain recommendations.

Keywords

doctoral education, mental health, psychology, research scholars, & higher education.

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