The endorsement of conspiracy theories may be increased by subjectively perceived stress. Yet, it is not known whether this correlation is caused by the effects of the acute stress reaction on the brain or other psychological, social, or methodological factors. The effect of an experimentally induced acute stress reaction on conspiracy thinking was tested on a sample (n = 115) of students of medicine. Although the stress procedure caused a substantial increase in salivary cortisol, there was no significant effect on endorsing conspiracy theories or adopting conspiracy interpretations of novel information. The results confirmed no effect of the acute stress reaction on conspiracy thinking, suggesting it may be absent or weaker than expected. The study demonstrated the viability of psychophysiological experimental design in conspiracy research and may inspire further examination of the physiological mechanisms underlying susceptibility to conspiracy theories.

• Klíčová slova
• Conspiracy theories, Maastricht Acute Stress Test, cortisol, stress,
• MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• hydrokortison analýza   metabolismus   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladý dospělý MeSH
• psychický stres * psychologie   MeSH
• sliny chemie   MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladý dospělý MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• hydrokortison MeSH

ABSTRACTBackground: European health care workers recently experienced serious challenges to their mental health. Following the extremely stressful experience of the COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine caused a humanitarian influx of refugees in need of social and healthcare. We aimed to explore: (1) how working with refugees has affected the mental well-being of health care workers in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, and (2) the nature of health care workers' emotional strain related to the refugee situation and the war in Ukraine.Methods: We used a combination of quantitative regression analyses and qualitative content analysis to assess data collected by an online questionnaire in 2022. The study included 1121 health care workers from the Czech arm of the international HEROES Study.Results: Quantitative findings did not indicate that working with Ukrainian refugees was reliably associated with a greater occurrence of symptoms of depression, anxiety, distress, or burnout. Qualitative analysis revealed five categories of emotional strain: impacts on working conditions, emotional reactions to refugees and the war, comparisons with the COVID-19 pandemic, and coping strategies.Conclusions: This study highlights the resilience of health care workers but also points to the need for ongoing support to address the complex emotional challenges they face during health crises.

Although we did not find a significant association between working with refugees and mental health issues, health professionals encountered emotionally challenging situations.Emotionally challenging situations involved reactions to the war and refugees, worsening working conditions, and higher subjective strain than during the COVID-19 pandemic.When comparing health workers caring for with refugees and COVID-19 patients, we found differences in their mental health issues.

• Klíčová slova
• COVID-19 pandemic, Migración, Migration, Russian-Ukrainian war, emotional strain, guerra ruso-ucraniana, malestar psicológico, pandemia de COVID-19, psychological distress,
• MeSH
• adaptace psychologická MeSH
• COVID-19 * psychologie   epidemiologie   MeSH
• deprese psychologie   epidemiologie   MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• duševní zdraví * MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• pandemie MeSH
• profesionální vyhoření * psychologie   epidemiologie   MeSH
• průzkumy a dotazníky MeSH
• psychický stres * psychologie   MeSH
• SARS-CoV-2 MeSH
• uprchlíci * psychologie   MeSH
• úzkost psychologie   epidemiologie   MeSH
• zdravotnický personál * psychologie   statistika a číselné údaje   MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Česká republika epidemiologie   MeSH
• Ukrajina etnologie   MeSH

People worldwide are confronted with environmental and sociopolitical stressors that act as potent sources of subjective uncertainty. The uncertainty arising in response to the volatility and unpredictability of adversities is amplified by their representation or misrepresentation in media news. While the causal effect of media news on vicarious traumatization has been well established, we argue that the impact of negative media news is principally related to distress and anxiety stemming from the uncertainty-inducing effect of media representations of the state of the world. As a growing body of research suggests, minimizing uncertainty related to global stressors is a significant driver of media news use. However, extensive media exposure perpetuates stress and is associated with symptoms of psychopathology. The self-perpetuating vicious circle of worry and excessive media consumption has been amply confirmed by new research related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, attempts to alleviate stress and anxiety stemming from uncertainties often result in maladaptive strategies. In particular, the adoption of rigid behavioral patterns may prompt various forms of socially detrimental behavior. Critical factors in prevention and remediation include limiting media overexposure and implementing therapeutic interventions that focus on increasing tolerance to uncertainty.

• Klíčová slova
• anxiety, cognitive psychology, media news, social context, stress, uncertainty,
• MeSH
• COVID-19 psychologie   MeSH
• duševní zdraví * MeSH
• hromadné sdělovací prostředky * MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• nejistota MeSH
• psychický stres * psychologie   etiologie   MeSH
• úzkost psychologie   etiologie   MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

BACKGROUND: The importance of stress in cancer has been noted by physicians since the time of Galen. However, it is only in the last two decades that combined oncological and neuroscientific research has allowed to explore this relationship in an exact way and to describe the pathways and mechanisms that mediate the stimulatory effect of stress on cancer. This adverse effect of stress is mediated mainly by the mediators of the sympathoadrenal system, norepinephrine and epinephrine, which, by activating adrenergic receptors in the tumor micro- and macro-environment, stimulate tumor cell proliferation and neoangiogenesis and inhibit antitumor immunity, reducing the efficacy of standard anticancer therapies. It has also been found that interventions reducing the effects of stress on the body not only improve the quality of life of cancer patients but may also improve their survival. Given the complexity of the impact of stress on the organism, experimental and clinical studies have overwhelmingly focused on investigating the effect of a single intervention reducing the stimulatory influence of the sympathoadrenal system on the cancer process. PURPOSE: The aim of this opinion article is to highlight the possibility of a synergistic effect of a combination of several interventions limiting the activation of the sympathoadrenal system and, based on the available data, to propose a combination of these interventions that is applicable in the supportive treatment of cancer patients even nowadays. CONCLUSION: The Protocol Synergy, which includes non-pharmacological interventions aimed at reducing the effects of stress on the cancer patient, has the potential to improve the quality and, in certain patients, the prognosis of their disease. Although the introduction of this protocol into routine clinical practice will require addressing the personnel and financial aspects associated with its implementation, it has the potential to significantly improve the level of care for cancer patients.

• Klíčová slova
• cold, exercise, heart rate variability, propranolol, psychotherapy, smoking, stress, sympathoadrenal system,
• MeSH
• kvalita života MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• nádory * psychologie   terapie   patofyziologie   MeSH
• psychický stres * terapie   patofyziologie   MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• přehledy MeSH

AIM: To describe coping strategies and infertility stress in men and women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment. To determine whether there are differences in coping strategies between men and women and to identify adaptive and non-adaptive coping strategies for infertility. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A correlational study, where 162 patients (99 women and 63 men) with primary infertility undergoing IVF treatment at Sanus Pardubice completed the Fertility Problem Inventory and COPE Inventory psychological questionnaires. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between women and men in experiencing infertility stress. The coping strategies used most frequently by both men and women were Positive Reinterpretation, Planning, and Acceptance; men used the strategies Restraint, Suppression, and Planning significantly more frequently than women; and women used the strategies Using Emotional Social Support and Religious Coping significantly more frequently than men. For both women and men, level of Global infertility stress significantly correlated with Denial in the positive direction and with Positive Reinterpretation and Acceptance in the negative direction. CONCLUSION: Involuntarily childless women and men in IVF treatment experience similar infertility stress, but use slightly different coping strategies. For both men and women, Positive Reinterpretation and Acceptance emerged as adaptive strategies, while Denial emerged as non-adaptive.

• Klíčová slova
• IVF treatment, coping strategies, gender differences, stress,
• MeSH
• adaptace psychologická * MeSH
• copingové dovednosti MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• fertilizace in vitro * psychologie   MeSH
• infertilita * psychologie   terapie   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• psychický stres * etiologie   MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

Moral injury is defined as a deep sense of transgression, including feelings of shame, grief, meaninglessness, and remorse from having violated core moral beliefs. This study aimed to adapt the Moral Injury Symptom Scale-Healthcare Professionals (MISS-HP) for measure this concept in the Czech Republic and explore its psychometric properties. Sample of healthcare providers (N = 694) completed the MISS-HP questionnaires, the Shirom Melamed Burnout Measure (SMBM) and the Professional Quality of Life scale (PROQoL). Cronbach´s alpha of MISS-HP was found to be 0.62; exploratory factor analysis returned 4 factors. Correlations with SMBM and PROQoL were moderate (from 0.31-0.46), which confirmed the construct validity of MISS-HP. ROC curve analysis identified the optimal cut-off score at 42 points with 75% sensitivity and 69% specificity. Female gender, younger age and atheism were related to higher symptoms of moral injury. Czech MISS-HP was found to be a valid and reliable measure of moral injury.

• Klíčová slova
• Covid-19, Healthcare professionals, MISS-HP, Moral injury,
• MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• kvalita života MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mravy * MeSH
• profesionální vyhoření * psychologie   diagnóza   MeSH
• průzkumy a dotazníky MeSH
• psychometrie * metody   MeSH
• reprodukovatelnost výsledků MeSH
• zdravotnický personál * psychologie   MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Česká republika MeSH

The COVID-19 pandemic placed significant psychological strain on healthcare workers. Our study tracked health care workers in the Czech Republic throughout the pandemic to examine the impact of stressors on psychological distress over time and explore gender differences in these associations. We studied health care workers from the Czech arm of the international COVID-19 HEROES Study who took part in all three waves of data collection in 2020, 2021 and 2022 (n = 264). We employed a path model to examine the relationships among six stressors (low trust in workplace, assignment of new tasks, prioritization of patients, experience of death due to COVID-19, experience of discrimination or violence, contact with COVID-19 patients), psychological distress (measured by General Health Questionnaire), and covariates (age, gender, occupation). We incorporated autoregressive paths and interactions to assess the longitudinal impact of stressors. Prior levels of distress predicted subsequent distress, with significant carry-over effects observed between each wave. Stressors had direct association to distress in the same wave of data collection (2020 and 2021), but not in subsequent waves, and stressors in 2022 did not have a significant direct effect to distress. Men reported lower distress in 2020 and 2021, but not in 2022. Furthermore, no significant interactions between stressors and gender were found. Age and occupation were not related to distress levels. There is a need for adaptable mental health support that addresses current stressors through targeted interventions, while also providing ongoing monitoring beyond crises, particularly for individuals with high distress levels.

• Klíčová slova
• COVID-19, Distress, Health care worker, Occupational stressors, Pandemic,
• MeSH
• COVID-19 * psychologie   epidemiologie   MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• pandemie MeSH
• pracovní stres psychologie   MeSH
• průzkumy a dotazníky MeSH
• psychický distres * MeSH
• psychický stres * epidemiologie   MeSH
• SARS-CoV-2 MeSH
• zdravotnický personál * psychologie   MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Česká republika epidemiologie   MeSH

Conflict deeply affects human experiences, frequently testing individual resilience to its breaking point and leaving enduring psychological and societal wounds. The current conflict in Ukraine, initiated by Russia's invasion in 2022, illustrates this phenomenon by altering regional relationships and triggering a major humanitarian crisis marked by extensive displacement, loss of life, and emotional turmoil. This study explores the factors influencing hope and distress in Ukraine alongside six nearby European countries during the ongoing conflict. A cross-sectional survey collected data primarily via internet panel samples from the Czech Republic, Georgia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Ukraine in the second year since the war's initiation. The current study utilised validated instruments, collecting data on levels of hope, distress, individual resilience, community resilience, societal resilience, morale, sense of danger, perceived security threats, and demographic characteristics. Hope and distress levels differ across countries, with Ukraine exhibiting the highest levels of both (3.74 ± 1.02 and 2.89 ± 0.87, respectively). Overall, average scores of hope were higher than average distress levels. Across the regression models for the seven countries, hope showed strong associations with individual (between β = 0.089 and β = 0.327) and societal resilience (between β = 0.206 and β = 0.514), while morale (between β = -0.104 and β = -0.479) and individual resilience (between β = -0.077 and β = -0.335) displayed a protective relationship against distress (all β values were significant, p < 0.01). Monitoring hope and distress is crucial during the Russian-Ukrainian war and other adversities, as these factors give insight into the current and future psychological states of affected populations. The results offer valuable information that can guide the development of tailored strategies to enhance hope and buffer distress in war-impacted countries, as well as those experiencing its broader effects. Fostering individual and societal resilience, alongside enhancing morale, may strengthen hope and mitigate distress amid adversity. Developing targeted interventions that address each population's unique needs, as well as their sociocultural and geopolitical contexts can enhance efficacy.

• MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladý dospělý MeSH
• naděje * MeSH
• ozbrojené konflikty * psychologie   MeSH
• průřezové studie MeSH
• psychická odolnost * MeSH
• psychický distres * MeSH
• psychický stres * psychologie   MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladý dospělý MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Rusko MeSH
• Ukrajina MeSH

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Despite the last decade's significant development in the scientific study of work addiction/workaholism, this area of research is still facing a fundamental challenge, namely the need for a valid and reliable measurement tool that shows cross-cultural invariance and, as such, allows for worldwide studies on this phenomenon. METHODS: An initial 16-item questionnaire, developed within an addiction framework, was administered alongside job stress, job satisfaction, and self-esteem measures in a total sample of 31,352 employees from six continents and 85 cultures (63.5% females, mean age of 39.24 years). RESULTS: Based on theoretical premises and psychometric testing, the International Work Addiction Scale (IWAS) was developed as a short measure representing essential features of work addiction. The seven-item version (IWAS-7), covering all seven components of work addiction, showed partial scalar invariance across 81 cultures, while the five-item version (IWAS-5) showed it across all 85 cultures. Higher levels of work addiction on both versions were associated with higher job stress, lower job satisfaction, and lower self-esteem across cultures. The optimal cut-offs for the IWAS-7 (24 points) and IWAS-5 (18 points) were established with an overall accuracy of 96% for both versions. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: The IWAS is a valid, reliable, and short screening scale that can be used in different cultures and languages, providing comparative and generalizable results. The scale can be used globally in clinical and organizational settings, with the IWAS-5 being recommended for most practical and clinical situations. This is the first study to provide data supporting the hypothesis that work addiction is a universal phenomenon worldwide.

• Klíčová slova
• Bergen Work Addiction Scale, compulsive overworking, cross-cultural, validation study, work addiction, workaholism,
• MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladý dospělý MeSH
• návykové chování * diagnóza   MeSH
• pracovní stres * diagnóza   MeSH
• pracovní uspokojení * MeSH
• průzkumy a dotazníky MeSH
• psychiatrické posuzovací škály * normy   MeSH
• psychometrie MeSH
• reprodukovatelnost výsledků MeSH
• sebepojetí MeSH
• srovnání kultur MeSH
• zaměstnanost psychologie   MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladý dospělý MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• validační studie MeSH

BACKGROUND: Maternal-fetal attachment might be associated with maternal mental health issues, but previous results have been inconsistent, particularly regarding prenatal anxiety. We compared maternal-fetal attachment between pregnant women with and without symptoms of antenatal depression and anxiety. Additionally, we examined the relationships between prenatal depressive and anxiety symptoms, psychosocial stress, and maternal-fetal attachment. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study involving a sample of 2,233 pregnant women. The data were collected between March 2021 and March 2023 at outpatient clinics in the Czech Republic. We used self-report questionnaires to assess symptoms of prenatal depression (Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, EPDS), anxiety (Perinatal Anxiety Screening Scale, PASS), psychosocial stress (Prenatal Psychosocial Profile, PPP), and maternal-fetal attachment (Prenatal Attachment Inventory - Revised, PAI-R). RESULTS: Women without symptoms of antenatal depression had higher total scores on the PAI-R (U = 336,357; p = .013) and on the PAI-R Interaction subscale (U = 322,913; p < .001), suggesting a higher quality of maternal-fetal attachment than women with symptoms. No other significant associations were found between antenatal depression, anxiety and the PAI-R subscales scores. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that women experiencing increased depressive, but not anxiety, symptoms in pregnancy, have a poorer quality of attachment to their child, although the effect size is small. Consequently, treating prenatal depression in women could have a positive effect on maternal-fetal attachment.

• Klíčová slova
• Antenatal anxiety, Antenatal depression, Maternal-fetal attachment, Pregnancy,
• MeSH
• deprese * psychologie   epidemiologie   MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• komplikace těhotenství * psychologie   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• maternofetální vztahy * psychologie   MeSH
• mladý dospělý MeSH
• připoutání k objektu * MeSH
• průřezové studie MeSH
• psychický stres * psychologie   MeSH
• těhotenství MeSH
• úzkost * psychologie   epidemiologie   MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladý dospělý MeSH
• těhotenství MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Česká republika epidemiologie   MeSH