ULiège
" The objective of this study is to better understand children's experiences and understanding of this coronavirus crisis. Our purpose is to approach this experience through a drawing. According to Romano (2010), the child's drawing shows the state of his defence mechanisms and the achievement of his elaboration capacities. Several studies have highlighted the stress felt, or even the symptoms of acute stress and post-traumatic stress, in cases of confinement (Qiu et al., 2020; Brooks et al., 2020). Within this framework, we aim to study children's perceptions of the coronavirus and what it means for them. The guideline is intended to be relatively broad in order to allow the child to let go of his or her imagination and give us access to his or her experiences. In previous research, children were asked to draw their perceptions of the September 11, 2001 attacks. What emerges from this study is that most of the children draw elements characteristic of this event, namely...

Read more: Adélaïde Blavier, Professor - Alicia Gallo, Researcher

ULiège
" As the coronavirus epidemic progresses throughout the country, it imposes exceptional sanitary measures on undertakers in order to slow down its spread. In the event of a patient's death, the federal government has issued strict instructions to funeral staff for the care of the body of a patient who died as a result of a coronavirus infection. The body of the deceased must automatically be placed in a double biodegradable body bag before being transferred to the mortuary (The Royal Federation of Funeral Directors of Belgium a.s.b.l., 2020). It is then impossible for families to proceed with the placing. The body must be placed in a single coffin without delay. The coffin will be closed definitively without the possibility of an act of thanatopraxy. In view of these important changes in the care of the deceased, it is likely that funeral workers will develop difficulties or disorders in connection with the performance of their work. It is therefore necessary to investigate...

Read more: Adélaïde Blavier, Professor - Laetitia Di Piazza, PhD Student- Researcher

ULiège
" The objective of this study is to better understand the situation of families during this period of confinement and to analyze the relationship between the parents' and children's reactions. More specifically, the goal is to learn about the anxiety factors and stress management techniques used by parents and children during this particular period and their influence on their sense of parental competence. Several studies have highlighted the stress felt, and even the symptoms of acute stress and post-traumatic stress, in cases of confinement (Qiu et al., 2020; Brooks et al., 2020). Moreover, in previous studies, we have already demonstrated links between the stress felt by parents and that developed by children through intergenerational transmission in the case of traumatic situations (Gallo et al., 2019). In this framework, we wish to study the links between the stress felt by the parent and that felt by the child in the current confinement situation that we are familiar...

Read more: Adélaïde Blavier, Professor - Stéphanie Chartier, PhD Student- Researcher

UClouvain
" Development and validation of questionnaires assessing mental health problems (e.g. social anxiety) as well as transdiagnostic processes involved in psychopathology (e.g., repetitive thinking, perfectionism). Conducting online cross-sectional and longitudinal survey exploring mental health and its psychological determinants. Conducting experimental studies exploring the role of emotion regulation in several psychological problems (e., anxiety, depression, eating disorder, alcohol use disorder). "
Publication References: Douilliez, C., Baeyens, C., & Philippot, P. (2008). Validation d'une version francophone de l'Echelle de Peur de l'Evaluation Négative (FNE) et de l'Echelle d'Evitement et de Détresse Sociale (SAD). Revue Francophone de Clinique Comportementale et Cognitive, 13, 1-11.
Heeren, A., Douilliez, C., Peschard, V., Debrauwere, L., & Philippot, P. (2011). Cross-cultural consistency of the Five Facets Mindfulness Questionnaire: Adaptation and validation in...

Read more: Céline Douilliez, Professor

ULiège
" "La situation de confinement que nous traversons en raison de la crise sanitaire actuelle est une situation inédite, pouvant avoir un impact sur la charge mentale, la fatigue ressentie au quotidien ainsi que la qualité de notre sommeil. Le confinement modifie aussi plusieures dimensions susceptibles d'impacter la qualité des souvenirs autobiographiques. Le nombre et la variété des loisirs diminuent, le contexte des journées change peu et nous avons moins de contacts avec des personnes variées. Par ailleurs, la menace du virus peut modifier notre vision de l'avenir, avec l'impression qu'on pourrait avoir moins de temps à vivre qu'on le pensait (Cartensen, 2006). Nos souvenirs autobiographiques de la période avant le confinement et d'événements vécus pendant le confinement pourraient être modifiés en termes de degré d'épisodicité et de valence émotionnelle. Le projet est réalisé sous forme d'un questionnaire en ligne et vise généralement à explorer une association entre la...

Read more: Christina Schmidt, Chercheuse qualifiée FNRS - Christine Bastin, Chercheuse qualifiée FNRS -...

Erasme Hospital
" Objectifs : L'épidémie du coronavirus a eu des conséquences délétères sur la santé mentale de la population générale1,2. Aucune étude ne s'est encore penchée sur l'impact psychologique du coronavirus sur les proches des patients ayant été infectés par le covid-19. Cette étude permet de comparer les proches de patients survivants ayant séjourné ou n'ayant pas séjourné en soins intensifs, des proches de patients décédés. Méthodologie : Les familles (N=200) dont le proche a séjourné en soins intensifs ou en unité COVID à l'hôpital Erasme seront contactées par téléphone et invitées à compléter des questionnaires en ligne au minimum 1 mois après la sortie d'hospitalisation de leur proche, ou après son décès, et ensuite 6 mois après la première évaluation. Les variables psychologiques qui seront évaluées sont : (1) la qualité de vie (The Mc Gill Quality of Life Questionnaire), les symptômes anxieux et dépressifs (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, HADS), les...

Read more: Delphine Canivet, PhD

CHU Liege/ULiège
" La nouvelle pandémie COVID-19 modifie la prise en charge des patients oncologiques. Le premier objectif de notre projet est d'étudier la sécurité de la poursuite des traitements systémiques anti-tumoraux dans le contexte actuel de pandémie. Le deuxième objectif est de comprendre les inquiétudes et les ressentis de nos patients par rapport au risque d'attraper l'infection et leurs conséquences. Le troisième objectif est d'évaluer le taux d'infection et de séroconversion asymptomatique chez nos patients en comparaison à la population globale. Le quatrième objectif est de mieux comprendre les raisons de détresse du personnel soignant en oncologie afin de mieux organiser des mesures de soutien psychologique. "
Funding: Fondation Leon Frederic Fonds propres Oncologie Médicale
Contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

ULB Huderf
" Children's mental health in Belgium during the Covid19 crisis. Study of the child psychiatry department of the Queen Fabiola Children's University Hospital (Huderf, ULB). Background: In the covid19 pandemic context, physical health has taken the precedence over mental health while it is documented that, in case of natural disaster, depression symptoms, substance abuse, post-traumatic symptoms and domestic violence increase into the general population (e.g., Bland, O'Leary, Farinaro et al., 1996). The security measures to protect the population against covid19 contamination have changed our everyday life: physical distance or "social distance" modifies social relationships (Yip & Chau, 2020). The effect of these measures on children and adults can still not be estimated. Indeed, the anxious climate, maintained among other things by the media, has also a serious impact on the general population's mental health. In Belgium, a first study has showed that, in the...

Read more: Isabelle Lambotte, Psychologist, PhD - Mouna Al Husni, Doctor - Sandrine Deplus, Psychologist, PhD...

UMONS
" The 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic is a public health emergency of international concern. Authorities and population are facing a global health crisis which pose a challenge to adapt quickly and effectively. The aim of this preliminary study was to survey the general public in Belgium to better understand their levels of psychological impact, anxiety and stress during the initial stage of containment. The data also explored tips and tricks immediately adopt by the population to manage containment. From 20 March to 28 March 2020, we conducted an online survey using snowball sampling techniques on social network. The online survey collected information on demographic data, stress level in the past 7 days, knowledge and concerns about COVID-19 and the impact of using technologies for taking information and stay connected to others, precautionary measures (tips and tricks) during the beginning of containment, and additional information required with respect to...

Read more: Jennifer Denis, PhD in psychology research and teaching associate

Hôpital Erasme - ULB
" Background: In the Covid-19 pandemic context, all healthcare teams face clinical, organizational and technical challenges given the contagion, severity and mortality characteristics of the disease. Methods: A cross-sectional multicentric study (NCT04344145) aiming to compare levels of burnout, emotional distress and needs between frontline Covid-19 and non-Covid-19 healthcare workers has been conducted between April 16th and May 25th. Physicians, nurses and physiotherapists were recruited from emergency care units and Covid-19 care units (target group) and from non-Covid-19 care units (control group) from Erasme Hospital, Jolimont-Lobbes Hospital and Mons-Warquignies Hospital (N = 603). Participants completed self-reported questionnaires and scales. A mixed-mode data collection was carried out, either in paper form or web-based form. Assessment provided socio-demographic characteristics and professional information. It also measured professional fulfillment and...

Read more: Julien Tiete, Dr

UMONS
" The UMONS Health Research Institute, on the initiative of Justine Gaugue, Laurence Ris and Mandy Rossignol, in collaboration with the MUMONS, have set up a user-friendly and pleasant website (www.home-stress-home.com) for children and young people, containing information, resources and a link to an online survey to assess anxiety levels. The data will be collected for research purposes to better understand the development of anxiety disorders in often neglected populations: the children and the young adults in school or early working life. This interface, based on the results of the survey, will make it possible to provide personalized feedback to the user, in order to direct him/her towards relaxation strategies or specialists if the level of anxiety measured is very high. Other surveys and tools will be added later on to allow longitudinal monitoring of the impact on mental and physical health of the stress generated by the current crisis. The objective is to develop this...

Read more: Justine Gaugue, Professor, Laurence Ris, Professor - Mandy Rossignol, Professor

Covartim
"In the global effort to help the healthcare professionals in the fight against the Covid pandemic, we are providing documents to help manufacturers that are not familiar with medical devices to properly document their work to help them in their product development and achieving compliance. These templates are derived from our technical file documentation and include some reference to guidances (mostly applicable in Belgium) for devices and accessories to answer to hospital products shortage."
Contact : Covartim www.covartim.be This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

ULB (centre ACTE) et Fondation SUSA Mons
Confinement lié au Covid-19 : le vécu de la famille et de l'enfant avec autisme." For almost two months, Belgian families have been confined at home because of the Covid-19 pandemic. This lockdown dramatically changed the daily life of families, especially those living with an autistic child, because social life and relationships are at the very heart of the autistic functioning. In some cases, changing daily habits and routines, closing of schools, stopping interventions and outdoor activities led to an increase of behavioral disorders and significantly impaired the quality of life of autistic people and their family. But, on the other hand, some families report an improvement of their child’s behavior, potentially due to a decrease of usual social demands. In order to understand how families with an autistic child dealt during this lockdown period, we conducted an on-line survey. To date, more than 250 French-speaking Belgian families...

Read more: Marielle WEYLAND, Speech Therapist, PhD Student.

ULiège + Mesylab SRL
" How to securely return to normalcy at work? All countries consider to lift the lockdown, but few have executed it. There are no "best practices". Questions abound: What are the risks? What are the most effective measures? Will communities follow? What are the consequences for our individual lives? Who decides how to proceed? AIMS OF THE PROJECT GIGA aims at defining the best possible approach to opening up again by involving its members. Your opinion matters. GIGA has sought assistance in conducting this real time experiment from political scientists, philosophers, lawyers and medical doctors. "
Contact: This project is supported by the GIGA office and is coordinated by the ad hoc Advisory Committee made up of expert political scientists in participation (Dr. F. Thoreau, Dr. C. Parotte, Dr. P. Delvenne, Dr. C. Fallon), a political and ethicist philosopher (Dr. F. Caeymaex) and doctors (Dr. Y. Beguin, Dr. G. Darcis).

UCLouvain - Royal Academy of Sciences, Letters and Fine Arts of Belgium
" International research project about the environmental/personal/family/economic factors influencing the risk of parental burnout during the COVID-19 crisis. Link to the Belgian French-speaking version version: https://uclpsychology.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_02LE6m47hjSYtr7 Creation of a hotline to help parents cope with their children and work during the COVID-19 crisis (SOS Parents: 0471/414.333) Project made possible thanks to the gracious help of 42 volunteering psychologists. Participation as expert in the media (written press, radio, TV). "
Funding: No funding
Contact: Hotline: SOS Parents (0471/414.333) Website: Advice to prevent parental burnout during the crisis: https://www.burnoutparental.com/