ArticlePloS one2021
Prevalence and health correlates of Onine Fatigue: A cross-sectional study on the Italian academic community during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Article in PloS one, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 15 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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15 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 56 citations in OpenAlex.
- Prevalence and severity of mental health problems in early-career researchers: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Nature human behaviour · 2026Pooled it
- The impact of endometriosis on educational and professional pathways: a cross-sectional online study.BMC psychology · 2026Article
- The Italian version of the Female Genital Self-Image Scale: psychometric properties and associations with sexual function and psychological health.BMC psychology · 2026Article
- Can self-compassion and mindfulness predict psychological wellbeing in individuals with endometriosis? Findings from an online survey.BMC women's health · 2025Article
- A cross-sectional survey of videoconferencing fatigue and its influencing factors during COVID-19 in the Chinese population.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- Burnout dynamic among Ukrainian academic staff during the war.Scientific reports · 2023Article
- Access to General Practitioners during the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic in Portugal: a nationwide survey of doctors.BMC primary care · 2023Article
- Association Between Pandemic Fatigue and Subjective Well-Being: The Indirect Role of Emotional Distress and Moderating Role of Self-Compassion.International journal of public health · 2023Article
- The impact of Covid-19 pandemic on modification of medical teaching in Italy: A narrative review.Journal of education and health promotion · 2023Review
- Article
- Effectiveness of Digital Cognitive Behavior Therapy for the Treatment of Insomnia: Spillover Effects of dCBT.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Article
- Videoconference Fatigue: A Conceptual Analysis.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Review
- Predictors of Postpartum Depression among Italian Women: A Longitudinal Study.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Article
- Factors predicting videoconferencing fatigue among higher education faculty.Education and information technologies · 2022Article
- Relationship between mental fatigue and burnout syndrome in remote workers during the COVID-19 pandemic: an integrative review.Revista brasileira de medicina do trabalho : publicacao oficial da Associacao Nacional de Medicina do Trabalho-ANAMTReview
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Authors and funding
4 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, many people had to shift their social and work life online. A few researchers and journalists described a new form of fatigue associated with a massive use of technology, including videoconferencing platforms. In this study, this type of fatigue was referred to as Online Fatigue. A new tool (the Online Fatigue Scale) was developed, and its psychometric properties were evaluated. This tool was used to assess Online Fatigue among Italian academics and to examine its associations with psychological and physical health.
methodsAn online survey was conducted in December 2020 on a sample of Italian academics. Besides the Online Fatigue Scale (11 items) used to assess Online Fatigue, the survey was composed of questionnaires (including validated measures) focused on sociodemographic and job-related information, technostress creators, health status, psychological well-being, and COVID-related perceived distress. The psychometric properties of the Online Fatigue Scale were evaluated, and statistical analyses were conducted to examine the associations between Online Fatigue and all the other variables.
resultsParticipants were 307 academics aged 24-70 years old (mean age = 40.7; SD = 10.1). The Online Fatigue Scale showed good psychometric properties. Two subscales were identified: Off-Balance Fatigue and Virtual Relations Fatigue. High levels of Off-Balance Fatigue were associated with a greater use of technology, female gender, and presence of minor children. Participants with high scores on both subscales reported a greater frequency of psychosomatic symptoms, unhealthy habits, poorer psychological well-being, and greater Covid-related perceived distress.
conclusionsThe Online Fatigue Scale can be considered a reliable tool to assess Online Fatigue, which was significantly detected in our sample of Italian academics, along with its negative effects on physical and psychological health. Being a woman and having young children represent important risk factors. Universities should promote the separation between work and private life by encouraging self-care activities.
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