Ryozo Tomita

Abstract As a countermeasure to the increased loneliness induced by the COVID‐19 pandemic‐related university closures, universities provided students with online interaction opportunities. However, whether these opportunities contributed to reducing loneliness during the university closures remains unclear, as previous studies have produced contradictory findings. We conducted a nationwide cross‐sectional survey. Data were collected on demographics, social environment, social support, interactions, health and loneliness from 4949 students from 60 universities across Japan. We used psychological network and Directed Acyclic Graphs (DAGs) to examine the effect of online interactions on loneliness during university closures during COVID‐19. The results showed that the frequency of online interactions with friends did not exert a significant influence on loneliness during university closures. A comparative examination of the DAGs further illuminated that the social environment exhibited fewer pathways for interpersonal interactions and social support during these closure periods. The psychosocial pathways influencing young adults' loneliness show variations contingent on the university's closure status. Notably, the impact of heightened online interactions with friends on loneliness appears to be less pronounced among young adults in the context of university closure.

Aim: Autonomy and professional identity are significant concepts in the nursing profession needing educational methods for development. Peer coaching is a collaborative activity between two or more colleagues through which nurses can experience transition into more spontaneous behaviors. This study explored the effects of peer coaching on nurses’ professional autonomy and professional identity during their initial career development. It was hypothesized that peer coaching would affect both professional autonomy and professional identity. Methods: This study surveyed a total of 328 nurses at 95 facilities across Japan. All participants were in their second or third year since graduation and affiliated with hospitals. Anonymous, self-administered questionnaires were distributed to approximately 10 nurses per facility. Nurses answered questions on their personal characteristics as well as on the Peer Coaching Scale for Nurses during the Initial Career-Development Period, the Scale for Professional Autonomy in Nursing, and the Nursing Professional Identity Scale. Multiple-index models were developed to explore the effects and analyzed using covariance structure analysis. Results: The analysis revealed that the path coefficient from “peer coaching” to “professional identity” was non-significant. Thus, a multiple-index model for “peer coaching” and “professional autonomy” was created and another analysis was conducted after referencing modification indices and degrees of improvement. The results revealed that all paths were significant. Conclusions: The effect of peer coaching on professional autonomy was demonstrated, suggesting that peer coaching can possibly be used as a developmental tool for professional autonomy among nurses.