COVID-19 distress and worries: The role of attitudes, social support, and positive coping during social isolation.
Psychol Psychother
; 94(2): 365-370, 2021 06.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-32981116
ABSTRACT
As the COVID-19 pandemic accelerates, one public health response has been for governments to impose quarantine 'lockdowns' which require people to socially isolate. In this study, we explored the level of psychological distress that people experienced in social isolation and the factors which might ameliorate or exacerbate it. Two hundred and thirteen participants (69% female) with a mean age of 37.82 years participated in an online study. They completed a series of questions designed as part of a larger cross-national study. A positive attitude towards social isolation introduced by government as a strategy to reduce the transmission of COVID-19 was predictive of positive coping strategies, and both attitude and coping predicted reduced psychological distress. Participants' worries about contagion of COVID-19, their financial status, and the economic and political impact of the COVID-19 pandemic predicted increases in their psychological distress. Social support from family and work colleagues was not significant in reducing worries or psychological distress but it did positively predict engagement in coping. The findings and recommendations are discussed. PRACTITIONER POINTS Fostering a positive attitude towards social isolation in clients reduces psychological distress, fosters engagement in positive coping behaviours. Enhancing clients' level of social support received will serve to increase positive coping and indirectly reduce psychological distress during social isolation. Strategies to reduce clients' COVID-19 worries are important as worry contributes to their overall level of psychological distress.
Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Health context:
1_ASSA2030
/
2_ODS3
/
4_TD
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Anxiety
/
Social Support
/
Adaptation, Psychological
/
Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
/
Psychological Distress
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Physical Distancing
/
COVID-19
Type of study:
Prognostic_studies
Aspects:
Determinantes_sociais_saude
Limits:
Adult
/
Female
/
Humans
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Male
/
Middle aged
Language:
En
Journal:
Psychol Psychother
Year:
2021
Document type:
Article