Gloster, Andrew T. , Lamnisos, Demetris , Lubenko, Jelena , Presti, Giovambattista , Squatrito, Valeria , Constantinou, Marios , Nicolaou, Christiana , Papacostas, Savvas , Aydin, Gokcen , Chong, Yuen Yu , Chien, Wai Tong , Cheng, Ho Yu , Ruiz, Francisco J. , GARCÍA MARTÍN, MARÍA BELÉN, Obando-Posada, Diana P. , Segura-Vargas, Miguel A. , Vasiliou, Vasilis S. , McHugh, Louise , Hoefer, Stefan , Baban, Adriana , Dias Neto, David , Nunes da Silva, Ana , Monestes, Jean-Louis , ÁLVAREZ GÁLVEZ, JAVIER, Paez-Blarrina, Marisa , Montesinos, Francisco , Valdivia-Salas, Sonsoles , Ori, Dorottya , Kleszcz, Bartosz , Lappalainen, Raimo , Ivanovic, Iva , Gosar, David , Dionne, Frederick , Merwin, Rhonda M. , Kassianos, Angelos P. , Karekla, Maria
No
PLoS ONE
Article
Científica
3.24
0.99
31/12/2020
000605651900147
2-s2.0-85099065272
Background The COVID-19 pandemic triggered vast governmental lockdowns. The impact of these lockdowns on mental health is inadequately understood. On the one hand such drastic changes in daily routines could be detrimental to mental health. On the other hand, it might not be experienced negatively, especially because the entire population was affected. Methods The aim of this study was to determine mental health outcomes during pandemic induced lockdowns and to examine known predictors of mental health outcomes. We therefore surveyed n = 9,565 people from 78 countries and 18 languages. Outcomes assessed were stress, depression, affect, and wellbeing. Predictors included country, sociodemographic factors, lockdown characteristics, social factors, and psychological factors. Results Results indicated that on average about 10% of the sample was languishing from low levels of mental health and about 50% had only moderate mental health. Importantly, three consistent predictors of mental health emerged: social support, education level, and psychologically flexible (vs. rigid) responding. Poorer outcomes were most strongly predicted by a worsening of finances and not having access to basic supplies. Conclusions These results suggest that on whole, respondents were moderately mentally healthy at the time of a population-wide lockdown. The highest level of mental health difficulties were found in approximately 10% of the population. Findings suggest that public health initiatives should target people without social support and those whose finances worsen as a result of the lockdown. Interventions that promote psychological flexibility may mitigate the impact of the pandemic.
adult; affect; Article; controlled study; coronavirus disease 2019; cross-sectional study; demography; depression; educational status; female; finance; human; lockdown; male; mental health; mental stress; pandemic; prediction; psychological well-being; social psychology; social support; clinical trial; epidemiology; middle aged; multicenter study; psychology; socioeconomics; Adult; COVID-19; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Humans; Male; Mental Health; Middle Aged; Pandemics; SARS-CoV-2; Socioeconomic Factors