Quality of Life and Job Loss during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Mediation by Hopelessness and Moderation by Trait Emotional Intelligence.

Francesca Agostini,Vittoria Spicuzza,Federica Andrei,Erica Neri,Sabina La Grutta,Elena Trombini,Marco Andrea Piombo,Maria Stella Epifanio,Rosa Lo Baido,Martina Riolo,Giacomo Mancini

doi:10.3390/ijerph19052756

Francesca Agostini, Vittoria Spicuzza + Show 9 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19052756

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Abstract

This study contributes to the knowledge on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic by examining a moderated mediation model in which the impact of job loss over quality of life (QoL) is mediated by hopelessness and moderated by trait emotional intelligence (trait EI). Data were collected from a large nationally representative Italian sample of adult workers (N = 1610), who completed a series of anonymous online questionnaires. Total, direct and indirect effects were estimated through bootstrapped mediated moderation analyses providing 95% bias corrected bootstrap confidence intervals. After controlling for the effects of gender and age range, job loss was found to be negatively associated with QoL, and hopelessness partially mediated such relationship. These relationships were in turn moderated by trait EI. Our study suggests that trait EI levels act as protective factor for a good QoL, mitigating the impact of both job loss and hopelessness over QoL levels during the COVID-19 pandemic. Identifying psychological protective and/or risk factors for a better QoL is crucial for the development of interventions aimed at reducing the emotional impact of the pandemic and of its negative real-life consequences.

Highlights

Introduction iationsThe health emergency caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the consequent restrictive measures issued by the governments have severely tested the ability of individuals to cope with stressful events
Job loss was negatively related to trait Emotional Intelligence (EI) (r = −0.12, p < 0.001) and positively to hopelessness (r = 0.12, p < 0.001)
The present study is the first to examine the role of hopelessness and trait EI in the impact of job loss on quality of life (QoL) during the COVID-19 pandemic

Summary

Introduction

The health emergency caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the consequent restrictive measures issued by the governments have severely tested the ability of individuals to cope with stressful events. The repercussions from the pandemic have significantly hit the global economy, including an increase in the unemployment rate worldwide [5], especially among young adults, women [6] and in countries that are being hardest affected by the pandemic itself (Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom [7]). These countries are more likely to suffer the Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

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