Relationships between stress appraisals and intolerance of uncertainty with psychological health during early COVID-19 in the USA

Abstract

ABSTRACT Background and objectives The COVID-19 pandemic has caused increased psychological distress and decreased quality of life (QoL), but limited research has evaluated cognitive appraisals of COVID-19. This study aimed to examine the role of three stress appraisals of the COVID-19 pandemic – threat appraisal, harm/loss appraisal, and challenge appraisal – and the interaction between these appraisals and intolerance of uncertainty (IU) on psychological distress and QoL. Design This was a cross-sectional survey study using Amazon’s Mechanical Turk. Methods A sample of 327 adults living in the U.S. completed a series of questionnaires investigating IU, appraisal of the pandemic, psychological distress, and QoL in May 2020 during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Results Controlling for demographic variables, IU and harm/loss appraisal positively related to psychological distress and negatively related to QoL. Challenge appraisals negatively related to distress and positively related to QoL. Moderation analyses revealed that higher levels of IU led to stronger positive relationships between threat appraisal and psychological distress. Conclusions Cognitive appraisals of COVID-19 are associated with psychological health, though the relationship between threat appraisal and psychological distress are strongest for those with difficulty tolerating uncertainty. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.