Abstract
The coronavirus pandemic represents a severe global crisis, affecting physical, and psychological health. Lockdown rules imposed to counteract the rapid growth of COVID-19, mainly social restrictions, have represented a risk factor for developing depressive and anxious symptoms. The research aims are to explore the effect of coping strategies and perceived social support on depressive and anxious symptomatology during the COVID-19 pandemic. Ninety-six healthy people (46 males, mean age = 39.3; SD = 16.6) completed through on-line platform: Socio-demographic questionnaire, Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations (CISS), Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) and Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R), 3 weeks after the imposition of lockdown restrictions. SCL-90-R Depression scores showed significant positive correlation with CISS Emotion (r = 0.85; p = 0.001) and Avoidant (r = 0.34; p = 0.018), a significant negative correlation with MSPSS Family support (r = −0.43; p = 0.003). SCL-90-R Anxiety scores showed a significant positive correlation with CISS Emotion (r = 0.72; p = 0.001) and Avoidant (r = 0.35; p = 0.016). No significant correlations between both CISS Emotion and Avoidant scales with social support emerged. Two Multiple Linear Regression analysis were performed using, respectively, SCL-90-R Depression and Anxiety scores as dependent variables, and the CISS and MSPSS scales, age, and gender as predictors. The first regression model (R2 = 0.78; adjusted R2 = 0.75) revealed CISS Emotion (β = 0.83; p = 0.001) and MSPSS Family support (β = −0.24; p = 0.004) had a predictive effect on SCL-90-R Depression scores. The second regression model (R2 = 0.52; adjusted R2 = 0.472) revealed that only CISS Emotion (β = 0.71; p = 0.001) predicted the SCL-90-R Anxiety scores. In conclusion, during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns, coping focus on emotions seemed to increase anxious and depressive symptoms, probably due to the uncontrollable nature of the stressful event and the high emotional response. Family support which reduces the sense of loneliness had an exclusive role in mitigating depressive symptoms. These results highlight the importance of promoting psychological strategies to improve emotional regulation skills, reducing isolation from family, to prevent mood symptomatology in healthy citizens during large-scale health crises.
Highlights
As nations around the globe continue their battle with the COVID-19 pandemic, it has become clear that people in some regions will experience repeated lockdown or quarantine periods
In particular it is hypothesized that: a) The adoption of task-focused coping strategies is related to less anxiety and depressive symptoms; b) Emotional coping is related to increment of anxiety and depression symptoms; c) Family support in particular is related to fewer symptoms of anxiety and depression during the COVID-19 pandemic
During the COVID-19 pandemic, social distancing has been implemented in many countries, including Italy, to interrupt viral transmission and delay the spread of infection
Summary
As nations around the globe continue their battle with the COVID-19 pandemic, it has become clear that people in some regions will experience repeated lockdown or quarantine periods. The first clinical recommendations for many of the patients presenting with such symptoms, those with depression, are often to increase social interaction and support, engage in a wider variety of activities outside the home, and engage in activities that foster a sense of mastery, including work With these options severely limited due to lockdowns, it was clear that many people would find it difficult to navigate their mood, anxiety, and other mental health challenges. Anxiety and depression symptoms related to COVID19 pandemic have been a topic of intense interest among researchers Their proliferation among the populations of many of the affected nations appears to be widespread according to early studies. The research aims are to explore specific how coping strategies and perceived social support have been impacting depressive and anxious symptomatology during an extended period of lockdown rules during the COVID-19 pandemic in a healthy sample. In particular it is hypothesized that: a) The adoption of task-focused coping strategies is related to less anxiety and depressive symptoms; b) Emotional coping is related to increment of anxiety and depression symptoms; c) Family support in particular is related to fewer symptoms of anxiety and depression during the COVID-19 pandemic
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