Abstract
The true extent of the mental health implications of the COVID-19 pandemic are unclear, but early evidence suggests poorer mental health among those exposed to the pandemic. The Internet may have differential effects, by both connecting people with resources, or reinforce the constant checking of negative information. Moreover, locus of control becomes important in an uncontrollable pandemic. The current study aimed to examine whether exposure to COVID-19 would relate to greater symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress, and to examine the role of internet use and locus of control. Adults in the United States and five European countries (N = 1723) answered an online survey through the website Mturk. Results show elevated psychological symptoms among those who have become infected with COVID-19 or perceive themselves to be at high risk if infected. Experience using the Internet relates to fewer symptoms, but information seeking is associated with more symptoms. Internet social capital relates to fewer symptoms of depression. Having an external locus of control relates to greater symptoms. These findings suggest that public health officials need to focus on the mental health effects of the pandemic, and that internet use and locus of control could be targets to improve mental health in the population.
Highlights
The COVID-19 pandemic is currently having unprecedented effects on the physical health of individuals worldwide, with millions of confirmed cases and hundreds of thousands of deaths at the writing of this paper [1]
These findings suggest that public health officials need to focus on the mental health effects of the pandemic, and that internet use and locus of control could be targets to improve mental health in the population
57 (3.3%) individuals had become infected with COVID-19, 262 (15.3%) had a family member or close friend who had become infected, and 332 (19.3%) perceived that they were at high risk of serious illness if they were to become infected with the disease
Summary
The COVID-19 pandemic is currently having unprecedented effects on the physical health of individuals worldwide, with millions of confirmed cases and hundreds of thousands of deaths at the writing of this paper [1]. Evidence from China suggests that, during the pandemic, the general public has reported elevated symptoms of anxiety, depression [2,3], stress [3] and increased psychological distress [4]. Longitudinal evidence shows that since the pandemic began, individuals have reported greater emotional distress [6], more negative effects, as well as higher symptoms of depression and anxiety [7]. 25.4% of the Chinese general public reported feeling that their mental health had deteriorated since the pandemic began [5]. In Denmark, the general population’s psychological well-being was lower during the COVID-19 pandemic, compared to data collected in 2016 [11]
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