Abstract
(1) Background: Current COVID-19 research has mainly focused on negative outcomes associated with fear of the pandemic with the examination of potentially positive outcomes remaining underexplored. Based on the dual-factor model of mental health, which postulates positive and negative dimensions, we assessed the influence of COVID-19 fear on both negative and positive mental health outcomes and examined the mediational role of coping strategies. (2) Methods: A convenience sample of 231 respondents participated in an online survey reporting on measures of pandemic fear (SFS), distress (HADS), post-traumatic growth (PTGI) and individual differences in terms of coping strategies (CSI-SF). (3) Results: Respondents’ main concerns related with the pandemic highlighted the interpersonal and social dimensions implicated in fear of COVID-19. As expected, fear of the pandemic was associated not just with negative but also positive outcomes, while different coping strategies played a role in determining such effects. More specifically, disengagement coping mediated the effects of fear on anxiety and depression, whereas engagement coping was the only mediator of the relationship between COVID-19 fear and post-traumatic growth. (4) Conclusions: Approaches to promote psychological wellbeing in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic should on the one hand be sensitive to the needs of the more vulnerable population groups, while on the other leverage existing resources to harness the potential for growth. Strengthening engagement coping in the context of fears triggered by the pandemic may constitute a valuable target to protect against negative and optimize positive mental health outcomes in the general population.
Highlights
Pandemics have historically elicited disproportionate levels of fear and distress, arguably due to unique characteristics of infectious disease such as the invisibility, transmissibility and diffusion rate, which make them dreadful compared to other more burdensome conditions [1]
(4) Conclusions: Approaches to promote psychological wellbeing in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic should on the one hand be sensitive to the needs of the more vulnerable population groups, while on the other leverage existing resources to harness the potential for growth
We examined whether and how individual differences in coping strategies influence the relationship between fear of COVID-19 and both negative and positive mental health outcomes
Summary
Pandemics have historically elicited disproportionate levels of fear and distress, arguably due to unique characteristics of infectious disease such as the invisibility, transmissibility and diffusion rate, which make them dreadful compared to other more burdensome conditions [1]. Differently from other health conditions, fear of a pandemic may be compound by concerns of a more social and interpersonal nature, such as being isolated from the comforting presence of dear ones or being unable to tend to one’s kin in their moment of need, alongside worries about one’s own health and not receiving appropriate healthcare due to overwhelmed facilities [6]. Illustrative in this regard is recent research on the COVID-19 pandemic which highlights the important social and interpersonal implications of the pandemic, painting a picture of generalized psychosocial distress that is sweeping across the world together with the progression of infection [4,7,8]
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