Conservation of Resources, Psychological Distress, and Resilience During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Objectives: The Conservation of Resources (COR) theory suggests that stress results from threatened or actual loss of resources following significant life events. This study used COR theory as the framework to explore the reflection of loss of resources during the COVID-19 pandemic on psychological distress and resilience, in an adult Jewish Israeli population.Methods: We examined the association between background variables, stress, loneliness, concern, COVID-19-related post traumatic symptoms (PTS), resilience factors and COR via an online survey among 2,000 adults during April 2020.Results: Positive relationships were identified between resource loss and PTS (r = 0.66, p < 0.01), and between resource gain and resilience (r = 0.30, p < 0.01). Psychological variables were significantly associated with PTS and explained 62.7% of the variance, F (20, 1,413) = 118.58, p < 0.001.Conclusion: Loss of resources, stress, loneliness and concern were found to be risk factors for distress and PTS, whereas resilience factors played a protective role. We thus recommend using the COR theory to explore COVID-19 effects elsewhere.

How Do COVID-19 Risk, Life-Safety Risk, Job Insecurity, and Work–Family Conflict Affect Miner Performance? Health-Anxiety and Job-Anxiety Perspectives

“…Given that resources are also used to prevent resource loss, stored resources are used to offset the pain caused by resource loss in relieving stress. Sustained pressure can lead to a rapid and consequential spiral of resource loss [ 22 ]. The COR theory is considered an alternative to assessment-based-stress theory [ 20 ].…”

Shaped by the COVID-19 pandemic: Psychological responses from a subjective perspective–A longitudinal mixed-methods study across five European countries

“…Notably, individuals who have suffered pandemic-related resource losses (e.g. people who have lost their income, young people who have lost social connections, women who have lost family stability due to a work-family imbalance) are particularly vulnerable to mental health problems and loss spirals, as proposed by the conservation of resources (COR) theory [ 34 , 35 ].…”

The effect of resource loss on depression and peritraumatic distress during the early period of the COVID-19: considering the pandemic-situational and social context

“…Traumatic events like disasters cause a rapid loss of resources and high levels of stress because they often occur unexpectedly, affect the most valuable resources, and make it hard for people to cope with the existing resources [ 6 , 8 ]. Resource loss during the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with negative psychological outcomes, such as COVID-19-related post-traumatic symptoms, stress, loneliness, and emotional distress [ 9 – 11 ]. To be specific, psychological distress due to COVID-19 was positively related to the loss of financial resources, family resources, control over the future, fun, and social resource [ 10 ].…”

“…To be specific, psychological distress due to COVID-19 was positively related to the loss of financial resources, family resources, control over the future, fun, and social resource [ 10 ]. Personal resilience and social support were protective factors for mental health problems [ 9 , 12 ]. There were also differences in the level of psychological distress based on socioeconomic status, including gender, race, and ethnicity [ 9 , 11 ].…”

“…Personal resilience and social support were protective factors for mental health problems [ 9 , 12 ]. There were also differences in the level of psychological distress based on socioeconomic status, including gender, race, and ethnicity [ 9 , 11 ].…”