Coping and tolerance of uncertainty: Predictors and mediators of mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Abstract

The current pandemic wave of COVID-19 has resulted in significant uncertainty for the general public. Mental health and examining factors that may influence distress have been outlined as key research priorities to inform interventions. This research sought to examine whether intolerance of uncertainty and coping responses influence the degree of distress experienced by the U.K. general public during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using a cross-sectional online questionnaire design, participants were recruited (N = 842) using snowball sampling over a 10-day period in the early “lockdown” phase of the pandemic. Around a quarter of participants demonstrated significantly elevated anxiety and depression, with 14.8% reaching clinical cutoff for health anxiety. A one-way multivariate analysis of variance indicated those in “vulnerable” groups were significantly more anxious (p < .001), and also more anxious in relation to their health (p < .001). Mediation modeling demonstrated maladaptive coping responses partially mediated the predictive relationship between intolerance of uncertainty and psychological distress. Mental health difficulties have become significantly raised during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom, particularly for the vulnerable. Findings support emerging research suggesting the general public is struggling with uncertainty, more so than normal. Vulnerable groups are more anxious about their health, but not more intolerant of uncertainty than the nonvulnerable. Finally, this study indicated two modifiable factors that could act as treatment targets when adapting interventions for mental health during the COVID-19 global health crisis.

The Influence of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Mental Well-Being and Psychological Distress: Impact Upon a Single Country

“…These increases were greater in the younger age groups, and for women. This pattern of results has been replicated by other studies that occurred in the early phase of the pandemic [e.g., (10)(11)(12)] and have been extended to show high levels of thoughts of self-harm and suicide in the first month of the lockdown in the UK (13) with, again, a higher incidence rate for women.…”

“…We hypothesized that psychological well-being would be reduced due to COVID-19 and that this effect would be greater in women than in men, in those of a younger age, and in those people living in areas of high deprivation (8). In line with this reduction in psychological wellbeing, we hypothesized that levels of mental distress would be high, with the same demographic factors aggravating these levels of distress (6,8,(10)(11)(12).…”

“…Second, the present study examined a period deeper into the pandemic. For instance, most studies (4,6,8,(10)(11)(12) gathered data within the first few weeks of the pandemic, whereas the data for the present study were gathered 11-16 weeks into the lockdown period. It is possible that psychological well-being will be more severely impacted after a prolonged exposure to pandemic related stressors.…”

Psychological Impact of Corona Lockdown in Germany: Changes in Need Satisfaction, Well-Being, Anxiety, and Depression

“…These findings highlight the importance of autonomy need satisfaction-i.e., the importance of being able to manage and control things in your own life [13]-leading us to conclude that future lockdowns or further measures at the societal level should be communicated in a way that takes particular account of the citizens' sense of autonomy. Furthermore, there may be several more consequences of the Sars-CoV-2 virus and measures to contain is besides the lockdown itself (such as economic consequences impacting global markets, but also individuals due to unemployment and subsequent psychological consequences)-additionally, health-related concerns, such as fear of catching the virus oneself or suffering the consequences of limited abilities to exercise regularly, or the ability to cope with uncertainty regarding everyday life [23], which have not been accounted for in this study. Examining the precise mechanisms leading to need satisfaction or frustration and subsequent changes in well-being therefore seems necessary to shape more adaptive conditions during potential future lockdowns.…”

Life in lockdown: experiences of patients with IBD during COVID-19

“…When patients in the government defined vulnerable groups were evaluated, higher health anxiety levels and general anxiety levels were reported compared with the general population. 12 This highlights the need for psychological support for vulnerable and shielding patients.…”