Coping Style, Social Support and Psychological Distress in the General Chinese Population in the Early Stages of the COVID-2019 Epidemic

Abstract

Background The purpose of this study was to investigate the psychological status of the general population in mainland China during the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), and to explore the factors influencing psychological distress, in order to provide the basis for further psychological intervention programs. Methods We administered three questionnaires on-line to a convenience sample of the general population from different regions of mainland China from February 1 to February 4, 2020. We used the Mandarin versions of the six-item Kessler psychological distress scale (K6), the Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire (SCSQ), and the Social Support Rating Scale (SSRS). We also collected demographic data and other information related to the COVID-19 outbreak. Multivariate binary logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors influencing psychological distress. Results Of 1607 respondents, 1588 returned valid questionnaires and were included in the analysis. Nearly one quarter (22.8%) had high levels of psychological distress (K6 score ≥ 13). Individuals with higher psychological distress spent more time searching for information about COVID-19, had a history of contact with epidemic areas, more frequently adopted a negative coping style, and reported less social support than those with lower psychological distress. Conclusions The COVID-19 outbreak in China has a great impact on the mental health status of the general population. Positive coping strategies and increased social support are significantly correlated with decreased psychological distress, and may serve as the basis for psychological interventions. Background An outbreak of infections of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), initially called novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV), began on December 8, 2019, when several cases of pneumonia of unknown etiology were reported in Wuhan, Hubei province, China [1]. In the early stages of this

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