One wave or another in the pandemic: Psychological well-being during the third COVID-19 wave

Abstract

After a year from the emergence of the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on February 2020, between March and May 2021 Italy faced its third wave of infections. Previous studies have shown that in the first phases of the pandemic certain factors had a protective role against distress. However, as the months in the pandemic went by, people’s feelings and experiences significantly changed and little is known regarding the role of possible protective variables after prolonged pandemic situations. In the present study we aimed to investigate the impact of several behavioral variables on individuals’ mental states and emotions experienced during the third COVID-19 wave in Italy. 454 Italian adults were asked questions regarding the intensity of mental states and emotions experienced, the perceived usefulness of lockdown, the feeling of living a normal life, and the coping strategies implemented to face the pandemic. Using a data driven approach, we calculated the best model on the participation of each factor in explaining participants’ emotions and mental states. Our findings indicate that the presence of acceptance attitudes toward restrictive measures and the implementation of recreational activities helped participants face a prolonged pandemic with positive emotions.