Pandemic boredom: Little evidence that lockdown-related boredom affects risky public health behaviors across 116 countries

Abstract

Does boredom increase risk behaviors in real-world settings, and if so, might it contribute to failure to comply with public health guidelines during the COVID-19 pandemic? In a large cross-national sample of 63,336 community respondents from 116 countries, we examined the prevalence of lockdown-related boredom during the initial outbreak of COVID-19, as well as its demographic and situational predictors. Boredom was higher in countries with more COVID-19 cases, more stringent lockdown policies, and lower GDPs, as well as among men and less educated/younger adults. Additionally, we examined whether “pandemic boredom” predicted longitudinal decreases in social distancing behavior (and vice versa; n = 8031). We found little evidence that changes in boredom predict individual public health behaviors (handwashing, staying home, self-quarantining, avoiding crowds) over time, or that such behaviors had any reliable longitudinal effects on boredom itself. In summary, we found little evidence that boredom affects pandemic health behaviors.

A longitudinal approach to understanding boredom during pandemics: The predictive roles of trauma and emotion dysregulation

“…In the context of a pandemic, people are asked to accept constraints and restrictions on normal behaviors, leaving them with a limited set of available activities that, for many, are monotonous, uninteresting, and void of meaning (Maison et al, 2021). Unsurprisingly, research conducted during the COVID-19 outbreak and the 2003 SARS outbreak suggests that boredom is one of the most commonly experienced feelings (e.g., Reynolds et al, 2008;Barari et al, 2020;Droit-Volet et al, 2020;Li et al, 2021;Martarelli et al, 2021;Martinelli et al, 2021;Wessels et al, 2022), as well as that boredom is a key emotional disincentive to complying with social distancing/quarantine guidelines (e.g., DiGiovanni et al, 2004;Wolff et al, 2020;Bieleke et al, 2021;Boylan et al, 2021;Brosowsky et al, 2021;Drody et al, 2022; but see Westgate et al, 2022 for their emerging findings related to pandemic boredom and risky public health behaviors). Equally important, the feeling of boredom and BP have been linked to various psychological problems among adolescents and adults during the pandemic, such as increased alcohol and substance use (e.g., vaping and smoking), problematic social media and Internet use (i.e., Internet addiction), perceived stress, and psychological distress, including symptoms of depression, anxiety, and insomnia (see Bambrah et al, 2022 for a review).…”

Examining the Longitudinal Associations between Adjustment Disorder Symptoms and Boredom during COVID-19

“…Defined as the aversive feeling of wanting, but being unable, to engage in satisfying activity [ 16 ], boredom is not only one of the most frequently experienced feelings during the COVID-19 pandemic (and even the 2003 SARS outbreak), but is also reported to be a key emotional disincentive to complying with social distancing/quarantine measures that are pivotal to containing the transmission of the disease [ 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 ]. Further, trait boredom—the tendency to experience boredom more frequently and intensely—has been shown to be related to poor adherence to the rules of social distancing [ 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 ]; but see [ 27 ] emerging and conflicting findings related to boredom and risky public health behaviors.…”

Boredom in the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…From the very first imposition of so-called ‘lockdowns’, it was evident that, as a society, we were bracing for a widespread challenge to everyday existence, one we had not anticipated—boredom. Indeed, across 116 countries, there was a slight increase in reported feelings of boredom [ 1 ]. Boredom was certainly not the only challenge to mental health on the horizon, and data have since confirmed that mental health indeed suffered under the constraints imposed by the extraordinary circumstances [ 2 ].…”

“…In other words, every day highlighted the high level of opportunity costs, given that we were prevented from engaging with life in our usual ways. It is worth pointing out that the in-the-moment feelings of boredom themselves were not responsible for increased rule-breaking behaviours [ 1 ]. However, for the highly boredom prone, those who feel boredom more frequently and intensely [ 7 ], rising opportunity costs made it more difficult to adhere to the strictures of lockdowns.…”