Perceived social support, loneliness, and hope during the COVID‐19 Pandemic: Testing a mediating model in the UK, USA, and Israel

Abstract

Objectives. The COVID-19 epidemic is affecting the entire world and hence provides an opportunity examine how people from different countries engage in hopeful thinking. The aim of this study was to examine the potentially facilitating role of perceived social support visa -vis hope as well as the mediating role of loneliness between perceived social support and hope. This mediating model was tested concurrently in the UK, the USA, and Israel. Methods. In April 2020, as the first wave of the virus struck the three aforementioned countries, we assessed perceived social support, loneliness, and hope in 400 adults per country (N = 1,200). Assessments in the UK/USA were conducted via the Prolific platform, whereas in Israel they were conducted via Facebook/WhatsApp. Results. In all three countries, perceived social support predicted elevated hope, although the effect was smallest in the UK. Loneliness mediated this effect in all three countries, although full mediation was attained only in the UK. Conclusions. Perceived social support may facilitate hope in dire times, possibly through the reduction of loneliness. Practitioner Points Findings are consistent with respect to the potentially protective role of perceived social support vis-avis hope. Perceived social support may increase hope through decreasing loneliness. In the UK, the above-noted mediating effect of loneliness appears to be stronger than in Israel and the USA. Elevated levels of perceived social support should serve as a desired outcome in individual and group psychotherapy, as well as in community based interventions.

Effectiveness of a Video-Based Intervention on Reducing Perceptions of Fear, Loneliness, and Public Stigma Related to COVID-19: A Randomized Controlled Trial

“…The “video.friend” included a video conversation between two friends, their concerns about older family members, and the impact of COVID-19 and/or quarantine on their perceptions of loneliness and fear. As previous research found that social facilitation interventions may improve social support and reduce loneliness perceptions [ 16 , 23 ], the “video.friend” was designed to encourage the engagement in social interactions using the safe videoconference avenue and to share the experience of living through the pandemic with friends. The “video.solo” included a personal introduction of a COVID-19 patient, description of recent events in relation to covid-19, description of how the environment reacted, the negative feelings it evoked and concerns about being stigmatized.…”

COVID-19 vs. terrorism: Contribution of the COR theory to the process of coping with invisible threats

“…They are both associated with a sense of loss of freedom (e.g., having to stay at home and prohibition to go to work) and a sense of loneliness (e.g., loss of relationships, recreation, and social support ( Bareket-Bojmel et al, 2021 ). These losses worsen once quarantine and lockdowns are perceived as instances of coercion ( Mattioli et al, 2020 ).…”

COVID-19 and Mental Health and Wellbeing Research: Informing Targeted, Integrated, and Long-Term Responses to Health Emergencies

“…While often assumed to be low-cost, interventions in this area, if targeting disadvantaged groups, required substantial resources in the form of professionals' and volunteers' time, whether from public health, social care or education services, and some required joined-up efforts from communities [29]. The complex mechanisms between social support and mental health have been subject to more recent studies, including studies concerned with the impact of the pandemic on social support [21,[30][31][32].…”