Psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic: The interplay between protective and risk factors

Abstract

Background. Individuals under quarantine, such as the one caused by SARS-CoV-2, experience severe distress. The present research aimed to test a model of relations to ascertain the determinants of distress. Worry, perceived utility of the lockdown, and health-related information seeking were mediators in the relationships between COVID-19 exposure, risk aversion, and intolerance for ambiguity, on one side, and distress on the other. Method. The study was conducted in Italy during the mandatory lockdown for the COVID-19 pandemic on 240 individuals (age range 18-76). Results. COVID-19 exposure was positively associated with worry about COVID-19 and health-related information seeking; risk aversion was positively associated with health-related information seeking and perceived utility of the lockdown to contain the spread of the virus. Worry and health-related information seeking were positively associated with distress, while the perceived utility of the lockdown was negatively associated with distress. Intolerance for ambiguity was directly linked to distress with a positive sign. Conclusions. Our evidence suggests that risk aversion represents both a risk factor and a protective factor based on what kind of variable mediates the relationship with distress. However, intolerance to ambiguity is a risk factor for buster distress.