The Psychological Consequences of COVID-19 and Lockdown in the Spanish Population: An Exploratory Sequential Design

Abstract

The objectives of this study were to analyze the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdown in the Spanish population and to identify what population profiles were most affected. The study used a sequential exploratory design. In the qualitative phase, 40 participants were recruited based on theoretically relevant criteria and the saturation of the information provided by the interviews. In the quantitative phase, a large representative sample was applied. The universe considered was the adult population of Spain. A total of 6789 surveys were conducted. Both the analysis of the narratives of the interviews and the responses to the panel survey showed relevant changes in attitudes and mood swings compared to the period prior to lockdown. These changes include dysphoric moods (i.e., experiences of distress such as sadness/depression, anxiety, rage, feeling of unreality, worry, etc.) and also some euphoric moods (i.e., feelings of well-being, happiness, etc.). A higher number of women were affected than men and a greater increase was observed in younger people. The findings of the study may serve as a basis for detecting needs and providing psychological support, as the symptoms detected as the most common are key for the processes of screening at-risk individuals.

Impact of Changed Use of Greenspace during COVID-19 Pandemic on Depression and Anxiety

“…Increased prevalence of MD and GAD after the outbreak was reported in some countries including Canada, China, and Greece [ 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 ]. Some epidemiologic studies assessing the impacts of COVID-19 outbreak on mental health outcomes [ 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 ] suggested that female gender, unemployment, poor self-reported health status, loneliness, poor social supports, and contact with suspected infection or COVID-19 confirmed cases were associated with greater risks of psychological distress from the pandemic. Identifying high-risk groups of mental health outcomes is imperative for developing psychological interventions.…”

Consequences of Confinement Due to COVID-19 in Spain on Anxiety, Sleep and Executive Functioning of Children and Adolescents with ADHD

“…The COVID-19 pandemic is one of very few social events to have had such an important impact on human psychology, especially due to the number of people affected and the influence it has had on all spheres of life [3]. All of this has led to a high level of psychological pressure on people in various countries [4,5], altering the mental health of adults, children, and adolescents and leading to changes in mood, behavior, and other daily habits, which may put the mental health of many people at risk both now and in the not-too-distant future [4,[6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14]. The pandemic and confinement has affected people of all characteristics; however, a specifically vulnerable group are children and adolescents with neurodevelopmental disorders such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and it is to be expected that the effects of confinement on their mental health will be more intense.…”

Concerns Related to the COVID-19 in Adult Norwegians during the First Outbreak in 2020: A Qualitative Approach

“…This was a higher compared to Norwegians in 2015, where 3.8% of men and 8.5% of women reported symptom-defined PTSD [ 13 ]. Women seem to be more sensitive to concerns and stress compared to men [ 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 ].…”

“…We found three qualitative studies. Two-thirds of 40 Spanish informants [ 14 ] reported an increase in worrying about suffering from or contracting an illness (COVID-19 or other) relative to before the pandemic. Fear of losing loved ones increased in 76% and psychological distress such as sadness/depression, anxiety, anger and worrying were identified.…”