Coping behaviors associated with decreased anxiety and depressive symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown.
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Fullana MA, Hidalgo-Mazzei D, Vieta E, Radua J
J Affect Disord 275 (-) 80-81 [2020-10-01; online 2020-07-02]
The COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown might increase anxiety and depressive symptoms, but some behaviors may protect against them. To provide a preliminary evidence of the behaviors associated with decreased symptoms in the current COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown, we conducted a survey of 5545 adult individuals from the Spanish general population, two weeks after an official lockdown was established across the country. Sixty-five percent of the sample reported anxiety or depressive symptoms. Following a healthy/balanced diet and not reading news/updates about COVID-19 very often were the best predictors of lower levels of anxiety symptoms. Following a healthy/balanced diet, following a routine, not reading news/updates about COVID-19 very often, taking the opportunity to pursue hobbies, and staying outdoors or looking outside were the best predictors of lower levels of depressive symptoms. Cross-sectional nature and use of sample of convenience. This study suggests that "simple" coping behaviors may protect against anxiety and depressive symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown.
Category: Social Science & Humanities
PubMed 32658829
DOI 10.1016/j.jad.2020.06.027
Crossref 10.1016/j.jad.2020.06.027
pii: S0165-0327(20)32385-5
pmc: PMC7329680