Coronavirus stress, meaningful living, optimism, and depressive symptoms: a study of moderated mediation model
Objective: In the world, the COVID-19 pandemic has led to public mental health stress, anxiety, panic, and behavioural disorders. The purpose of the present study was to examine whether meaning in life and optimism-pessimism mediated the relationship between coronavirus stress and depressive symptom...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2021-04-01
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| Series: | Australian Journal of Psychology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00049530.2021.1882273 |
| _version_ | 1797685752714231808 |
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| author | Gökmen Arslan Murat Yıldırım |
| author_facet | Gökmen Arslan Murat Yıldırım |
| author_sort | Gökmen Arslan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objective: In the world, the COVID-19 pandemic has led to public mental health stress, anxiety, panic, and behavioural disorders. The purpose of the present study was to examine whether meaning in life and optimism-pessimism mediated the relationship between coronavirus stress and depressive symptoms and whether the mediating effect of meaning in life on depressive symptoms was moderated by optimism. Method: The sample of the study included 475 undergraduate students attending a public university in an urban city of Turkey. They were 69.2% female, ranged in age between 18 and 34 years (M = 20.63, SD = 1.99). Results: Results from the study showed that meaning in life and optimism–pessimism mediated the relationship between coronavirus stress and depressive symptoms. Optimism and pessimism additionally mediated the relationship between meaning in life and depressive symptoms. Furthermore, optimism moderated the mediating effect of meaning in life in the relationship between coronavirus stress and depressive symptoms. Conclusions: These results indicate that the relationship between coronavirus stress and depressive symptoms can be better understood by meaning in life and optimism. Optimism might play a protective factor to mitigate the impact of stress on individuals’ psychological health and is an important aspect of implementing meaning – centred intervention services. KEY POINTS What is already known about this topic: Meaningful living and optimism are important psychological constructs for psychological health, not only at an empirical level but also at a theoretical level. A high level of optimism improves youth well-being and mental health Stress has adverse impacts on individuals’ well-being and is a risk factor for developing psychological problems What this topic adds: The present study highlights the importance of school meaning-based preventions and interventions targeting to promote mental health during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Optimism is an important mechanism that may help to explain the effect of coronavirus stress on psychological health of individuals. The study outcomes suggest there is a need to design a more comprehensive prevention and intervention approach for improving people’s psychological health in the context of the pandemic. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T00:55:53Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1a1fa2f8e0214607aa6b6ec03471408e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0004-9530 1742-9536 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T00:55:53Z |
| publishDate | 2021-04-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Australian Journal of Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-1a1fa2f8e0214607aa6b6ec03471408e2023-09-14T13:24:37ZengTaylor & Francis GroupAustralian Journal of Psychology0004-95301742-95362021-04-0173211312410.1080/00049530.2021.18822731882273Coronavirus stress, meaningful living, optimism, and depressive symptoms: a study of moderated mediation modelGökmen Arslan0Murat Yıldırım1BurdurMehmet Akif Ersoy UniversityUniversity of LeicesterObjective: In the world, the COVID-19 pandemic has led to public mental health stress, anxiety, panic, and behavioural disorders. The purpose of the present study was to examine whether meaning in life and optimism-pessimism mediated the relationship between coronavirus stress and depressive symptoms and whether the mediating effect of meaning in life on depressive symptoms was moderated by optimism. Method: The sample of the study included 475 undergraduate students attending a public university in an urban city of Turkey. They were 69.2% female, ranged in age between 18 and 34 years (M = 20.63, SD = 1.99). Results: Results from the study showed that meaning in life and optimism–pessimism mediated the relationship between coronavirus stress and depressive symptoms. Optimism and pessimism additionally mediated the relationship between meaning in life and depressive symptoms. Furthermore, optimism moderated the mediating effect of meaning in life in the relationship between coronavirus stress and depressive symptoms. Conclusions: These results indicate that the relationship between coronavirus stress and depressive symptoms can be better understood by meaning in life and optimism. Optimism might play a protective factor to mitigate the impact of stress on individuals’ psychological health and is an important aspect of implementing meaning – centred intervention services. KEY POINTS What is already known about this topic: Meaningful living and optimism are important psychological constructs for psychological health, not only at an empirical level but also at a theoretical level. A high level of optimism improves youth well-being and mental health Stress has adverse impacts on individuals’ well-being and is a risk factor for developing psychological problems What this topic adds: The present study highlights the importance of school meaning-based preventions and interventions targeting to promote mental health during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Optimism is an important mechanism that may help to explain the effect of coronavirus stress on psychological health of individuals. The study outcomes suggest there is a need to design a more comprehensive prevention and intervention approach for improving people’s psychological health in the context of the pandemic.http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00049530.2021.1882273coronavirus stressmeaning in lifeoptimismmental healthpositive psychology |
| spellingShingle | Gökmen Arslan Murat Yıldırım Coronavirus stress, meaningful living, optimism, and depressive symptoms: a study of moderated mediation model Australian Journal of Psychology coronavirus stress meaning in life optimism mental health positive psychology |
| title | Coronavirus stress, meaningful living, optimism, and depressive symptoms: a study of moderated mediation model |
| title_full | Coronavirus stress, meaningful living, optimism, and depressive symptoms: a study of moderated mediation model |
| title_fullStr | Coronavirus stress, meaningful living, optimism, and depressive symptoms: a study of moderated mediation model |
| title_full_unstemmed | Coronavirus stress, meaningful living, optimism, and depressive symptoms: a study of moderated mediation model |
| title_short | Coronavirus stress, meaningful living, optimism, and depressive symptoms: a study of moderated mediation model |
| title_sort | coronavirus stress meaningful living optimism and depressive symptoms a study of moderated mediation model |
| topic | coronavirus stress meaning in life optimism mental health positive psychology |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00049530.2021.1882273 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT gokmenarslan coronavirusstressmeaningfullivingoptimismanddepressivesymptomsastudyofmoderatedmediationmodel AT muratyıldırım coronavirusstressmeaningfullivingoptimismanddepressivesymptomsastudyofmoderatedmediationmodel |