Resilience Contributes to Low Emotional Impact of the COVID-19 Outbreak Among the General Population in Italy
BackgroundThe COVID-19 outbreak is severely affecting the overall mental health with unknown psychological consequences. Although a strong psychological impact is possible, scant evidence is available to date. Past studies have shown that resilience decreases the negative effects of stress. This stu...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2020-11-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.576485/full |
| _version_ | 1818523205340495872 |
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| author | Vittorio Lenzo Maria C. Quattropani Alessandro Musetti Corrado Zenesini Maria Francesca Freda Daniela Lemmo Elena Vegni Lidia Borghi Giuseppe Plazzi Gianluca Castelnuovo Gianluca Castelnuovo Roberto Cattivelli Roberto Cattivelli Emanuela Saita Christian Franceschini |
| author_facet | Vittorio Lenzo Maria C. Quattropani Alessandro Musetti Corrado Zenesini Maria Francesca Freda Daniela Lemmo Elena Vegni Lidia Borghi Giuseppe Plazzi Gianluca Castelnuovo Gianluca Castelnuovo Roberto Cattivelli Roberto Cattivelli Emanuela Saita Christian Franceschini |
| author_sort | Vittorio Lenzo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | BackgroundThe COVID-19 outbreak is severely affecting the overall mental health with unknown psychological consequences. Although a strong psychological impact is possible, scant evidence is available to date. Past studies have shown that resilience decreases the negative effects of stress. This study aimed to examine depression, anxiety, and stress among the Italian general population during the phase characterized by lockdown, and to investigate the role of resilience as a potential predictor.MethodsA total sample of 6,314 Italian people participated in this study. Participants were recruited between March 29 and May 04 2020 through an online survey. The Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21 (DASS-21) and the Resilience Scale (RS) were administered. Demographic data and lockdown related information were also collected. A correlational analysis was carried out to examine relationships between psychopathological domains and resilience. Three hierarchical regression analyses were conducted using the depression, anxiety, and stress as dependent variables and the resilience as independent variable controlling for age, gender, and education. COVID-19 specific variables were also included in the three regression analyses. A further exploratory analysis was carried out to examine which aspects of resilience predict depression, anxiety, and stress.ResultsThe prevalence of moderate to extremely severe symptoms among participants was 32% for depression, 24.4% for anxiety, and 31.7% for stress. The sample mean scores on depression, anxiety, and stress were higher than the normal scores reported in the literature. Results of correlational analysis showed that resilience factors, such as meaningfulness, self-reliance, existential aloneness, and equanimity, are inversely associated with depression, anxiety, and stress. Results of regression analyses indicated that resilience was statically significant in predicting depression, anxiety, and stress. Geographic area of residence and infected acquaintances were also significant predictors. Regarding the resilience factors, results revealed that meaningfulness, perseverance, and equanimity were statistically significant in predicting all the DASS-21 scales.ConclusionAbout a third of respondents reported moderate to extremely severe depression, anxiety, and stress. The present study suggests that psychological resilience may independently contribute to low emotional distress and psychological ill-being. These findings can help explain the variability of individual responses during the COVID-19 outbreak. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T05:42:17Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-24180e3553fc4f6d9148a5d8efb01891 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T05:42:17Z |
| publishDate | 2020-11-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-24180e3553fc4f6d9148a5d8efb018912022-12-22T01:19:05ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782020-11-011110.3389/fpsyg.2020.576485576485Resilience Contributes to Low Emotional Impact of the COVID-19 Outbreak Among the General Population in ItalyVittorio Lenzo0Maria C. Quattropani1Alessandro Musetti2Corrado Zenesini3Maria Francesca Freda4Daniela Lemmo5Elena Vegni6Lidia Borghi7Giuseppe Plazzi8Gianluca Castelnuovo9Gianluca Castelnuovo10Roberto Cattivelli11Roberto Cattivelli12Emanuela Saita13Christian Franceschini14Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, Messina, ItalyDepartment of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, Messina, ItalyDepartment of Humanities, Social Sciences and Cultural Industries, University of Parma, Parma, ItalyIRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Bologna, ItalyDepartment of Humanistic Studies, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, ItalyDepartment of Humanistic Studies, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, ItalyDepartment of Health Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, ItalyDepartment of Health Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, ItalyDepartment of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, ItalyDepartment of Psychology, Catholic University of Milan, Milan, ItalyIstituto Auxologico Italiano IRCCS, Psychology Research Laboratory, Ospedale San Giuseppe, Verbania, ItalyDepartment of Psychology, Catholic University of Milan, Milan, ItalyIstituto Auxologico Italiano IRCCS, Psychology Research Laboratory, Ospedale San Giuseppe, Verbania, ItalyDepartment of Psychology, Catholic University of Milan, Milan, ItalyDepartment of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, ItalyBackgroundThe COVID-19 outbreak is severely affecting the overall mental health with unknown psychological consequences. Although a strong psychological impact is possible, scant evidence is available to date. Past studies have shown that resilience decreases the negative effects of stress. This study aimed to examine depression, anxiety, and stress among the Italian general population during the phase characterized by lockdown, and to investigate the role of resilience as a potential predictor.MethodsA total sample of 6,314 Italian people participated in this study. Participants were recruited between March 29 and May 04 2020 through an online survey. The Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21 (DASS-21) and the Resilience Scale (RS) were administered. Demographic data and lockdown related information were also collected. A correlational analysis was carried out to examine relationships between psychopathological domains and resilience. Three hierarchical regression analyses were conducted using the depression, anxiety, and stress as dependent variables and the resilience as independent variable controlling for age, gender, and education. COVID-19 specific variables were also included in the three regression analyses. A further exploratory analysis was carried out to examine which aspects of resilience predict depression, anxiety, and stress.ResultsThe prevalence of moderate to extremely severe symptoms among participants was 32% for depression, 24.4% for anxiety, and 31.7% for stress. The sample mean scores on depression, anxiety, and stress were higher than the normal scores reported in the literature. Results of correlational analysis showed that resilience factors, such as meaningfulness, self-reliance, existential aloneness, and equanimity, are inversely associated with depression, anxiety, and stress. Results of regression analyses indicated that resilience was statically significant in predicting depression, anxiety, and stress. Geographic area of residence and infected acquaintances were also significant predictors. Regarding the resilience factors, results revealed that meaningfulness, perseverance, and equanimity were statistically significant in predicting all the DASS-21 scales.ConclusionAbout a third of respondents reported moderate to extremely severe depression, anxiety, and stress. The present study suggests that psychological resilience may independently contribute to low emotional distress and psychological ill-being. These findings can help explain the variability of individual responses during the COVID-19 outbreak.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.576485/fullCOVID-19clinical psychologydepressionanxietystressDASS-21 |
| spellingShingle | Vittorio Lenzo Maria C. Quattropani Alessandro Musetti Corrado Zenesini Maria Francesca Freda Daniela Lemmo Elena Vegni Lidia Borghi Giuseppe Plazzi Gianluca Castelnuovo Gianluca Castelnuovo Roberto Cattivelli Roberto Cattivelli Emanuela Saita Christian Franceschini Resilience Contributes to Low Emotional Impact of the COVID-19 Outbreak Among the General Population in Italy Frontiers in Psychology COVID-19 clinical psychology depression anxiety stress DASS-21 |
| title | Resilience Contributes to Low Emotional Impact of the COVID-19 Outbreak Among the General Population in Italy |
| title_full | Resilience Contributes to Low Emotional Impact of the COVID-19 Outbreak Among the General Population in Italy |
| title_fullStr | Resilience Contributes to Low Emotional Impact of the COVID-19 Outbreak Among the General Population in Italy |
| title_full_unstemmed | Resilience Contributes to Low Emotional Impact of the COVID-19 Outbreak Among the General Population in Italy |
| title_short | Resilience Contributes to Low Emotional Impact of the COVID-19 Outbreak Among the General Population in Italy |
| title_sort | resilience contributes to low emotional impact of the covid 19 outbreak among the general population in italy |
| topic | COVID-19 clinical psychology depression anxiety stress DASS-21 |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.576485/full |
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