Associations of Depressive Symptoms, COVID-19-Related Stressors, and Coping Strategies. A Comparison Between Cities and Towns in Germany
BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has led to a wide range of stressors related to depressive symptoms. Prevention measures like physical distancing have burdened the general population, especially in highly urbanized areas. However, little is known about the associations between pandemic-related stres...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-01-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.791312/full |
| _version_ | 1818332723807256576 |
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| author | Caroline Meyer Rayan El-Haj-Mohamad Rayan El-Haj-Mohamad Nadine Stammel Nadine Stammel Annett Lotzin Ingo Schäfer Christine Knaevelsrud Maria Böttche Maria Böttche |
| author_facet | Caroline Meyer Rayan El-Haj-Mohamad Rayan El-Haj-Mohamad Nadine Stammel Nadine Stammel Annett Lotzin Ingo Schäfer Christine Knaevelsrud Maria Böttche Maria Böttche |
| author_sort | Caroline Meyer |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has led to a wide range of stressors related to depressive symptoms. Prevention measures like physical distancing have burdened the general population, especially in highly urbanized areas. However, little is known about the associations between pandemic-related stressors, coping strategies, and depressive symptoms in highly urbanized vs. less urbanized environments.MethodsParticipants were recruited in a cross-sectional online survey in Germany. Propensity score matching yielded a matched sample of city (n = 453) and town (n = 453) inhabitants. Depressive symptoms, COVID-19-related stressors, and coping strategies were compared between cities and towns. Multiple regression analysis was performed to determine associations between pandemic-related stressors and depressive symptoms for the two groups separately.ResultsCity inhabitants showed significantly higher depression scores than town inhabitants (t = 2.11, df = 897.95, p = 0.035). Seven coping strategies were more often used by the city sample. Depressive symptoms were associated with “restricted physical social contact” and “difficult housing conditions” (adjusted R2= 0.19, F[9,443] = 12.52, p < 0.001) in city inhabitants, and with “fear of infection” and “difficult housing conditions” (adjusted R2= 0.20, F[9,443] = 13.50, p < 0.001) in town inhabitants.LimitationsThe data were collected at the end of the first wave and represent a snapshot without causal inferences. Pandemic-related stressors were measured with a newly developed scale.ConclusionDepressive symptoms, perceived stressors, and approach/avoidance coping strategies differed between city vs. town inhabitants. These differences should be considered in policy-making and mental health care. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T13:40:17Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3be82e87d1c64d42b2b3d294a537678b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-0640 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T13:40:17Z |
| publishDate | 2022-01-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-3be82e87d1c64d42b2b3d294a537678b2022-12-21T23:43:36ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychiatry1664-06402022-01-011210.3389/fpsyt.2021.791312791312Associations of Depressive Symptoms, COVID-19-Related Stressors, and Coping Strategies. A Comparison Between Cities and Towns in GermanyCaroline Meyer0Rayan El-Haj-Mohamad1Rayan El-Haj-Mohamad2Nadine Stammel3Nadine Stammel4Annett Lotzin5Ingo Schäfer6Christine Knaevelsrud7Maria Böttche8Maria Böttche9Department of Clinical Psychological Intervention, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, GermanyDepartment of Clinical Psychological Intervention, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, GermanyResearch Department, Center ÜBERLEBEN, Berlin, GermanyDepartment of Clinical Psychological Intervention, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, GermanyResearch Department, Center ÜBERLEBEN, Berlin, GermanyDepartment of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, GermanyDepartment of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, GermanyDepartment of Clinical Psychological Intervention, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, GermanyDepartment of Clinical Psychological Intervention, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, GermanyResearch Department, Center ÜBERLEBEN, Berlin, GermanyBackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has led to a wide range of stressors related to depressive symptoms. Prevention measures like physical distancing have burdened the general population, especially in highly urbanized areas. However, little is known about the associations between pandemic-related stressors, coping strategies, and depressive symptoms in highly urbanized vs. less urbanized environments.MethodsParticipants were recruited in a cross-sectional online survey in Germany. Propensity score matching yielded a matched sample of city (n = 453) and town (n = 453) inhabitants. Depressive symptoms, COVID-19-related stressors, and coping strategies were compared between cities and towns. Multiple regression analysis was performed to determine associations between pandemic-related stressors and depressive symptoms for the two groups separately.ResultsCity inhabitants showed significantly higher depression scores than town inhabitants (t = 2.11, df = 897.95, p = 0.035). Seven coping strategies were more often used by the city sample. Depressive symptoms were associated with “restricted physical social contact” and “difficult housing conditions” (adjusted R2= 0.19, F[9,443] = 12.52, p < 0.001) in city inhabitants, and with “fear of infection” and “difficult housing conditions” (adjusted R2= 0.20, F[9,443] = 13.50, p < 0.001) in town inhabitants.LimitationsThe data were collected at the end of the first wave and represent a snapshot without causal inferences. Pandemic-related stressors were measured with a newly developed scale.ConclusionDepressive symptoms, perceived stressors, and approach/avoidance coping strategies differed between city vs. town inhabitants. These differences should be considered in policy-making and mental health care.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.791312/fullcoronavirusdepressionrestrictionslevel of urbanizationpandemic stressorsmental health |
| spellingShingle | Caroline Meyer Rayan El-Haj-Mohamad Rayan El-Haj-Mohamad Nadine Stammel Nadine Stammel Annett Lotzin Ingo Schäfer Christine Knaevelsrud Maria Böttche Maria Böttche Associations of Depressive Symptoms, COVID-19-Related Stressors, and Coping Strategies. A Comparison Between Cities and Towns in Germany Frontiers in Psychiatry coronavirus depression restrictions level of urbanization pandemic stressors mental health |
| title | Associations of Depressive Symptoms, COVID-19-Related Stressors, and Coping Strategies. A Comparison Between Cities and Towns in Germany |
| title_full | Associations of Depressive Symptoms, COVID-19-Related Stressors, and Coping Strategies. A Comparison Between Cities and Towns in Germany |
| title_fullStr | Associations of Depressive Symptoms, COVID-19-Related Stressors, and Coping Strategies. A Comparison Between Cities and Towns in Germany |
| title_full_unstemmed | Associations of Depressive Symptoms, COVID-19-Related Stressors, and Coping Strategies. A Comparison Between Cities and Towns in Germany |
| title_short | Associations of Depressive Symptoms, COVID-19-Related Stressors, and Coping Strategies. A Comparison Between Cities and Towns in Germany |
| title_sort | associations of depressive symptoms covid 19 related stressors and coping strategies a comparison between cities and towns in germany |
| topic | coronavirus depression restrictions level of urbanization pandemic stressors mental health |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.791312/full |
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