The relationship between maladaptive health beliefs, pandemic-related stress, and health anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic
Background Research has demonstrated that people experience specific distress and anxiety regarding COVID-19. This distress may consist of interconnected symptom categories corresponding to a COVID stress syndrome. Susceptibility to COVID stress syndrome may be related to one’s maladaptive health be...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Termedia Publishing House
2023-09-01
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| Series: | Health Psychology Report |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://hpr.termedia.pl/The-relationship-between-maladaptive-health-beliefs-pandemic-related-stress-and-health,169169,0,2.html |
| _version_ | 1797333282558312448 |
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| author | Shelby M. Shivak Danielle M. Caissie Hilary A. Power Aleiia J. N. Asmundson Kristi D. Wright |
| author_facet | Shelby M. Shivak Danielle M. Caissie Hilary A. Power Aleiia J. N. Asmundson Kristi D. Wright |
| author_sort | Shelby M. Shivak |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background
Research has demonstrated that people experience specific distress and anxiety regarding COVID-19. This distress may consist of interconnected symptom categories corresponding to a COVID stress syndrome. Susceptibility to COVID stress syndrome may be related to one’s maladaptive health beliefs; however, no research has investigated the association be-tween maladaptive health beliefs and COVID stress. The present study explored the impact of health beliefs on COVID stress, health anxiety, and associated psychological constructs.
Participants and procedure
This cross-sectional survey study included 221 adults (M age = 20.59, SD = 2.28). Participants completed an online survey including demographic questionnaires and self-report measures of health beliefs, COVID stress, health anxiety, and related psychological constructs.
Results
Health anxiety, anxiety sensitivity, state/trait anxiety, intolerance of uncertainty, and depression accounted for significant variance in COVID stress (F(6, 214) = 11.18, R2 = .24, p < .001). Health beliefs (i.e., perceived likelihood of illness, medical service inadequacy, and difficulty coping) were associated with greater COVID stress, although health beliefs were not found to mediate the relationship between health anxiety and COVID stress.
Conclusions
Health beliefs were associated with greater COVID stress, although health beliefs did not mediate the relationship between health anxiety and COVID stress. The relationship between health anxiety and COVID stress may be better explained by other COVID-related cognitions (e.g., vaccine efficacy, dangerousness of COVID-19). The findings highlight the im-portance of peoples’ health beliefs during the pandemic. Given anxiety’s influence on peoples’ behavioural responses to the pandemic, further research should identify COVID-specific cognitions for prevention of COVID stress and health anxiety. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T08:01:30Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4e1fdeaebc7a43429c45dd0ed81fa4da |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2353-4184 2353-5571 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T08:01:30Z |
| publishDate | 2023-09-01 |
| publisher | Termedia Publishing House |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Health Psychology Report |
| spelling | doaj.art-4e1fdeaebc7a43429c45dd0ed81fa4da2024-02-02T12:07:49ZengTermedia Publishing HouseHealth Psychology Report2353-41842353-55712023-09-01121687810.5114/hpr/169169169169The relationship between maladaptive health beliefs, pandemic-related stress, and health anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemicShelby M. Shivak0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4225-0932Danielle M. Caissie1Hilary A. Power2Aleiia J. N. Asmundson3Kristi D. Wright4University of Regina, Regina, CanadaUniversity of Regina, Regina, CanadaUniversity of Regina, Regina, CanadaUniversity of Regina, Regina, CanadaUniversity of Regina, Regina, CanadaBackground Research has demonstrated that people experience specific distress and anxiety regarding COVID-19. This distress may consist of interconnected symptom categories corresponding to a COVID stress syndrome. Susceptibility to COVID stress syndrome may be related to one’s maladaptive health beliefs; however, no research has investigated the association be-tween maladaptive health beliefs and COVID stress. The present study explored the impact of health beliefs on COVID stress, health anxiety, and associated psychological constructs. Participants and procedure This cross-sectional survey study included 221 adults (M age = 20.59, SD = 2.28). Participants completed an online survey including demographic questionnaires and self-report measures of health beliefs, COVID stress, health anxiety, and related psychological constructs. Results Health anxiety, anxiety sensitivity, state/trait anxiety, intolerance of uncertainty, and depression accounted for significant variance in COVID stress (F(6, 214) = 11.18, R2 = .24, p < .001). Health beliefs (i.e., perceived likelihood of illness, medical service inadequacy, and difficulty coping) were associated with greater COVID stress, although health beliefs were not found to mediate the relationship between health anxiety and COVID stress. Conclusions Health beliefs were associated with greater COVID stress, although health beliefs did not mediate the relationship between health anxiety and COVID stress. The relationship between health anxiety and COVID stress may be better explained by other COVID-related cognitions (e.g., vaccine efficacy, dangerousness of COVID-19). The findings highlight the im-portance of peoples’ health beliefs during the pandemic. Given anxiety’s influence on peoples’ behavioural responses to the pandemic, further research should identify COVID-specific cognitions for prevention of COVID stress and health anxiety.https://hpr.termedia.pl/The-relationship-between-maladaptive-health-beliefs-pandemic-related-stress-and-health,169169,0,2.htmlanxietycross-sectionalpandemichealth cognitionscovid stress syndrome |
| spellingShingle | Shelby M. Shivak Danielle M. Caissie Hilary A. Power Aleiia J. N. Asmundson Kristi D. Wright The relationship between maladaptive health beliefs, pandemic-related stress, and health anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic Health Psychology Report anxiety cross-sectional pandemic health cognitions covid stress syndrome |
| title | The relationship between maladaptive health beliefs, pandemic-related stress, and health anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_full | The relationship between maladaptive health beliefs, pandemic-related stress, and health anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_fullStr | The relationship between maladaptive health beliefs, pandemic-related stress, and health anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_full_unstemmed | The relationship between maladaptive health beliefs, pandemic-related stress, and health anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_short | The relationship between maladaptive health beliefs, pandemic-related stress, and health anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_sort | relationship between maladaptive health beliefs pandemic related stress and health anxiety during the covid 19 pandemic |
| topic | anxiety cross-sectional pandemic health cognitions covid stress syndrome |
| url | https://hpr.termedia.pl/The-relationship-between-maladaptive-health-beliefs-pandemic-related-stress-and-health,169169,0,2.html |
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