The association between the sense of control and depression during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review and meta-analysis
IntroductionHigh levels of depression and low sense of control have been reported during the COVID-19 pandemic. The removal of typical freedoms through public health restrictions may have played an important role. The aim of this review was to examine data collected during the pandemic and (1) estim...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2024-02-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1323306/full |
| _version_ | 1797315991951114240 |
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| author | Rachel M. Msetfi Diana E. Kornbrot Yemaya J. Halbrook |
| author_facet | Rachel M. Msetfi Diana E. Kornbrot Yemaya J. Halbrook |
| author_sort | Rachel M. Msetfi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | IntroductionHigh levels of depression and low sense of control have been reported during the COVID-19 pandemic. The removal of typical freedoms through public health restrictions may have played an important role. The aim of this review was to examine data collected during the pandemic and (1) estimate the strength of the association between sense of control and depression, (2) examine whether the different types of control measures affected the strength of the association, and (3) whether this changed as a function of pandemic indicators.MethodsWe conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies published in English between December 2019 and November 2022. A total of 993 articles were identified, of which 20 were included in the review and 16 in the meta-analysis after conducting a quality assessment using the standard NIH tool.ResultsThe control–depression association gave a bias-independent pooled effect size of r = .41, and grew stronger over the 130 weeks covered by this review but did not change as a function of local COVID incidence rates. Subgroup analyses showed that external and overall control were more strongly related to depression than internal control.DiscussionThese findings emphasize that external factors are important to the sense of control and the importance of preserving the sense of control in situations where the removal of personal freedoms is necessary, such as public health emergencies. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T03:11:52Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8979930107f04275af2c2ca604399e48 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-0640 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T03:11:52Z |
| publishDate | 2024-02-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-8979930107f04275af2c2ca604399e482024-02-13T04:37:42ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychiatry1664-06402024-02-011510.3389/fpsyt.2024.13233061323306The association between the sense of control and depression during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review and meta-analysisRachel M. Msetfi0Diana E. Kornbrot1Yemaya J. Halbrook2Maynooth University, Maynooth, IrelandDepartment of Psychology, Sport and Geography, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, United KingdomMaynooth University, Maynooth, IrelandIntroductionHigh levels of depression and low sense of control have been reported during the COVID-19 pandemic. The removal of typical freedoms through public health restrictions may have played an important role. The aim of this review was to examine data collected during the pandemic and (1) estimate the strength of the association between sense of control and depression, (2) examine whether the different types of control measures affected the strength of the association, and (3) whether this changed as a function of pandemic indicators.MethodsWe conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies published in English between December 2019 and November 2022. A total of 993 articles were identified, of which 20 were included in the review and 16 in the meta-analysis after conducting a quality assessment using the standard NIH tool.ResultsThe control–depression association gave a bias-independent pooled effect size of r = .41, and grew stronger over the 130 weeks covered by this review but did not change as a function of local COVID incidence rates. Subgroup analyses showed that external and overall control were more strongly related to depression than internal control.DiscussionThese findings emphasize that external factors are important to the sense of control and the importance of preserving the sense of control in situations where the removal of personal freedoms is necessary, such as public health emergencies.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1323306/fullpublic health restrictionsmental healthdepressionsense of controlCOVIDpandemic (COVID19) |
| spellingShingle | Rachel M. Msetfi Diana E. Kornbrot Yemaya J. Halbrook The association between the sense of control and depression during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review and meta-analysis Frontiers in Psychiatry public health restrictions mental health depression sense of control COVID pandemic (COVID19) |
| title | The association between the sense of control and depression during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review and meta-analysis |
| title_full | The association between the sense of control and depression during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review and meta-analysis |
| title_fullStr | The association between the sense of control and depression during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review and meta-analysis |
| title_full_unstemmed | The association between the sense of control and depression during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review and meta-analysis |
| title_short | The association between the sense of control and depression during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review and meta-analysis |
| title_sort | association between the sense of control and depression during the covid 19 pandemic a systematic review and meta analysis |
| topic | public health restrictions mental health depression sense of control COVID pandemic (COVID19) |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1323306/full |
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