Relationship between fear of COVID-19 and individual factors – a preliminary study
Introduction Fear associated to infectious diseases is directly related with their transmission rate, morbidity and mortality. High levels of fear associated with COVID-19 can affect people’s ability to act and think rationally. In a time of pandemics, it is essential to understand individual fact...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Cambridge University Press
2021-04-01
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| Series: | European Psychiatry |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933821006945/type/journal_article |
| _version_ | 1797617430737977344 |
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| author | C. Cabaços A.T. Pereira A. Araujo R. Sousa A. Macedo |
| author_facet | C. Cabaços A.T. Pereira A. Araujo R. Sousa A. Macedo |
| author_sort | C. Cabaços |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
Introduction
Fear associated to infectious diseases is directly related with their transmission rate, morbidity and mortality. High levels of fear associated with COVID-19 can affect people’s ability to act and think rationally. In a time of pandemics, it is essential to understand individual factors that might be associated to higher vulnerability to stress and fear.
Objectives
To analyse: a)correlations between Fear of Covid-19 and clinical and sociodemographic characteristics; b)the mediator role of repetitive negative thinking on the relationship between personality traits and Fear of Covid-19.
Methods
234 adults (75.6% women; mean age=29.53±12.51) completed an on-line survey with the Portuguese version of the Fear of Covid-19 Scale (FCV-19S) and other questionnaires to evaluate clinical and sociodemographic characteristics (years of education, perceived physical and mental health and infection by Covid-19), Personality (NEO-FFI-20) and Repetitive negative thinking (PTQ-15). SPSS and Process Macro (Hays, 2020) were used.
Results
FCV-19 mean scores were significantly higher in women and significantly correlated with years of education (r=-.14) (p<.05). History of previous/current Covid-19 infection did not significantly distinguish FCV-19 scores and they did not correlate with perceived health. FCV-19 correlated significantly with neuroticism and PTQ total and dimensional scores (r>.20, p<.01). Both Repetitive thinking and Cognitive interference were mediators of the relationship between neuroticism and fear of COVID, even after controlling for gender and education.
Conclusions
This study provides preliminary evidence on individual factors that might be associated to the emotional response to the Covid-19 pandemics, aiming to facilitate public health initiatives to ease people’s fears in a near future.
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| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T07:55:54Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a39190e5a42f431f9b382e5e962f61ed |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0924-9338 1778-3585 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T07:55:54Z |
| publishDate | 2021-04-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | European Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-a39190e5a42f431f9b382e5e962f61ed2023-11-17T05:05:52ZengCambridge University PressEuropean Psychiatry0924-93381778-35852021-04-0164S259S25910.1192/j.eurpsy.2021.694Relationship between fear of COVID-19 and individual factors – a preliminary studyC. Cabaços0A.T. Pereira1A. Araujo2R. Sousa3A. Macedo4Psychiatry Department, Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal Institute Of Psychological Medicine, Faculty Of Medicine, University of Coimbra, coimbra, PortugalInstitute Of Psychological Medicine, Faculty Of Medicine, University of Coimbra, coimbra, PortugalPsychiatry Department, Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal Institute Of Psychological Medicine, Faculty Of Medicine, University of Coimbra, coimbra, PortugalUsf Coimbra Centro, USF Coimbra Centro, Coimbra, PortugalPsychiatry Department, Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal Institute Of Psychological Medicine, Faculty Of Medicine, University of Coimbra, coimbra, Portugal Introduction Fear associated to infectious diseases is directly related with their transmission rate, morbidity and mortality. High levels of fear associated with COVID-19 can affect people’s ability to act and think rationally. In a time of pandemics, it is essential to understand individual factors that might be associated to higher vulnerability to stress and fear. Objectives To analyse: a)correlations between Fear of Covid-19 and clinical and sociodemographic characteristics; b)the mediator role of repetitive negative thinking on the relationship between personality traits and Fear of Covid-19. Methods 234 adults (75.6% women; mean age=29.53±12.51) completed an on-line survey with the Portuguese version of the Fear of Covid-19 Scale (FCV-19S) and other questionnaires to evaluate clinical and sociodemographic characteristics (years of education, perceived physical and mental health and infection by Covid-19), Personality (NEO-FFI-20) and Repetitive negative thinking (PTQ-15). SPSS and Process Macro (Hays, 2020) were used. Results FCV-19 mean scores were significantly higher in women and significantly correlated with years of education (r=-.14) (p<.05). History of previous/current Covid-19 infection did not significantly distinguish FCV-19 scores and they did not correlate with perceived health. FCV-19 correlated significantly with neuroticism and PTQ total and dimensional scores (r>.20, p<.01). Both Repetitive thinking and Cognitive interference were mediators of the relationship between neuroticism and fear of COVID, even after controlling for gender and education. Conclusions This study provides preliminary evidence on individual factors that might be associated to the emotional response to the Covid-19 pandemics, aiming to facilitate public health initiatives to ease people’s fears in a near future. https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933821006945/type/journal_articleCOVID-19Fear of COVID-19PersonalityRepetitive negative thinking |
| spellingShingle | C. Cabaços A.T. Pereira A. Araujo R. Sousa A. Macedo Relationship between fear of COVID-19 and individual factors – a preliminary study European Psychiatry COVID-19 Fear of COVID-19 Personality Repetitive negative thinking |
| title | Relationship between fear of COVID-19 and individual factors – a preliminary study |
| title_full | Relationship between fear of COVID-19 and individual factors – a preliminary study |
| title_fullStr | Relationship between fear of COVID-19 and individual factors – a preliminary study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Relationship between fear of COVID-19 and individual factors – a preliminary study |
| title_short | Relationship between fear of COVID-19 and individual factors – a preliminary study |
| title_sort | relationship between fear of covid 19 and individual factors a preliminary study |
| topic | COVID-19 Fear of COVID-19 Personality Repetitive negative thinking |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933821006945/type/journal_article |
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