Faculty Collaboration Database

Americans' distress early in the COVID-19 pandemic: Protective resources and coping strategies. Psychol Trauma 2021 May;13(4):422-431

Date

01/29/2021

Pubmed ID

33507795

Pubmed Central ID

PMC8448577

DOI

10.1037/tra0000931

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-85109053465 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   47 Citations

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: The rapid emergence of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in the United States has dramatically altered daily life and taken a toll on Americans' physical, mental, social, and financial well-being. Based on previous widespread disasters, future high prevalence of short- and long-term adverse mental health consequences are anticipated. Studies of COVID-19 outside the United States indicated moderately high levels of distress, but we have little information regarding Americans' distress nor the factors associated with relative distress or adjustment during this unprecedented time. This study represents the first national view of Americans' distress during the massive disruption of COVID-19 and identifies levels of stress exposure, protective psychosocial resources, and coping strategies.

METHOD: Data were collected April 7-9, 2020 from an online platform, using best practices for ensuring high-quality data; 1,015 completed respondents are included ([53.9%] women; average age = 38.9 years; mostly White [82.4%] and non-Hispanic [91.5%]). Respondents' locations ranged across the United States, from 18.5% in the Northeast to 37.8% in the South.

RESULTS: Fairly high levels of stress exposure and peritraumatic and general distress (depression, anxiety, and stress) were reported. Emotion regulation skills along with active and distraction coping emerged as the strongest predictors of lower distress levels.

CONCLUSIONS: These results identify potential targets for online mental health interventions-focusing on engaging in adaptive emotion regulation and coping (e.g., through telehealth mental health first aid)-during the pandemic to offset the likely rise in distress over the months ahead. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Author List

Park CL, Finkelstein-Fox L, Russell BS, Fendrich M, Hutchison M, Becker J

Author

Michael Fendrich PhD Professor in the Emergency Medicine department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Adaptation, Psychological
Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Female
Humans
Male
Mental Health
Middle Aged
Pandemics
Stress, Psychological
Surveys and Questionnaires
United States
Young Adult