Negative and Positive Emotions of Individuals Worldwide During COVID-19
Abstract
The mental health of individuals has received widespread attention during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, there is still a lack of unified explanations for the emotional responses of different countries and regions during the pandemic. Therefore, this study analyzed the changes in negative and positive emotions among people from different countries during the epidemic from a cross-cultural perspective. This study found that people experienced higher levels of anxiety, depression and loneliness during the quarantine period than before the pandemic. Studies reveal that the imposition of quarantine restrictions has made mental health issues worse by restricting social interactions and elevating emotions of despair and dissatisfaction. Despite the increase in negative emotions, the study also found that people during the epidemic promoted positive emotions in a number of ways. Prior studies suggest that engaging in prosocial behaviors—such as helping others—can enhance individuals' emotional well-being. Moreover, physical activity (PA) and mindfulness meditation have been identified as effective strategies for mitigating NE and fostering PE.This study explores the situation of individual emotional responses globally and provides theoretical support for the management of future public health crises.
References
- European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. COVID-19 situation update worldwide, as of week 6, updated18 February 2021, https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/geographical-distribution-2019-ncov-cases (accessed 21 February 2021).
- Santomauro, D. F., Mantilla Herrera, A. M., Shadid, J., Zheng, P., Ashbaugh, C., Pigott, D. M., Abbafati, C., Adolph, C., Amlag, J. O., Aravkin, A. Y., Bang-Jensen, B. L., Bertolacci, G. J., Bloom, S. S., Castellano, R., Castro, E., Chakrabarti, S., Chattopadhyay, J., Cogen, R. M., Collins, J. K., … Ferrari, A. J. (2021). Global prevalence and burden of depressive and anxiety disorders in 204 countries and territories in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Lancet (British Edition), 398(10312), 1700–1712. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(21)02143-7
- Tang, S., Chen, H., Wang, L., Lu, T., & Yan, J. (2022). The Relationship between Physical Exercise and Negative Emotions in College Students in the Post-Epidemic Era: The Mediating Role of Emotion Regulation Self-Efficacy. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(19), 12166. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191912166
- Cao, W., Fang, Z., Hou, G., Han, M., Xu, X., Dong, J., & Zheng, J. (2020). The psychological impact of the COVID-19 epidemic on college students in China. Psychiatry Research, 287, 112934–112934. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2020.112934
- Hagen, D., Lai, A. Y., & Goldmann, E. (2022). Trends in negative emotions throughout the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. Public Health (London), 212, 4–6. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.puhe.2022.08.009
- Oliveira Carvalho, P., Hülsdünker, T., & Carson, F. (2021). The Impact of the COVID-19 Lockdown on European Students’ Negative Emotional Symptoms: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Behavioral Sciences, 12(1), 3. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs12010003
- Carriedo A, Cecchini J A, Fernandez-Rio J, Méndez-Giménez A. Covid-19, Psychological Well-being and Physical Activity Levels in Older Adults During the Nationwide Lockdown in Spain. The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry: Official Journal of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry. 2020; 28(11): 1146–1155.
- Fernandez-Rio, J., Cecchini, J. A., Mendez-Gimenez, A., & Carriedo, A. (2022). Mental well-being profiles and physical activity in times of social isolation by the COVID-19: a latent class analysis. International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 20(2), 436–450. https://doi.org/10.1080/1612197X.2021.1877328
- Matiz, A., Fabbro, F., Paschetto, A., Cantone, D., Paolone, A. R., & Crescentini, C. (2020). Positive impact of mindfulness meditation on mental health of female teachers during the COVID-19 outbreak in Italy. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(18), 1–22. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17186450
- Liu, X., Kakade, M., Fuller, C. J., Fan, B., Fang, Y., Kong, J., Guan, Z., & Wu, P. (2012). Depression after exposure to stressful events: lessons learned from the severe acute respiratory syndrome epidemic. Comprehensive Psychiatry, 53(1), 15–23. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.comppsych.2011.02.003
- Li, O., & Zhao, C. (2021). How the COVID-19 pandemic influences judgments of risk and benefit: the role of negative emotions. Journal of Risk Research, 24(3–4), 466–476. https://doi.org/10.1080/13669877.2021.1900338
- Varma, M. M., Chen, D., Lin, X., Aknin, L. B., & Hu, X. (2023). Prosocial behavior promotes positive emotion during the COVID-19 pandemic. Emotion, 23(2), 538–553. https://doi.org/10.1037/emo0001077