1. Worries during the COVID-19 pandemic – which were the most prevalent and disturbing?
- Author
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A. Manão, A.T. Pereira, C. Cabacos, A.P. Amaral, M.J. Soares, and A. Macedo
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covid ,health ,Covid-19 pandemic ,contamination ,Psychiatry ,RC435-571 - Abstract
Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic has brought additional worries and challenges to people’s lives, with potential implications for psychological well-being. Objectives To understand which worries and life changes have affected most the Portuguese general population during the COVID-19 pandemic and to analyse which contents are associated with higher levels of repetitive negative thinking/RNT and psychological distress/PD. Methods In September-December 2020, 413 Portuguese adults (69.2% female; Mean age= 31.02±14.272) were asked one open questions, with reference to the COVID-19 pandemic period: “what was your biggest worry?”; the answers were independently categorized by two researchers. Participants also filled the validated Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale and the Perseverative Thinking Questionnaire. Results The most prevalent worries were about: 1) fear of contamination (oneself and others-48.7%; 2) physical and mental health and well-being (self and others)-27.2%; 3) studies and profession-13.3%; 4) uncertainty about the future-7.7%; 5) economic-financial issues-6.5%; 6) miscellaneous-3.3%; 7) no worries-0.7%. Participants who had worries of the theme 4 had the highest RNT and PD mean scores, followed by themes 3 and 5, and then themes 2 and 1. These thematic groups significantly (p
- Published
- 2022
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