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Increased Risk Perception, Distress Intolerance and Health Anxiety in Stricter Lockdowns: Self-Control as a Key Protective Factor in Early Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic

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  • Christoph Lindner

    (Faculty of Education, University of Hamburg, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
    Leibniz Institute for Science and Mathematics Education (IPN), 24118 Kiel, Germany)

  • Ibolya Kotta

    (Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Babeş-Bolyai University, 400084 Cluj-Napoca, Romania)

  • Eszter Eniko Marschalko

    (Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Babeş-Bolyai University, 400084 Cluj-Napoca, Romania)

  • Kinga Szabo

    (Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Babeş-Bolyai University, 400084 Cluj-Napoca, Romania)

  • Kinga Kalcza-Janosi

    (Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Babeş-Bolyai University, 400084 Cluj-Napoca, Romania)

  • Jan Retelsdorf

    (Faculty of Education, University of Hamburg, 20146 Hamburg, Germany)

Abstract

Studies provide evidence that distress, (health) anxiety, and depressive symptoms were high during the first weeks of COVID-19 lockdown restrictions, decreasing over time (possibly due to individuals’ protective psychological factors). Relations between different lockdown restrictions, mental health issues, and protective factors need to be explored, since even small lockdown effects might increase the risk of future mental health issues. We merged objective lockdown stringency data with individual data ( N = 1001) to examine differences in lockdown effects in strict lockdown (Romania) and mild lockdown (Hungary) conditions between March and May 2020 on stressors and mental health symptoms, taking protective factors into account. The stricter lockdown in Romania revealed higher levels of perceived risk of infection, distress intolerance, and COVID-19 health anxiety. Protective psychological factors were not affected by the lockdown measures. Surpassing psychological flexibility and resilient coping, self-control proved to be the most promising protective factor. It is recommended that future research merge objective data with study data to investigate the effects of different COVID-19 lockdown measures on mental health and protective factors. Policy decisions should consider lockdown-dependent consequences of mental health issues. Intervention programs are suggested to mitigate mental health issues and to strengthen peoples’ protective psychological factors.

Suggested Citation

  • Christoph Lindner & Ibolya Kotta & Eszter Eniko Marschalko & Kinga Szabo & Kinga Kalcza-Janosi & Jan Retelsdorf, 2022. "Increased Risk Perception, Distress Intolerance and Health Anxiety in Stricter Lockdowns: Self-Control as a Key Protective Factor in Early Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(9), pages 1-22, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:9:p:5098-:d:799512
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    3. Cong Cao & Dan Li & Qianwen Xu & Xiuyan Shao, 2022. "Motivational Influences Affecting Middle-Aged and Elderly Users’ Participation Intention in Health-Related Social Media," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(18), pages 1-21, September.

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