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The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Primary Emotional Systems and Emotional Regulation

Author

Listed:
  • Rachele Mariani

    (Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, and Health Studies Sapienza, University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy)

  • Alessia Renzi

    (Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, and Health Studies Sapienza, University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy)

  • Cinzia Di Monte

    (Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, and Health Studies Sapienza, University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy)

  • Elena Petrovska

    (Derner School of Psychology, Adelphi University, Garden City, NY 11530-0701, USA)

  • Michela Di Trani

    (Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, and Health Studies Sapienza, University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy)

Abstract

(1) Background: The COronaVIrus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic poses a unique challenge as a severe global crisis affecting physical and psychological health. The main purpose of this work is to study the impact of a traumatic event while also observing the human ability to adapt. One of the first theories to study the adaptive importance of the evolutionary lineage of the affective systems is referred to as BrainMind (Panksepp, 2010). This study aims to explore whether primary emotional systems (PES) and emotion regulation (ER) strategies show differences between the pre- and post- lockdown period; and if positive systems and specific emotion regulation pre-pandemic act as a protective or risk factor for mental and physical wellbeing. (2) Methods: 98 participants who had participated in a previous study before the pandemic were re-contacted to refill the Affective Neuroscience Personality Scale (ANPS) and the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ) after the outbreak of the pandemic with the addition of the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90R). (3) Results: The results showed that the COVID-19 lockdown rules had an impact on Emotional Regulation and on a re-balancing of PES. Moreover, pre-pandemic expressive–suppressive ERQ strategies and ANPS SADNESS scores appeared as relevant risk factors, which predicted higher Global Severity Index (GSI) scores during lockdown. (4) Conclusions: The lockdown appears to have activated PLAY and CARE as protective systems, but has detuned the ability to positively reinterpret the situation.

Suggested Citation

  • Rachele Mariani & Alessia Renzi & Cinzia Di Monte & Elena Petrovska & Michela Di Trani, 2021. "The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Primary Emotional Systems and Emotional Regulation," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(11), pages 1-8, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:11:p:5742-:d:563214
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Hong Yan Li & Hui Cao & Doris Y. P. Leung & Yim Wah Mak, 2020. "The Psychological Impacts of a COVID-19 Outbreak on College Students in China: A Longitudinal Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(11), pages 1-11, June.
    2. Cuiyan Wang & Riyu Pan & Xiaoyang Wan & Yilin Tan & Linkang Xu & Cyrus S. Ho & Roger C. Ho, 2020. "Immediate Psychological Responses and Associated Factors during the Initial Stage of the 2019 Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Epidemic among the General Population in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(5), pages 1-25, March.
    3. María Elena Gutiérrez-Hernández & Luisa Fernanda Fanjul & Alicia Díaz-Megolla & Pablo Reyes-Hurtado & Jonay Francisco Herrera-Rodríguez & María del Pilar Enjuto-Castellanos & Wenceslao Peñate, 2021. "COVID-19 Lockdown and Mental Health in a Sample Population in Spain: The Role of Self-Compassion," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-14, February.
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    2. Ilaria Cataldo & Dora Novotny & Alessandro Carollo & Gianluca Esposito, 2023. "Mental Health in the Post-Lockdown Scenario: A Scientometric Investigation of the Main Thematic Trends of Research," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(13), pages 1-21, July.
    3. Julie M. Turner-Cobb & Emily Arden-Close & Emma Portch & Liam Wignall, 2022. "Men and Women as Differential Social Barometers: Gender Effects of Perceived Friend Support on the Neuroticism-Loneliness-Well-Being Relationship in a Younger Adult Population," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(13), pages 1-15, June.
    4. Emanuele Caroppo & Marianna Mazza & Alessandra Sannella & Giuseppe Marano & Carla Avallone & Angelo Emilio Claro & Delfina Janiri & Lorenzo Moccia & Luigi Janiri & Gabriele Sani, 2021. "Will Nothing Be the Same Again?: Changes in Lifestyle during COVID-19 Pandemic and Consequences on Mental Health," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(16), pages 1-8, August.

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