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Positive Affect Moderates the Influence of Perceived Stress on the Mental Health of Healthcare Workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Author

Listed:
  • Xu Wang

    (School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, No.74, Zhongshan Second Road, Guangzhou 510080, China
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Rui Luo

    (School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, No.74, Zhongshan Second Road, Guangzhou 510080, China
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Pengyue Guo

    (School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, No.74, Zhongshan Second Road, Guangzhou 510080, China)

  • Menglin Shang

    (School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, No.74, Zhongshan Second Road, Guangzhou 510080, China)

  • Jing Zheng

    (Shenzhen Health Development Research and Data Management Center, Shenzhen 518028, China)

  • Yuqi Cai

    (School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, No.74, Zhongshan Second Road, Guangzhou 510080, China)

  • Phoenix K. H. Mo

    (Division of Behavioral Health and Health Promotion, The School of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong, China
    The Chinese University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Research Institute, Shenzhen 518172, China)

  • Joseph T. F. Lau

    (Division of Behavioral Health and Health Promotion, The School of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong, China
    The Chinese University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Research Institute, Shenzhen 518172, China
    Centre for Medical Anthropology and Behavioral Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China)

  • Dexing Zhang

    (JC School of Public Health and Primary Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China)

  • Jinghua Li

    (School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, No.74, Zhongshan Second Road, Guangzhou 510080, China
    Sun Yat-sen University Global Health Institute, School of Public Health, Institute of State Governance, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China)

  • Jing Gu

    (School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, No.74, Zhongshan Second Road, Guangzhou 510080, China
    Sun Yat-sen University Global Health Institute, School of Public Health, Institute of State Governance, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
    Center for Health Information Research, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China)

Abstract

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has posed a profound psychological impact on healthcare workers. However, the role of positive affect in moderating the effect of perceived stress on the psychological states of healthcare workers remains unknown. This study aimed to analyze the moderating effect of positive affect on the association between stress and the mental health of healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. This cross-sectional study evaluated the relationships between perceived stress (the Perceived Stress Scale), positive affect (the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule), depression (the Patient Health Questionnaire-9), and anxiety (the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item Scale) during the COVID-19 pandemic in 644 Chinese healthcare workers who completed online self-reports. The results revealed a significant negative association between positive affect and psychological problems, including stress, depression, and anxiety. At the total group level, multiple regression analysis showed that positive affect alleviated the influence of perceived stress on depression, but no significant moderating effect was found for anxiety. In the subgroups divided by perceived stress, the moderating effect of positive affect on depression was only significant in healthcare workers with a high level of perceived stress. These results suggested that positive affect played a moderative role in alleviating the effect of stress on depression among healthcare workers, particularly those with a high level of stress, thus emphasizing the importance of positive affect as an intervention strategy for promoting the mental health of healthcare workers in the context of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Suggested Citation

  • Xu Wang & Rui Luo & Pengyue Guo & Menglin Shang & Jing Zheng & Yuqi Cai & Phoenix K. H. Mo & Joseph T. F. Lau & Dexing Zhang & Jinghua Li & Jing Gu, 2022. "Positive Affect Moderates the Influence of Perceived Stress on the Mental Health of Healthcare Workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(20), pages 1-14, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:20:p:13600-:d:948150
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    References listed on IDEAS

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