Job Insecurity, Financial Threat, and Mental Health in the COVID-19 Context: The Moderating Role of the Support Network

The aim of this study is two-fold. Firstly, to analyze the relations between the perceptions of job insecurity and financial threat and general mental health during the early stage of the COVID-19 pandemic. And secondly, to identify the potential moderating effect of the support network. We carried out a cross-sectional study on a non-probabilistic sample aimed at a general Chilean adult population to analyze this. The results show that both job insecurity (β = −.183;p < .001) and financial threat (β = −.309;p < .001) are associated with a decline in general mental health. Likewise, the results indicated a positive relationship between support network and general mental health in the two models analyzed (βs = 0.322 and 0.182;ps < 0.001 and = 0.012, respectively), as well as a moderating effect of support network on the relationship between job insecurity and decreased general mental health (β = .232;p < .001). The theoretical and applied scope of these findings are analyzed, and their challenges and limitations are discussed.

Relationships between Individual and Social Resources, Anxiety and Depression in the Early Lockdown Stage by the COVID-19 in Chile.

The coronavirus disease has exposed the population to psychosocial threats that could increase mental health problems. This research analyzed the relationships between emotional states (negative [-EWB] and positive [+EWB] experienced well-being), personal resources (resilient coping [RC]), dispositional resources (control beliefs about stress [BAS]), and social resources (social support [SS]), and anxiety and depressive symptoms in a sample of the Chilean population (n = 592), who answered an online questionnaire. Multiple and moderated multiple regression analyses were carried out. Depressive symptoms showed a positive relationship with -EWB (ß = 0.805; p < 0.001) and negative relationship with +EWB (ß = -0.312; p < 0.001), RC (ß = -0.089; p < 0.01), BAS (ß = -0.183; p < 0.001) and SS (ß = -0.082; p < 0.001). Anxiety symptoms showed a positive relationship with -EWB (ß = 0.568; p < 0.001), and a negative relationship with +EWB (ß = -0.101; p < 0.03) and BAS (ß = -0.092; p < 0.001). BAS moderated the relationship between experienced well-being and depression symptoms, and RC moderated the relationship between experienced well-being with both depression and anxiety symptoms. Findings confirm the buffering effect of personal and dispositional resources when facing a sanitary and social crisis. Moreover, they help to understand the role of internal psychological processes during a crisis and how to cope with life-threatening events.

Association between the Physical Activity Behavioral Profile and Sedentary Time with Subjective Well-Being and Mental Health in Chilean University Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the association between the behavioral profile of physical activity and sedentary time with subjective well-being and mental health in university students during the COVID-19 pandemic in Chile. METHODS: Cross-sectional study in a voluntary sample of 469 university students (22.4 ± 0.19 years; 66% women). According to students' self-reports of physical activity and sedentary time, four behavioral profiles were created to investigate their association with subjective well-being and mental health using one-factor ANOVA that was adjusted to a multifactorial model. RESULTS: The physically inactive and sedentary behavior profile presents the lowest levels of subjective well-being (p < 0.001), positive affective experiences (p < 0.001) and general mental health (p = 0.001). When adjusting for confounding variables, it was observed that the physically active and non-sedentary profile was associated with better general mental health (p < 0.01) in contrast to those who are physically active and sedentary. CONCLUSIONS: Chilean university students with a physically inactive and sedentary profile during the pandemic presented worse well-being and mental health, with a sedentary lifestyle being one of the variables that most affects the mental health of these students. Therefore, measures should be implemented to encourage this population to maintain adequate levels of physical activity and reduce sedentary times.

Psychosocial dimension of the pandemic: the other side of covid-19 DimensÃo psicossocial da pandÊmica: o outro lado de covid-19

ABSTRACT Objective: To identify the psychosocial consequences of the pandemic and to define proposals for coping with the negative effects of the pandemic and confinement on mental health. Materials and Methods: For the first objective we searched for empirical articles in English or Spanish, published between January and May 2020, and indexed in the Web of Science data base. For the second objective, the search was expanded, from the year 2004 onwards, to reviews, national surveys, short communications and reports from international organizations such as the WHO, the United States Center for Disease Control (CDC), and the European Centre for Disease Control (ECDC). Results: 11 scientific articles and 6 documents were analyzed. The emotional experience related to the pandemic has a wide range of individual variability, with a high prevalence of psychological distress and anxiety reported. The severity of symptoms was related to the period of isolation, fear of contracting the disease, financial instability and media exposure. In order to manage adverse consequences, it is recommended to satisfy basic needs, maintain social ties and receive truthful and non-alarmist information from the authorities and the media. Conclusion: The consequences of the pandemic include discomfort and responses of fear and anxiety. For people who suffer abandonment and social exclusion, confinement makes this condition even more precarious. Considering that the pandemic occurs in a context of high heterogeneity, the psychosocial dimension should also be a priority.