Empathy, Fear of Disease and Support for COVID-19 Containment Behaviors: Evidence from 34 Countries on the Moderating Role of Governmental Trust (preprint)

The current study investigated the motives that underlie support for COVID-19 preventive behaviorsin a large, cross-cultural sample of 12,758 individuals from 34 countries. We hypothesized that the associations of empathic prosocial concern and fear of disease, with support towards preventive COVID-19 behaviors would be moderated by the individual-level and country-level trust in the government. Results suggest that the association between fear of disease and support for COVID-19 preventive behaviors was strongest when trust in the government was weak (both at individual and country-level). Conversely, the association with empathic prosocial concern was strongest when trust was high, but this moderation was only found at individual-level scores of governmental trust. We discuss how both fear and empathy motivations to support preventive COVID-19 behaviors may be shaped by socio-cultural context, and outline how the present findings may contribute to a better understanding of collective action during global crises.

The Differences of Slovenian and Italian Daily Practices Experienced in the First Wave of Covid-19 Pandemic (preprint)

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic situation with the lockdown of public life caused serious changes in people's everyday practices. The study evaluates the differences between Slovenia and Italy in health-related everyday practices induced by the restrictive measures during first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.Methods: The study examined changes through an online survey conducted in nine European countries from April 15-28, 2020. The survey included questions from a simple activity inventory questionnaire (SIMPAQ), the European Health Interview Survey, and some other questions. To compare changes between countries with low and high incidence of COVID-19 epidemic, we examine 956 valid responses from Italy (N=511; 50% males) and Slovenia (N=445; 26% males).Results: During the survey, there was a 4.7-fold higher incidence and 12.1-fold more deaths (per 100,000) in Italy than in Slovenia. Barring periods and measures were similar, the latter more stringent in Italy. We found more changes in Italy than in Slovenia: physical inactivity increased (Italy: +65% vs. Slovenia: +21%; p< 0.001), walking time decreased (Italy: -68% vs. Slovenia: -4.4%; p< 0.001); physical work increased by 38% in Slovenia (p< 0.001), and recreation time decreased by 37% in Italy (p< 0.001). Italians reported a decrease in quality of general health, fitness level, psychological well-being, and quality of life (p<0.001); Slovenians showed a decline in psychological well-being and quality of life (p<0.001) but generally had a higher concern for their own health (p=0.005). Changes in eating habits (meal size and consumption of unhealthy food), age and physical inactivity were positively correlated with increases in body mass, while changes in general well-being and concern for health were negatively correlated.Conclusion: The study highlights the implications of COVID-19 measures and epidemiological data and provides insight into the relationship between them and various lifestyle consequences of COVID-19 measures. These findings should be taken into consideration in the implementation of further measures to mitigate the COVI-19 pandemic. 

The experience of distress during the COVID-19 outbreak: a cross-country examination on the fear of COVID-19 and the sense of loneliness (preprint)

ObjectivesTo examine gender, age and cross-country differences in fear of COVID-19 and sense of loneliness during the lockdown, by comparing people from countries with a high rate of infections and deaths (i.e. Spain and Italy) and from countries with a mild spread of infection (i.e. Croatia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina). MethodsA total of 3876 participants (63% female) completed an online survey on "Everyday life practices in COVID-19 time" in April 2020, including measures of fear of COVID-19 and loneliness. ResultsMales and females of all age groups in countries suffering from a strong impact of the COVID-19 pandemic reported higher fear of COVID-19 and sense of loneliness. In less endangered countries females and elder stated more symptoms than males and younger; in Spanish and Italian sample the pattern of differences is considerably more complex. ConclusionFuture research should thoroughly examine different age and gender groups. The analysis of emotional well-being in groups at risk of mental health issues can help to lessen the long term social and economic costs due to the COVID-19 outbreak.