Can closed-off management in communities alleviate the psychological anxiety and stress caused by the COVID-19 pandemic?

ABSTRACT

Since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the number of individuals infected with the COVID-19 has been increasing worldwide, posed a substantial threat to mental health. Therefore, discovering the means for blocking the transmission path of COVID-19 and improving mental health is of great significance. Based on a survey on the life of urban and rural residents in China (in 2020), the study applied the least squares method to analyse the effect of closed-off management on the psychological anxiety and psychological stress caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, the bootstrap decomposition method was used to test for the mediating effects of satisfaction with and confidence in pandemic prevention. The study found that closed-off management in communities exerted a negative effect on psychological anxiety and stress caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, satisfaction with and confidence in pandemic prevention played a mediating role on the psychological anxiety and stress caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, closed-off management in communities will not only prevent the spread of the COVID-19, but also improve satisfaction with and confidence in pandemic prevention and control. Furthermore, it will alleviate the psychological anxiety and stress caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.