The Relationship of Covid-19 Related Anxiety with Positive and Negative Emotions of Individuals

ABSTRACT

Covid-19 has emerged as a pandemic that has affected all humanity since the end of 2019 and has affected the mental health of individuals, causing anxiety, fear, uncertainty, and hopelessness. This study aimed to examine the relationship between anxiety caused by Covid-19 and positive and negative emotions. 3121 people with an average age of 31.3 (SD=10.20) were included in this cross-sectional study conducted online. Data were collected via Sociodemographic Information Form, Epidemic Anxiety Scale (EAS), and Positive and Negative Emotion Scale (PNES). In this study, a significant negative correlation was found between epidemic anxiety and positive emotions (r=-0.057;p<.001);A positive and significant relationship was found between epidemic anxiety and negative emotions (r=0.571;p<.001). A significant positive correlation was found between economic anxiety and negative emotions (r=-0.335;p<.001). A significant negative correlation was found between quarantine anxiety and positive emotions (r=-0.044;p<.05). A significant positive correlation was found between quarantine anxiety and negative emotions (r=0.534;p<.001). A significant positive correlation was found between social life anxiety and negative emotions (r=0.489;p<.001). The results of this research point out the relationship between positive and negative emotions and epidemic anxiety, economic anxiety, quarantine anxiety, and social life anxiety. This relationship can be in the form of anxieties affecting emotions, or it can be in the form of emotions affecting the level of anxiety. For this reason, while taking measures to calm anxiety in epidemic disease processes such as Covid-19, positive and negative emotions should be examined, and reparative measures should be taken.