Intolerance of uncertainty and reactions to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has presented a threat to mental health worldwide. The current study aims to investigate the role of intolerance of uncertainty in cognitive, emotional and behavioral reactions to this pandemic and propose a path model of these reactions. In the first two months of the COVID-19 pandemic in Slovakia, participants in a general sample (n = 1,011) as well as an older adult sample (n = 655) completed measures regarding intolerance of uncertainty, mental health (anxiety, well-being, perceived stress) and adherence to preventive measures. Two rounds of data collection were carried out in the first sample. Intolerance of uncertainty was found to be related to mental health indicators and the structural equation model showed a direct and indirect effect on them as well as on the adherence to preventive measures. However, the comparison of data from different time points has brought inconsistent results. The findings highlight the role of intolerance of uncertainty in reaction to threat and indicate the potential of uncertainty reduction e.g., getting clear messages from authorities, as a way of decreasing mental health problems.

Predictors of Anxiety, Stress, and Concern of COVID-19 Infection in Older Adults During the First and the Second Waves of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Slovakia.

OBJECTIVES: This cross-sectional online study examined the role of socio-demographic and psychological characteristics in predicting anxiety, stress, and concern of coronavirus (COVID-19) infection in older adults during the first and second waves of the COVID-19 pandemic in Slovakia. METHODS: Six hundred and seven older adults (Sample 1) and 156 older adults (Sample 2) participated in the study during the first and second waves of the COVID-19 pandemic, respectively. The older adults completed a battery of validated instruments for anxiety, stress, concern of COVID-19 infection (outcome variables), satisfaction with health, perceived danger of COVID-19, loneliness, intolerance of uncertainty (IU), optimism, powerlessness, and coping self-efficacy (predictor variables). The data were analyzed using multiple linear regression. RESULTS: The older adults in both samples experienced moderate levels of anxiety, stress, and concern of COVID-19 infection. The greatest amount of variability in anxiety and stress was explained by powerlessness, IU, optimism, and coping self-efficacy. Concern of COVID-19 infection was best predicted by the perceived danger of COVID-19. CONCLUSION: The findings contribute to the existing knowledge about the mental health of older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic and highlight the role of the psychological predictors of anxiety, stress, and concern of COVID-19 infection during both waves.

The Role of Prevolitional Processes in Video Game Playing: A Test of the Model of Goal-Directed Behavior and the Extended Model of Goal-Directed Behavior.

The aim of the current study is to investigate the relationship between prevolitional processes and video game playing. Models of attitude, the model of goal-directed behavior (MGB) and the extended model of goal-directed behavior (EMGB) are tested with structural equation models to analyze the process that leads to video game playing. More specifically, the roles of affective, motivational, habitual processes in video game playing and the goal underlying video game playing are examined. The participants were 210 video game players who completed measures of Attitude, Subjective Norms, Perceived Behavioral Control, Behavioral Desire, Anticipated Emotions, Intention to Play, intensity of actual and past video game playing (Playing Behavior and Past Playing Behavior) and Goal Desire. The results showed that the initial MGB did not achieve a satisfactory fit and thus, a revised model with more acceptable fit was proposed. It was found that anticipated emotions and attitude are significant predictors of desire to play; desire to play, perceived behavioral control, subjective norms and attitude are significant predictors of intention to play and intention is a significant predictor of playing behavior (actual playing time). Moreover, past playing is a stronger significant predictor of behavior itself than of prevolitional processes in video game playing. Goal desire within the EMGB is a significant predictor of desire to play and the relationship of goal to playing behavior is indirect. Nevertheless, goal desire has an important role in the prevolitional processes of video game playing. In the discussion, potential explanations are further explored.