| Issue/Objective |
During the CoViD pandemic, contradictory results about the protective role of resilience from developing mental illness were reported. Moreover, little is known about the mechanisms through which resilience influences psychological distress. Meanwhile, anxiety has been indicated as a marker of mental health problems during the pandemic. Henceforth, it is plausible to hypothesize that CoViD health-anxiety could play a mediating role in the association. The present study essentially aimed to test the mediating role of CoViD health-anxiety in the association between resilience and psychological distress. |
| Methodology/Approach |
The study was a cross-sectional, quantitative, community-based study. Data were collected from 377 residents across randomly selected six zones in Northwestern Ethiopia. The participants age range between 18 and 68 years (M=29.73, SD=9.32), and 54.1% of them were males. Data were collected using Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10), the Short Form of the Health Anxiety Inventory (sHAI), and the 10-item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC-10). Baron and Kenny approach (1986) was used to establishing mediation. |
| Results |
The study depicted that resilience has significant predictive effect on psychological distress ( = -.280, t(375) = -6.148, p <0.001) and on CoViD health-anxiety ( = -.108, t(375) = -2.939, p< 0.001). The study also showed that the effect of CoViD health-anxiety on psychological distress was significant ( = .441, t(374)= 7.329, p < 0.001). Besides, results indicated that CoViD health-anxiety partially mediated the impacts of resilience on psychological distress ( = -.233, t(374) = -5.392, p < 0.001). Specifically, the study depicted that for every one-unit increase in resilience, psychological distress decreased 0.047 units via CoViD health anxiety. |
| Discussion/Conclusion |
The study implied that resilience has both direct and indirect (through CoViD health-anxiety) protective effect on psychological distress. Therefore, mental health interventions during pandemics need to focus not only on activating positive mental health indicators, including resilience, but also on identifying and treating anxiety indicators. The study highlighted additional intervention spot for minimizing psychological distress induced by global health crises. |
| Presenters and affiliations |
Yassin Mohammed Yesuf University of Gondar |
