Psychiatria Danubina, Vol. 34 No. 4, 2022.
Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.24869/psyd.2022.766
THE FEAR OF COVID-19 MEDIATES THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN PSYCHOLOGICAL VULNERABILITY, SOCIAL SUPPORT AND PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS
Ibrahim Dadandi
orcid.org/0000-0003-1503-0272
; Faculty of Education, Yozgat Bozok University, Yozgat, Turkey
Abstract
Background: Along with its physical effects, COVID-19 pandemic has brought along a rise in mental health issues in the general
population. This study aims to examine the predictive effects of psychological vulnerability and social support on the psychological
distress during the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the mediating role of the fear of COVID-19 in these relationships.
Subjects and methods: This is a correlational study. The sample includes 783 (F=515, M=268) Turkish adults aged between 18
and 67 years (x =28.76; SD=±12.21).
Results: Psychological vulnerability positively predicted both fear of COVID-19 and psychological distress. Social support
positively predicted fear of COVID-19 but negatively predicted psychological distress. Moreover, fear of COVID-19 played a
complementary mediating role in the relation between psychological vulnerability and psychological distress, and a competitive
mediating role in the relation between social support and psychological distress.
Conclusion: These results provide important evidence about psychosocial risk factors and their interactions with fear of COVID-19
in predicting mental health consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Keywords
psychological distress; fear of COVID-19; social support; psychological vulnerability
Hrčak ID:
291866
URI
Publication date:
22.12.2022.
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