Psychological well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic: Combining a web survey with experience sampling methodology

COVID-19-related regulations have impacted the economy and people's well-being, highlighting the long-standing problem of inequality. This research explored how COVID-19-related restrictive policies, such as a lockdown or social distancing, affected people's well-being. In Study 1, a cross-sectional online survey (N = 685), we examined the associations between socio-economic characteristics, the number of resources, their relative change, people's stress levels, and their support of restrictive policies. We found that financial loss due to COVID-19, the number of children at home, and the intensity of restrictive measures were associated with higher stress by restrictive measures. The lower support for restrictive measures was observed among those who experienced financial loss due to COVID-19, had more children at home, less frequently accessed COVID-19-related information in the media, and did not perform self-isolation. Men were generally less supportive of restrictions than women, and the number of new COVID-19 cases was negatively related to the support. Lower stress and higher support for restrictive measures were positively associated with life satisfaction. In Study 2, an experience-sampling survey (N-participants = 46, N-responses = 1112), the participants rated their well-being and level of available resources daily for one month. We observed that daily increases in well-being, characterized by higher life satisfaction and lower levels of stress and boredom, were positively associated with more social communication and being outdoors. In summary, the findings support the resource and demand framework, which states that people with access to resources can better cope with the demands of restrictive policies. Implications for policies and interventions to improve well-being are discussed.

Automated summary

COVID-19-related regulations have had an impact on the economy and people's well-being, bringing attention to the issue of inequality. This research examined how restrictive policies, such as lockdowns and social distancing, affected well-being. It found that financial loss, the number of children at home, and the intensity of measures were associated with higher stress. Support for restrictions was lower among those experiencing financial loss and having more children at home, as well as those who accessed COVID-19-related information less frequently and did not self-isolate. Men were generally less supportive of restrictions than women, and support was negatively related to the number of new COVID-19 cases. Lower stress and higher support for restrictions were positively associated with life satisfaction.