Does awareness of COVID-19 matter? Investigating the effect of fear of COVID-19 and stress on subjective well-being

This study investigates the effect of fear of COVID-19 on subjective well-being via the mediating role of perceived stress. The moderating role of awareness of COVID-19 on the mediation model is also tested. This study employed a longitudinal correlation design with a three-wave data collection technique. The data were collected using a snowballing sampling technique where participants were recruited through online advertisements. Finally, 345 responses were included in the analysis after dropping participants who did not fully complete the study and failed the attention check items. The measures included fear of COVID-19, perceived stress, subjective well-being and awareness of COVID-19 and were administered using an online survey platform. The results suggested that fear of COVID-19 adversely impacted subjective well-being while perceived stress partially mediated the relationship. Additionally, awareness of COVID-19 moderated the relationship between fear of COVID-19 and perceived stress. The effect of fear of COVID-19 on perceived stress was more positive for those who had high awareness of COVID-19, consequently lowering subjective well-being. This study is among a few studies investigating a mechanism that explains the effect of fear of COVID-19 on subjective well-being.

Automated summary

This study examines the impact of fear of COVID-19 on subjective well-being by considering the mediating role of perceived stress. It also tests the moderating role of awareness of COVID-19 in the mediation model. The study utilizes a longitudinal correlation design with three-wave data collection. Data is collected through snowballing sampling technique and online advertisements. The findings indicate that fear of COVID-19 has a negative effect on subjective well-being, with perceived stress partially mediating the relationship. Furthermore, awareness of COVID-19 moderates the relationship between fear of COVID-19 and perceived stress, showing that high awareness exacerbates the impact on subjective well-being. This study contributes to the understanding of how fear of COVID-19 affects subjective well-being.