The Fear of COVID-19 Mediates the Relationships between Psychological Vulnerability, Social Support and Psychological Distress

• Published in: Psychiatria Danubina Vol. 34; no. 4; pp. 766 - 772
• Main Author: Dadandi, Ibrahim
• Format: Journal Article Paper
• Language: English
• Published: Croatia Medicinska naklada 2022
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; COVID-19; Fear; fear of COVID-19; Humans; Middle Aged; Pandemics; Psychological Distress; psychological vulnerability; Social Support; Social Vulnerability; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0353-5053; 1849-0867
• DOI: 10.24869/psyd.2022.766

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. This is a correlational study. The sample includes 783 (F=515, M=268) Turkish adults aged between 18 and 67 years (x̄=28.76; SD= ±12.21). 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. 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.