Factors impacting resilience as a result of exposure to COVID-19: The ecological resilience model

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 16; no. 8; p. e0256041
• Main Authors: Panzeri, Anna, Bertamini, Marco, Butter, Sarah, Levita, Liat, Gibson-Miller, Jilly, Vidotto, Giulio, Bentall, Richard P, Bennett, Kate Mary
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 18.08.2021; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Anxiety; Anxiety - epidemiology; Anxiety - etiology; Biology and Life Sciences; Consortia; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; COVID-19 - psychology; Cross-Sectional Studies; Dementia; Depression - epidemiology; Depression - etiology; Disease control; Earth Sciences; Ecological effects; Education; Female; Health aspects; Humans; Intolerance; Italy; Male; Medicine and Health Sciences; Mental health; Middle Aged; Modelling; Models, Psychological; Pandemics; Physical Distancing; Post traumatic stress disorder; Posttraumatic stress disorder; Psychological aspects; Psychological stress; Psychology; Regression models; Resilience; Resilience (Personality trait); Resilience, Psychological; Risk Factors; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Social Sciences; Supervision; Viruses; Italy; United Kingdom; England; United Kingdom > UK; China
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0256041

Despite the severe psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, some individuals do not develop high levels of psychological distress and can be termed resilient. Using the ecological resilience model, we examined factors promoting or hindering resilience in the COVID-19 pandemic. Of the 1034 participants (49.9±16.2 years; females 51.2%) from Italian general population, 70% displayed resilient outcomes and 30% reported moderate-severe anxiety and/or depression. A binary regression model revealed that factors promoting resilience were mostly psychological (e.g., trait resilience, conscientiousness) together with social distancing. Conversely, factors hindering resilience included COVID-19-anxiety, COVID-19-related PTSD symptoms, intolerance of uncertainty, loneliness, living with children, higher education, and living in regions where the virus was starting to spread. In conclusion, the ecological resilience model in the COVID-19 pandemic explained 64% of the variance and identified factors promoting or hindering resilient outcomes. Critically, these findings can inform psychological interventions supporting individuals by strengthening factors associated with resilience.