Factors Related to Women’s Psychological Distress during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Evidence from a Two-Wave Longitudinal Study

Maria Di Blasi, Gaia Albano, Giulia Bassi, Elisa Mancinelli, Cecilia Giordano, Claudia Mazzeschi, Chiara Pazzagli, Silvia Salcuni, Gianluca Lo Coco, Omar Carlo Gioacchino Gelo, Gloria Lagetto, Maria Francesca Freda, Giovanna Esposito, Barbara Caci, Aluette Merenda and Laura Salerno
Additional contact information
Maria Di Blasi: Department of Psychology, Educational Science and Human Movement, University of Palermo, 90128 Palermo, Italy
Gaia Albano: Department of Psychology, Educational Science and Human Movement, University of Palermo, 90128 Palermo, Italy
Giulia Bassi: Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of Padova, 35132 Padova, Italy
Elisa Mancinelli: Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of Padova, 35132 Padova, Italy
Cecilia Giordano: Department of Psychology, Educational Science and Human Movement, University of Palermo, 90128 Palermo, Italy
Claudia Mazzeschi: Department of Philosophy, Social & Human Sciences and Education, University of Perugia, 06123 Perugia, Italy
Chiara Pazzagli: Department of Philosophy, Social & Human Sciences and Education, University of Perugia, 06123 Perugia, Italy
Silvia Salcuni: Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of Padova, 35132 Padova, Italy
Gianluca Lo Coco: Department of Psychology, Educational Science and Human Movement, University of Palermo, 90128 Palermo, Italy
Omar Carlo Gioacchino Gelo: Department of History, Society and Human Studies, University of Salento, 73100 Lecce, Italy
Gloria Lagetto: Department of History, Society and Human Studies, University of Salento, 73100 Lecce, Italy
Maria Francesca Freda: Department of Humanities, University of Napoli Federico II, 80133 Napoli, Italy
Giovanna Esposito: Department of Humanities, University of Napoli Federico II, 80133 Napoli, Italy
Barbara Caci: Department of Psychology, Educational Science and Human Movement, University of Palermo, 90128 Palermo, Italy
Aluette Merenda: Department of Psychology, Educational Science and Human Movement, University of Palermo, 90128 Palermo, Italy
Laura Salerno: Department of Psychology, Educational Science and Human Movement, University of Palermo, 90128 Palermo, Italy

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 21, 1-12

Abstract: Background. A growing body of research has highlighted the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on women’s mental health. Previous studies showed that women have higher levels of depression, anxiety and PTSD, and worse psychological adjustment than men, which also persisted after the earlier phase of the pandemic. This study aimed to evaluate changes in women’s psychological distress during the pandemic and to evaluate the factors that have a more significant impact in predicting women’s psychological distress. Methods. This two-wave longitudinal study (T1 = Italian first lockdown, and T2 = second phase, when the restrictive measures were eased) involved 893 women (M age = 36.45, SD = 14.48). Participants provided demographic and health data as well as measures of psychological distress, emotion regulation processes, and ability to tolerate uncertainty. Results. No significant changes were found in women’s psychological distress between T1 and T2, i.e., during and after the first lockdown. Lower social stability status and higher maladaptive emotional coping predicted high psychological distress. Conclusions. Results showed that modifiable psychological variables play a central role in predicting distress and indicated that emotion regulation interventions might be helpful in increasing psychological resilience and mitigating the adverse impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic within the female population.

Keywords: women; COVID-19; distress; principal component analysis; emotion regulation; social stability status; intolerance of uncertainly (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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