Intolerance of COVID-19-Related Uncertainty and Negative Emotions among Chinese Adolescents: A Moderated Mediation Model of Risk Perception, Social Exclusion and Perceived Efficacy

Qi Li, Ronglei Luo, Xiaoya Zhang, Guangteng Meng, Bibing Dai and Xun Liu
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Qi Li: Beijing Key Laboratory of Learning and Cognition, Department of Psychology, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, China
Ronglei Luo: Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, China
Xiaoya Zhang: CAS Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Beijing 100101, China
Guangteng Meng: CAS Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Beijing 100101, China
Bibing Dai: Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, China
Xun Liu: CAS Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Beijing 100101, China

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 6, 1-15

Abstract: The uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated negative emotions, especially among adolescents, who feel unable to tolerate the uncertainty of the epidemic. However, the mechanism by which the intolerance of COVID-19-related uncertainty (COVID-19 IU) affects negative emotions in adolescents remains unclear. This study explored the underlying mechanism from COVID-19 IU to negative emotions using a moderated mediation model in adolescents. In total, 3037 teenagers completed a cross-sectional survey including measures of COVID-19 IU, risk perception, social exclusion, perceived efficacy, and negative emotions. The results showed that COVID-19 IU positively predicted negative emotions and that risk perception and social exclusion mediated this relationship. In addition, both the direct effect of COVID-19 IU on negative emotions and the mediating effect of risk perception on this relationship were moderated by perceived efficacy; in particular, COVID-19 IU had a greater impact on negative emotions among adolescents with lower levels of perceived efficacy. These findings suggest that COVID-19 IU is closely associated with negative emotions among adolescents and that effective measures should be taken to enable adolescents to improve their perceived efficacy and develop a reasonable perception of risk, help them eliminate the stigma of the disease, and strengthen their connections with society.

Keywords: COVID-19; intolerance of uncertainty; risk perception; social exclusion; perceived efficacy; negative emotions; adolescent (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 (3)

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