Well-Being Reduces COVID-19 Anxiety: A Three-Wave Longitudinal Study in China

Zhuojun Wang, Shuyi Luo, Jianjie Xu, Yanwei Wang, Hanqi Yun, Zihao Zhao, Haocheng Zhan and Yinan Wang ()
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Zhuojun Wang: Beijing Normal University
Shuyi Luo: Beijing Normal University
Jianjie Xu: Beijing Normal University
Yanwei Wang: Beijing Normal University
Hanqi Yun: Beijing Normal University
Zihao Zhao: Beijing Normal University
Haocheng Zhan: Beijing Normal University
Yinan Wang: Beijing Normal University

Journal of Happiness Studies, 2021, vol. 22, issue 8, No 13, 3593-3610

Abstract: Abstract The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic threatens human beings’ livelihoods and mental health, which lowers their well-being and gives rise to anxiety. This study examines whether there is a causal relationship (and, if so, in which direction) between people’s well-being and COVID-19 anxiety. Two hundred and twenty-two participants (54.50% female, Mage = 31.53, SD = 8.17) from 26 provinces of China completed measures of subjective well-being (SWB) and COVID-19 anxiety at three key nodes of the development of COVID-19 in China. The results showed that people’s SWB and COVID-19 anxiety fluctuated with the peak (T1), decline (T2), and trough stages (T3) of the COVID-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, the cross-lagged analysis showed that the participants’ SWB at T0 (pre-pandemic stage; the base level of SWB) and T1 could significantly predict their COVID-19 anxiety at T1 and T2 respectively. However, SWB at T2 was not associated with the COVID-19 anxiety at T3. Furthermore, COVID-19 anxiety could not predict subsequent SWB from T1 to T3. The current findings contribute to clarifying the causal relationship between well-being and anxiety through the development of epidemics, as well as finding ways to alleviate people’s COVID-19 anxiety.

Keywords: COVID-19 anxiety; Subjective well-being; Longitudinal design; Cross-lagged analysis; China (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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DOI: 10.1007/s10902-021-00385-2

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