The aim of this study was to explore the psychological effects of being placed in quarantine during the early stage of the COVID-19 lockdown in Norway. We wanted to examine the effects of individual stress, coping strategies, and access to social support from family and friends. We conducted semi-structured in-depth interviews with 19 Norwegian citizens between 21-64 years who were quarantined during the first four weeks of the pandemic in March-April 2020. Four main themes emerged in the analysis: a) Being responsible, in terms of addressing the fear of being infected and infecting others, b) The stress of the situation, in terms of highlighting worries, loss and loneliness, c) Ways of coping, in terms of elaborating on cognitive, behavioral, and affective strategies to adapt to the quarantine, and d) Social support and gratitude, in terms of appreciating interpersonal relations and the social context of the quarantine situation. The study contributes to our understanding of how individual differences in stress and coping influenced the psychological outcomes of quarantine in the first weeks of the pandemic. These findings may inform health services and policy for future use of quarantine as an infection control measure.
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