Flow in the time of COVID-19: Findings from China

Abstract

In February 2020, the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) was raging in Wuhan, China and quickly spreading to the rest of the world. This period was fraught with uncertainty for those in the affected areas. The present investigation examined the role of two potential coping resources during this stressful period of uncertainty: flow and mindfulness. Participants in Wuhan and other major cities affected by COVID-19 (N = 5115) completed an online survey assessing subjective experiences of flow, mindfulness, and well-being. Longer quarantine was associated with poorer well-being; flow and mindfulness were associated with better well-being on some measures. However, flow—but not mindfulness—moderated the link between quarantine length and well-being, such that people who experienced high levels flow showed little or no association between quarantine length and poorer well-being. These findings suggest that experiencing flow (typically by engaging in flow-inducing activities) may be a particularly effective way to protect against potentially deleterious effects of a period of quarantine.

The Relationship Between Quarantine Length and Negative Affect During the COVID-19 Epidemic Among the General Population in China: The Roles of Negative Cognition and Protective Factors

“…In addition, according to the suggestions of Wen et al ( 2004 ), root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) lower than 0.08, and comparative fit index (CFI), normative fit index (NFI), and Tucker-Lewis index (TLI) higher than 0.90 are used as the cutoff criteria for goodness of fit indices in SEM. It should be noted that, given the large sample size, we define statistical significance for our purposes as effects at p < 0.01, as suggested by Sweeny et al ( 2020 ). Furthermore, due to the low reliability of the health behavior scale, we deleted it in the later analysis and only investigated the moderated role of dispositional optimism, tolerance of uncertainty, and social support.…”

Is It Possible to Find Something Positive in Being Confined Due to COVID-19? Implications for Well-Being

“…In these investigations, we found consistent results despite the use of different measures of well-being. Sweeny et al [17] investigated the role of flow. Flow is understood as a state in which the person is completely committed to an activity, during it, loses track of time and experiences enormous satisfaction.…”

“…In addition, the person uses their skills and abilities to the extreme [18]. Sweeny et al [17] found that the relationship between the length of the quarantine and well-being was modulated by flow. According to the authors, getting involved in flow-inducing activities can be an effective remedy against the pernicious effects of quarantine.…”

The Mindfulness Levels of Adults During the Covid-19 Pandemic: The Role of Solution Focused Thinking and Valuing

“…Isolation and social distance, a feature unique to the COVID-19, in contrast with natural disasters like earthquake in which people join together, physically and socially, enforce "being apart" as a compulsory to survive (Polizzi et al, 2020). Some studies indicated that these situations experinced in pandemic periods may cause emotional difficulties such as stress, anxiety, depression, fear and worry among individuals (Shevlin et al, 2020;Zhang et al, 2020). Also, worries and fears about COVID-19 can be a source of stress (Lin 2020) and people with the fear of COVID-19 may be on alert to protect themselves and their family members which can cause to loneliness, fear, and panic in society (Yip and Chau 2020).…”

“…In the literature, mindfulness was recorded to be significantly related with less rumination in adults (Hinterman et al, 2012;Desrosiers et al, 2013;Yu et al, 2021). Mindfulness may promote effective coping during periods of uncertainty crisis (Sweeny et al, 2017;Sweeny et al, 2020). Findings of a research indicated that mindfulness enhances well-being and helps in coping with stressful situations such as the COVID-19 pandemic (Conversano et al, 2020).…”