Optimism, Mindfulness, and Resilience as Potential Protective Factors for the Mental Health Consequences of Fear of the Coronavirus

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has a substantial impact on mental health. Prior reports have shown that depression, anxiety, and stress have increased throughout the pandemic. Nonetheless, not everyone is affected by these negative consequences and some people may be relatively unaffected. In this online study in a predominantly Dutch and Belgian sample (N = 546), we investigated whether positive personality traits such as optimism, mindfulness, and resilience may protect against the negative mental health consequences (i.e., fear of the coronavirus, depression, stress, and anxiety) of the COVID-19 pandemic. We found that fear of COVID-19 was related to higher depression, stress, and anxiety. However, for participants scoring high on mindfulness, optimism, and resilience, this relationship was weakened. In addition to these findings, we present the results of network analyses to explore the network structure between these constructs. These results help to identify individuals whose mental health is affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Multifarious Linkages Between Personality Traits and Psychological Distress During and After COVID-19 Campus Lockdown: A Psychological Network Analysis

“…Therefore, universities should target students with high levels of neuroticism and develop targeted interventions, such as mentoring, psychological counseling, and teaching coping skills. Additionally, according to Vos et al's study ( 44 ), positive personality traits (e.g., optimism, mindfulness, and resilience) the relationship between fear of COVID-19 and psychological distress ( 45 ). It is, to our best knowledge, the first study exploring the moderated effect of positive personality traits on the relationship between fear of COVID-19 and psychological distress.…”

Hope and Optimism as an Opportunity to Improve the “Positive Mental Health” Demand

“…Resilience refers to the ability to recover quickly from adverse events and experiences. Resilient people tend to maintain a more positive outlook and cope with stress more effectively (Vos et al, 2021). Facing crises can be strengthened by finding a sense of purpose in life.…”

Enneagram typologies and healthy personality to psychosocial stress: A network approach

“…Optimism is the main character of type 7 (bridging enneatype) that favors mindfulness and reduces levels of depression, anxiety, and stress. It is also recognized as a protective factor for mental health in the face of the current pandemic (Vos et al, 2021) and is related to a lower risk of mortality according to a recent meta-analysis (Craig et al, 2021). Optimistic individuals are noted for a personality with a positive attitude, more carefree, and flexible to others, these typological characteristics are likely to be the underlying mediating traits influencing the relationship of the more network-centric (loyal) personality and the more emotionally autonomous healthy personality.…”