Physical Distancing Behavior: The Role of Emotions, Personality, Motivations, and Moral Decision-Making

Abstract

Objective Physical distancing behavior (PDB) is a key disease prevention strategy for limiting the spread of COVID-19. In order to effectively encourage it among adolescents, it is necessary to understand the associated mental mechanisms. Health behavior theories suggest that emotions, personality, motivation, and moral disengagement could all play a role. On the basis of a longitudinal study, we investigated the importance of these factors in predicting PDB. Methods The participants were 347 adolescents residing in Italy. Data were collected in four waves starting from 1 year before the pandemic. A structural equation model based on health behavior theory was tested. Results After the COVID-19 national lockdown, adolescents experienced fewer positive emotions and more negative emotions compared with 1 year earlier. Nevertheless, these emotional changes, and adolescents’ personality (except for openness to experiences), were not related to the adoption of PDB. Instead, the autonomous motivation of adolescents significantly predicted a higher likelihood to adopt PDB by increasing the intention to engage in this behavior and, more indirectly, by substantially decreasing moral disengagement, which was negatively related to PDB. In contrast, controlled motivation corresponded to significantly higher levels of moral disengagement and predicted less likelihood of adopting PDB. Conclusions Messages and interventions targeted at adolescents should be oriented towards supporting autonomy, emphasizing the personal and social value of PDB. Communications should avoid the use of coercive strategies based on eliciting emotions such as shame and guilt in adolescents who do not adopt PDB, which appear to trigger off mechanisms of moral disengagement.

Adherence to and Motivations for Complying with Public Health Measures Among Adolescents During the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Pandemic in Canada

“…This suggests that emphasizing social responsibility and caring for others may be an effective strategy to increasing adherence overall. This is inline with other research that suggested emphasizing the personal and social value of physical distancing behaviours (Alivernini et al, 2020). Our results extend this finding to mask-wearing.…”

The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic and Societal Infection Control Measures on Children and Adolescents' Mental Health: A Scoping Review

“…Five longitudinal studies involved children ( 51 , 55 , 56 , 58 , 59 ), nine involved adolescents ( 53 , 54 , 57 , 60 – 65 ) and one involved children and adolescents ( 52 ). Most of the studies indicated negative impact of the pandemic on mental health, including increased symptoms of depression ( 60 , 63 , 64 , 66 ), anxiety ( 60 , 63 , 64 , 67 ), loneliness ( 63 ), psychological distress ( 51 , 53 , 65 ), hyperactivity and impulsivity ( 55 ), and emotional and behavioural problems ( 59 ), as well as reductions in emotional regulation ( 55 ), happiness and positive emotions ( 54 , 65 ), and life satisfaction ( 64 ). However, a study from Spain reported no significant change among preschool-aged children and, despite some statistically significant differences in a primary school-aged group, no change was identified for depression or challenging behaviour ( 55 ).…”

“…The scoping review discovered 15 longitudinal studies (Table 3), which involved repeated measures over time and provide stronger evidence to address the question of impact on mental health. Five longitudinal studies involved children (51,55,56,58,59), nine involved adolescents (53,54,57,(60)(61)(62)(63)(64)(65) and one involved children and adolescents (52). Most of the studies indicated negative impact of the pandemic on mental health, including increased symptoms of depression (60,63,64,66), anxiety (60,63,64,67), loneliness (63), psychological distress (51,53,65), hyperactivity and impulsivity (55), and emotional and behavioural problems (59), as well as reductions in emotional regulation (55), happiness and positive emotions China, Asia "To assess the prevalence of two specific mental symptoms, anxiety, and depression, and their socio-demographic correlates among adolescents in the Chinese population during the COVID-19 outbreak.…”

Re-Thinking the Mediating Role of Emotional Valence and Arousal between Personal Factors and Occupational Safety Attention Levels

“…In a network safety study, Norris proposed that personality differences between individuals significantly affect personal emotions and safety-related decision-making [ 27 ]. Alivernini conducted an experiment on a sample of 347 adolescents who were under social distancing restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic and found that adolescents with different personalities exhibited significantly different emotional levels concerning social distancing restrictions and eventually developed different psychological characteristics [ 28 ]. According to the theory of emotional psychology, human psychological activities are the result of a combination of external factors (such as organizational culture) and internal factors (such as personality) [ 29 ].…”

“…According to the discussion in Section 2.2 and Section 2.3 , we hypothesize that risk tolerance and personality cannot only directly but also indirectly affect safety attention by “bridging” emotional valence and arousal. On one hand, existing studies have shown that risk tolerance and personality may significantly affect emotional valence and arousal [ 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 ]; on the other hand, emotional valence and arousal may also affect safety attention [ 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 ]. Accordingly, we propose the following hypotheses:…”