Resilience and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic: Findings from Minnesota and Hong Kong

Abstract

Background : Previous COVID-19 pandemic research has focused on assessing the severity of psychological responses to pandemic-related stressors. Little is understood about (a) resilience as a mental health protective factor during these stressors, and (b) whether families from Eastern and Western cultures cope differently. This study examines how individual resilience and family resilience (i.e., family resources and perception) moderate the associations between pandemic-related stressors and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress in two culturally distinct regions. Methods : A total of 1,039 adults (442 from Minnesota, United States, and 597 from Hong Kong) living with at least one family member completed an online survey about COVID-19-related experiences, mental health, individual resilience and family resilience from May 20 to June 30, 2020. Predictors of depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms were examined separately using hierarchical regression analyses. Results : In both regions, pandemic-related stressors predicted higher symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress. Individual resilience and two domains of family resilience were associated with positive mental health. In Minnesota, higher levels of individual resilience buffered the negative relationship between pandemic-related stressors and depressive symptoms; higher levels of family communication and problem solving also buffered the negative relationship between pandemic-related stressors and stress symptoms. In Hong Kong, higher family-level positive outlook magnified the negative relationship between pandemic-related stressors and anxiety symptoms. Conclusions : Individual and family resilience is protective against the adverse psychological effects of pandemic stressors, but they vary across cultures and as exposure to pandemic-related stressors increases.

Relationships Between Resilience, Mental Well-Being, and COVID-19 Worries in Collegiate Student-Athletes

“…The results supported our third hypothesis that resilience would buffer the relationship between COVID-19 worries and MWB. This finding supports previous research indicating that resilience buffered the relationship between various negative pandemic related constructs and MWB (e.g., Killgore et al, 2020 ; Chan et al, 2021 ; Paredes et al, 2021 ; Shah et al, 2022 ). The implication is that for those with higher levels of resilience, the possible effects of COVID-19 worries are abated.…”

“…A large-scale review of MWB during the pandemic also found that generally, more resilient individuals were faring more positively (Manchia et al, 2022 ). Importantly, resilience has substantially reduced or eliminated the effect of various COVID-19 concerns on MWB (Chan et al, 2021 ; Kavčič et al 2021; Kocjan et al, 2021 ; Paredes et al, 2021 ; Shah et al, 2022 ).…”

Dyadic associations between COVID‐19‐related stress and mental well‐being among parents and children in Hong Kong: An actor–partner interdependence model approach

“…In particular, the dyadic association between stress and well‐being demonstrates the interdependence of experience and responses between parents and children during the pandemic (De Neve & Kawachi, 2017 ). As such, psychologists, therapists, and other mental health professionals should emphasize the family system as a unit of care and intervention (Chan et al, 2021 ). To facilitate psychological adjustment following the COVID‐19 outbreak, effective family‐based interventions are needed to address stress‐related symptoms and equip parents and children with effective coping strategies in the face of adversity.…”

The Moderating Effect of Resilience on Mental Health Deterioration among COVID-19 Survivors in a Mexican Sample

“…In the COVID-19 pandemic, several studies have analyzed the effects of resilience on mental health. According to Chan et al [ 28 ], in both individualistic and collectivistic cultures, high levels of resilience buffer the association between traumatic events and the appearance of anxious and depressive symptomatology. Havnen et al [ 29 ] consider that such buffering effects would result from the application of a set of coping resources appropriate to the traumatic aspects of the pandemic.…”