The Effect Of Social Distancing During Covid-19 On Psychological Mood And Physical Activity

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic cause many locales to implement social distancing or social isolation policies to slow the transmission of the disease. Social distancing has previously been shown to contribute to poor mental health and reduced participation in physical activity. On-going isolation can lead individuals to feel detachment from others, feeling uncertain about the future, boredom, and loss of freedom. PURPOSE:The purpose of the present study was to examine self-reported psychological mood and physical activity behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: 199 individuals participated in the study (29.85 ± 10.22 yrs). The participants answered an online survey regarding their loneliness, depression, anxiety, mood state, and physical activity. RESULTS: 56.8% of the sample had symptoms of depression and 72.8% had symptoms of anxiety. Loneliness was correlated with depression (r = 0.66, p < 0.001), trait anxiety (r = 0.35, p < 0.001), and mood disturbance (r = 0.52, p < 0.001). Participation in walking was negatively associated with loneliness (r = -0.21, p < 0.001), depression (r = -0.25, p < 0.001), fatigue (r = -0.22, p < 0.01) and mood disturbance (r = -0.25, p < 0.001). Participation in total physical activity was negatively associated with depression (r = -0.16, p < 0.05)) and mood disturbance (r = -0.16, p < 0.05). Interestingly, participation in physical activity was positively associated with state anxiety (r = 0.26, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Loneliness was associated with negative psychological mood, including depression. Individuals with higher levels of loneliness and depression were less likely to participate in walking. Of note, individuals who experienced higher levels of state anxiety were more likely to participate in physical activity.

Level and factors of support for the Living with the Virus policy in a Chinese adult general population: a mediation analysis via positive and negative attitudes toward the policy

“…Many governments provided free COVID-19 testing to the public, including large-scale community-based testing (e.g., China) ( 5 , 6 ). Such preventive measures involved extremely high social, psychological, and economic costs ( 7 , 8 ). A balance between control versus costs was difficult to achieve and often politicized ( 9 ).…”

COVID-19, Vaccine Hesitancy, and HIV Pre-exposure Prophylaxis Among Black Sexual Minority Men

“…22,23 In addition, many BSMM access PrEP through community-based services that often rely on strong social networks; these networks may be weakened given the increased distancing and isolation presented by the pandemic. 24,25 Distrust in health care systems and discrimination were exacerbated during the pandemic; these are welldocumented barriers to PrEP use. 15,26,27 As an effective strategy for HIV prevention, PrEP use is critically relevant for BSMM, who are substantially more vulnerable to HIV acquisition than their white or heterosexual peers.…”

Changes in affect from non-eating activity engagement as predictors of loss of control eating: an ecological momentary assessment study

“…While these studies clarify how eating-related factors impact affect and subsequently contribute to LOCE, they do not address how other day-to-day factors outside of eating may also be contributing. Research outside of the eating disorder (ED) field has found that non-eating activities including cooking [ 20 ], indoor hobbies {e.g., reading [ 21 ], digital gaming [ 22 ]}, outdoor recreation [ 23 , 24 ], socializing [ 25 ], and meditation [ 26 , 27 ] improve affect, while watching TV [ 21 ], driving [ 28 ], and napping [ 29 , 30 ] worsen or have a mixed impact on affect. However, these studies primarily utilized retrospective recall of non-eating activity engagement and affect which allows for recall error.…”