Fan Jialin, Smith Andrew P
School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518000, China.
School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3AS, UK.
Behav Sci (Basel). 2021 Apr 27;11(5):62. doi: 10.3390/bs11050062.
(1) Psychology must play an important role in the prevention and management of the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of the present study was to examine associations between the perceptions of information overload and wellbeing in China during the initial phase of COVID-19. (2) Methods: The present research involved a cross-sectional online survey, which controlled for established predictors of wellbeing and the perception of general (not COVID-19-specific) information overload. The setting of the research was China, February 2020. A total of 1349 participants completed an online survey, and the results from 1240 members of the general public who stated that they were uninfected are reported here (55.6% female; 49.4% single; age distribution: 17-25 years: 26%; 26-30 years: 24.3%; 31-40 years: 23.9%; 41-50 years: 16.2%; 51 years+: 9.6%; the most frequent occupations were: 21.5% students; 19.5% teachers; 25.9% office workers; 10.8% managers, plus a few in a wide range of jobs). The outcomes were positive wellbeing (positive affect and life satisfaction) and negative wellbeing (stress, negative affect, anxiety and depression). (3) Results: Regressions were carried out, controlling for established predictors of wellbeing (psychological capital, general information overload, positive and negative coping). Spending time getting information about COVID-19 was associated with more positive wellbeing. In contrast, perceptions of COVID-19 information overload and feeling panic due to COVID-19 were associated with more negative wellbeing. (4) Conclusions: These results have implications for the communication of information about COVID-19 to the general public and form the basis for further research on the topic.
（1）心理学在新冠疫情的预防和管控中必须发挥重要作用。本研究旨在探讨新冠疫情初期中国民众信息过载感知与幸福感之间的关联。（2）方法：本研究采用横断面在线调查，控制了幸福感的既定预测因素以及对一般（非特定于新冠疫情）信息过载的感知。研究背景为2020年2月的中国。共有1349名参与者完成了在线调查，此处报告的是1240名自称未感染的普通民众的结果（女性占55.6%；单身占49.4%；年龄分布：17 - 25岁：26%；26 - 30岁：24.3%；31 - 40岁：23.9%；41 - 50岁：16.2%；51岁及以上：9.6%；最常见职业为：学生21.5%；教师19.5%；办公室职员25.9%；经理10.8%，还有少数从事其他广泛职业）。结果变量为积极幸福感（积极情绪和生活满意度）和消极幸福感（压力、消极情绪、焦虑和抑郁）。（3）结果：进行回归分析，控制幸福感的既定预测因素（心理资本、一般信息过载、积极和消极应对方式）。花时间获取新冠疫情信息与更积极的幸福感相关。相反，对新冠疫情信息过载的感知以及因新冠疫情感到恐慌与更消极的幸福感相关。（4）结论：这些结果对向公众传播新冠疫情信息具有启示意义，并为该主题的进一步研究奠定了基础。
