Department of General Psychology, University of Padua, Padua, Italy.
Department of General Psychology, University of Padua, Padua, Italy; Padova Neuroscience Center, University of Padua, Padua, Italy.
J Affect Disord. 2022 Jul 15;309:418-427. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2022.04.144. Epub 2022 Apr 28.
The COVID-19 pandemic represents an unprecedented worldwide crisis with serious socioeconomic, physical and mental health consequences. However, its long-lasting effects on both mental health and decision-making difficulties remain unexplored. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and severity of psychological disorders in Italy's populace one-year after the outbreak; further, we investigated potential risks impacting mental health and decision-making.
In March 2021, 586 individuals (18-73 years) completed an online-survey plus a computerized delay discounting task for hypothetical money rewards.
Psychological symptoms prevalence exceeded the Italy's lockdown rates, with about one-third reporting moderate-to-extremely severe depression, another third anxiety, and the rest stress; mirrored by an increase of symptoms at clinically significant severity levels. One year into the pandemic, half of our sample presented at least one psychological problem, and one-third was at risk of developing a more clinically severe psychological outcome. Fear of job loss, loneliness and intolerance of uncertainty were among the major risk factors to mental health. Plus, social-relationships and financial uncertainty were key determinants of depression, while fear of COVID-19 infection predicted anxiety symptoms. For decision-making tendencies, elevated delay discounting rates, implying less future-oriented behaviors, were mostly predicted by increased job loss fear and older age (>35 years).
This study provides cross-sectional evidence.
Depression, anxiety and stress levels were still alarming one-year into COVID-19. Individuals experiencing financial insecurity, loneliness and intolerance of uncertainty perhaps benefit most from early interventions. Governments need to implement timely recovery plans to reduce financial insecurity, given its significant mental health impact and decision-making outcomes.
COVID-19 大流行是一场史无前例的全球危机，对社会经济、身心健康都带来了严重影响。然而，其对心理健康和决策困难的长期影响仍未得到探索。本研究旨在确定意大利大流行一年后民众中心理障碍的流行程度和严重程度；此外，我们还研究了可能影响心理健康和决策的风险因素。
2021 年 3 月，586 名（18-73 岁）个体完成了在线调查和计算机化的延迟折扣任务，以评估对假设金钱奖励的决策。
心理症状的流行程度超过了意大利的封锁率，约三分之一的人报告有中度至重度抑郁，另有三分之一的人报告有焦虑，其余的人报告有压力；而且症状达到了临床显著严重程度的比例也有所增加。大流行一年后，我们样本中的一半人至少存在一种心理问题，三分之一的人有发展出更严重的心理问题的风险。对失业的恐惧、孤独和无法容忍不确定性是心理健康的主要风险因素。此外，社会关系和财务不确定性是抑郁的关键决定因素，而对 COVID-19 感染的恐惧则预测了焦虑症状。对于决策倾向，延迟折扣率升高，意味着未来导向行为减少，主要由失业恐惧增加和年龄较大（>35 岁）预测。
本研究提供了横断面证据。
COVID-19 大流行一年后，抑郁、焦虑和压力水平仍然令人担忧。财务不安全、孤独和无法容忍不确定性的个体可能最受益于早期干预。鉴于其对心理健康和决策结果的重大影响，政府需要及时实施复苏计划，以减少财务不安全感。
