Wilson Fadiji A, de la Rosa P A, Counted V, De Kock J H, Bronkhorst W L R, Joynt S, Tesfai A, Nyamaruze P, Govender K, Cowden R G
Department of Educational Psychology, Faculty of Education, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.
Africa Unit for Transdisciplinary Health Research, Faculty of Health Sciences, Potchefstroom, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa.
Psychol Rep. 2025 Apr;128(2):678-701. doi: 10.1177/00332941231161753. Epub 2023 Mar 24.
In this longitudinal study, we examine changes in psychological distress and multidimensional well-being from before to during the COVID-19 pandemic among South African adults. As a secondary purpose, we explore whether pre-pandemic flourishing is protective against subsequent psychological distress during the public health crisis. The analytic sample ( = 293; = 44.27, = 14.28; female = 65.19%) completed measures of anxiety symptoms, depression symptoms, and well-being shortly before the stringent nationwide lockdown started in South Africa (T). A follow-up assessment was completed approximately 6 months later (T). Paired samples -tests supported very small improvements in anxiety ( = -0.09) and depression symptoms ( = -0.13). For domains of well-being, small increases were found in close social relationships ( = 0.25) and financial and material stability ( = 0.19). Positive changes in the domains of character and virtue ( = 0.10) and meaning and purpose ( = 0.07) were very small. Changes in physical and mental health ( = -0.03) and life satisfaction and happiness ( = 0.02) were more negligible. Results from the generalized linear models indicated that continuous scores of secure flourishing assessed before the COVID-19 pandemic were associated with lower subsequent psychological distress (particularly depression symptoms) during the public health crisis. We discuss the implications of the findings for the development and delivery of interventions to promote and sustain human flourishing during public health crises, especially in contexts of social-structural vulnerability.
在这项纵向研究中，我们考察了南非成年人在新冠疫情之前至疫情期间心理困扰和多维幸福感的变化。作为次要目的，我们探讨了疫情前的蓬勃发展状态是否能在公共卫生危机期间预防后续的心理困扰。分析样本（n = 293；年龄均值 = 44.27岁，标准差 = 14.28；女性占65.19%）在南非开始全国性严格封锁前不久（T1）完成了焦虑症状、抑郁症状和幸福感的测量。大约6个月后完成了随访评估（T2）。配对样本t检验显示焦虑症状（均值变化 = -0.09）和抑郁症状（均值变化 = -0.13）有非常小的改善。在幸福感领域，亲密社会关系（均值变化 = 0.25）和财务及物质稳定性（均值变化 = 0.19）有小幅增加。性格与美德领域（均值变化 = 0.10）和意义与目标领域（均值变化 = 0.07）的积极变化非常小。身心健康（均值变化 = -0.03）以及生活满意度和幸福感（均值变化 = 0.02）的变化更可忽略不计。广义线性模型的结果表明，在新冠疫情之前评估的安全蓬勃发展的连续得分与公共卫生危机期间较低的后续心理困扰（尤其是抑郁症状）相关。我们讨论了这些发现对于在公共卫生危机期间促进和维持人类蓬勃发展的干预措施的制定和实施的意义，特别是在社会结构脆弱的背景下。
