Faculty of Business, Economics and Social Development, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia.
Health System and Population Studies Division, icddr,b, Dhaka, 1212, Bangladesh.
BMC Psychol. 2023 Apr 29;11(1):140. doi: 10.1186/s40359-023-01180-9.
To explore relationship among perceived stress regarding loneliness, interpersonal trust and institutional trust of expatriates during the early COVID-19 period (from 30 March to 30 May 2020).
Data from 21,439 expatriates were extracted from COVIDiSTRESS global survey. The outcome variable was perceived stress. The explanatory variables were age, perceived loneliness, trust (interpersonal and institutional). Pairwise correlation, and structural equation modelling were used to determine relationship among outcome and explanatory variables.
The majority of the expatriates were female (73.85%), married (60.20%), had college degree (47.76%), and employed (48.72%). Over 63% of the total expatriates reported that the COVID-19 pandemic changed their lives. The average age of the respondents was 40.4 years (± 13.7), and the average score of perceived stress, loneliness, interpersonal and institutional trust were 25.5, 7.4, 14.2 and 40.4, respectively. We found a moderate correlation of perceived stress with age, perceived loneliness, interpersonal trust and institutional trust (p < 0.001). They were also found moderately related to each other. Structural equation modelling evaluated that a lack of trust can cause loneliness among expatriates, which later lead to perceived stress. Interpersonal trust was more likely to be associated with stress than institutional trust, whereas perceived loneliness mediated between both trusts and perceived stress.
Perceived stress can be reduced through trusting others and alleviating the loneliness. Making strong linkage among migrants as well as between migrants and local community is important to ensure proper mental wellbeing of expatriates.
探讨新冠肺炎早期（2020 年 3 月 30 日至 5 月 30 日）孤独感、人际信任和机构信任感知压力与外籍人士之间的关系。
从 COVIDiSTRESS 全球调查中提取了 21439 名外籍人士的数据。因变量为感知压力。自变量为年龄、感知孤独、信任（人际和机构）。使用两两相关和结构方程模型来确定因变量与自变量之间的关系。
大多数外籍人士为女性（73.85%）、已婚（60.20%）、大学学历（47.76%）和受雇（48.72%）。超过 63%的外籍人士报告说，新冠肺炎大流行改变了他们的生活。受访者的平均年龄为 40.4 岁（±13.7），感知压力、孤独感、人际信任和机构信任的平均得分分别为 25.5、7.4、14.2 和 40.4。我们发现感知压力与年龄、感知孤独、人际信任和机构信任呈中度相关（p<0.001）。它们彼此之间也有中度关联。结构方程模型评估发现，缺乏信任会导致外籍人士感到孤独，进而导致感知压力。人际信任比机构信任更有可能与压力相关，而感知孤独则在两者之间的信任和感知压力之间起中介作用。
通过信任他人和缓解孤独感，可以降低感知压力。建立移民之间以及移民与当地社区之间的紧密联系，对于确保外籍人士的心理健康至关重要。
