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. 2020 Oct 1:275:80-81.
doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2020.06.027. Epub 2020 Jul 2.

Coping behaviors associated with decreased anxiety and depressive symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown

Miquel A Fullana  1 , Diego Hidalgo-Mazzei  2 , Eduard Vieta  2 , Joaquim Radua  3
Affiliations

Coping behaviors associated with decreased anxiety and depressive symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown

Miquel A Fullana et al. J Affect Disord. .

Abstract

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown might increase anxiety and depressive symptoms, but some behaviors may protect against them.

Method: To provide a preliminary evidence of the behaviors associated with decreased symptoms in the current COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown, we conducted a survey of 5545 adult individuals from the Spanish general population, two weeks after an official lockdown was established across the country.

Results: Sixty-five percent of the sample reported anxiety or depressive symptoms. Following a healthy/balanced diet and not reading news/updates about COVID-19 very often were the best predictors of lower levels of anxiety symptoms. Following a healthy/balanced diet, following a routine, not reading news/updates about COVID-19 very often, taking the opportunity to pursue hobbies, and staying outdoors or looking outside were the best predictors of lower levels of depressive symptoms.

Limitations: Cross-sectional nature and use of sample of convenience.

Conclusions: This study suggests that "simple" coping behaviors may protect against anxiety and depressive symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown.

Keywords: Anxiety; Behaviors; COVID-19; Coping; Depression; Lockdown; Pandemic.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Competing Interest EV has received grants and served as consultant, advisor or CME speaker for the following entities (work unrelated to the topic of this manuscript): AB-Biotics, Abbott, Allergan, Angelini, Dainippon Sumitomo Pharma, Galenica, Janssen, Lundbeck, Novartis, Otsuka, Sage, Sanofi-Aventis, and Takeda. MAF, DH and JR declare no competing interests.

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