Pre-pandemic disgust proneness predicts increased coronavirus anxiety and safety behaviors: Evidence for a diathesis-stress model

Abstract

Although health anxiety and corresponding safety behaviors can facilitate disease transmission avoidance, they can be maladaptive in excess, including during the coronavirus pandemic. Disgust proneness (i.e., tendency to experience and be sensitive to disgust) is one factor that may predict elevated coronavirus anxiety and safety behaviors during the pandemic, given the role of disgust in avoiding disease transmission. The present study examined the relations between pre-pandemic disgust proneness and coronavirus anxiety and safety behaviors in community adults who completed a 2016 study and were re-contacted on 4/1/2020 (N = 360). Interactions between pre-pandemic disgust proneness and current perceived stress were tested to examine a diathesis-stress model of the role of disgust proneness in anxiety response to the pandemic. Increased pre-pandemic disgust proneness predicted increased coronavirus anxiety and safety behaviors, controlling for number of COVID-19 cases by state. Consistent with a diathesis-stress model, current perceived stress moderated this effect, such that highest coronavirus anxiety and safety behaviors were reported by those with high disgust proneness and high stress. Trait disgust proneness may be a vulnerability factor for anxiety responses to the coronavirus pandemic, particularly among individuals experiencing high stress. Assessing disgust proneness and current stress may facilitate targeted anxiety intervention during the pandemic.

Keywords: Anxiety; Coronavirus; Disgust; Pandemic; Stress.

Fig. 1

Simple regression slopes of pre-pandemic disgust predicting coronavirus anxiety at values of current stress, controlling for number of COVID-19 cases by state. Pre-pandemic disgust and current stress were mean-centered prior to analysis, such that low, medium, and high represent the sample mean +/- one standard deviation.

Fig. 2

Simple regression slopes of pre-pandemic disgust predicting coronavirus safety behaviors at values of current stress, controlling for number of COVID-19 cases by state. Pre-pandemic disgust and current stress were mean-centered prior to analysis, such that low, medium, and high represent the sample mean +/- one standard deviation. Importantly, this effect is at trend-level.