Sociodemographic factors as moderators of COVID-19 stress on depression

Abstract

Background and objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted many aspects of daily life, but relatively little is known about COVID-19-related stress for subgroups in the population. We examined differences in COVID-stress and depression as a function of gender, race, ethnicity, and subjective social status. We tested these factors as moderators of the association between COVID-stress and depression.

Design: We used a cross-sectional design to test associations between sociodemographic factors, COVID-stress, and depression. Analyses were based on confirmatory factor analytic and structural equations models.

Methods: A convenience sample of 1,058 U.S. MTurk workers and college students (54.5% cisgender women; 55.1% racial/ethnic minoritized individuals) was recruited. Participants completed self-report measures of COVID-stress and depression.

Results: COVID-stress was positively associated with depression. Overall, neither gender nor racial minoritized status moderated COVID-stress effects on depression. However, intersectional analyses revealed COVID-stress was a significant risk factor for depression among Black women compared to other participants. COVID-stress was more strongly linked to depression for Hispanic individuals and participants with higher social status.

Conclusions: Future studies may benefit from the COVID-stress scale evaluated in this study and by considering the differential effects of sociodemographic factors on psychological functioning during the pandemic.

Keywords: COVID-19; depression; health disparities; stress.