Emotion Regulation and Mood during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

The 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has had a significant negative impact on health, mood, and well-being [...].

Figure 1

Examples of COVID-19 lockdown effects among Dutch university students. Loneliness, stress, and depression were assessed on a scale ranging from 0 (absent) to 10 (extreme) [12]. Sleep quality and quality of life were assessed on a scale ranging from 0 (very poor) to 10 (excellent) [12]. Significant (p < 0.0167) negative effects of lockdown were found for all measures. Data from references [10,11]. Permission to use the background image was obtained from Depositphotos.

Figure 2

The bi-directional relationship between mood and immune fitness. Spearman’s correlations and p-values are shown. (A) Shows the correlations between immune fitness before the COVID-19 pandemic (assessed for 2019 with the ISQ [17]) and mood during the first lockdown period. (B) Shows the correlations between mood before the COVID-19 pandemic and immune fitness during the first lockdown period. (C) Summarizes the model that describes the impact of COVID-19 lockdown effects and its restrictions on mood and immune fitness, and the number and severity of COVID-19 symptoms. Abbreviations: BP = before the COVID-19 pandemic; L1 = the first lockdown period; ISQ = immune status questionnaire; COVID-19 = 2019 coronavirus disease. Immune fitness during the first lockdown period was assessed on a scale ranging from 0 (very poor) to 10 (excellent) [18]. Correlations were considered significant after Bonferroni’s correction if p < 0.00625. Data from references [10,11]. Permission to use the background image of (C) was obtained from Depositphotos.

Figure 3

Relationship between immune fitness and the severity of COVID-19 symptoms. Immune fitness was assessed for 2019 with the Immune Status Questionnaire (ISQ) [17]. COVID-19 symptom severity was assessed in 2020–2021 in n = 87 subjects with confirmed infection with SARS-CoV-2. Data from reference [19]. Permission to use the background image was obtained from Depositphotos.

Figure 4

Examples of COVID-19 lockdown effects among individuals with and without self-reported impaired wound healing. Loneliness, stress, and depression were assessed on a scale ranging from 0 (absent) to 10 (extreme) [12]. Sleep quality and quality of life were assessed on a scale ranging from 0 (very poor) to 10 (excellent) [12]. For each time period, significant (p < 0.0167) differences between individuals with impaired wound healing (striped bars) and individuals without impaired wound healing (white bars) are indicated with *. Data from references [10,32]. Permission to use the background image was obtained from Depositphotos.