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. 2023 Sep 26:14:1256240.
doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1256240. eCollection 2023.

Social distancing policy and mental health during COVID-19 pandemic: an 18-month longitudinal cohort study in South Korea

Yong-Chun Bahk  1   2 , Dawoon Jung  1 , Kee-Hong Choi  1   2
Affiliations

Social distancing policy and mental health during COVID-19 pandemic: an 18-month longitudinal cohort study in South Korea

Yong-Chun Bahk et al. Front Psychol. .

Abstract

Background: Despite the effectiveness of social distancing policies in preventing the spread of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), their impact on mental health remains a concern. Longitudinal studies investigating the psychological effects of social distancing are limited.

Methods: Longitudinal data on psychological variables were collected eight times between May 2020 and November 2021 through online surveys in South Korea.

Results: The participants in the study reported a worsening of depressive and anxiety symptoms, suicide risk, and psychological distress with increasing levels of social distancing. Specifically, during the third wave, when social distancing levels peaked, the highest levels of depression, anxiety, and psychological distress were observed, and the second-lowest levels of vitality were reported. Furthermore, psychological risk factors, such as depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and suicidal risk, were closely associated with vitality levels in daily life.

Discussions: During the pandemic, although social distancing helped prevent the spread of COVID-19, it also led to increased depression, anxiety, suicide risk, psychological distress, and decreased vitality. Engagement at a personal level in fundamental daily activities is important to cope with psychological distress. Our results indicate that commitment to fundamental daily activities and following routines is an important protective factor against psychological distress, notwithstanding COVID-19.

Keywords: COVID-19; anxiety symptoms; depressive symptoms; psychological distress; social distancing; vitality.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
National epidemic trend of the COVID-19 outbreaks in South Korea from May 2020 to November 2021.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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