| Popis: |
The COVID-19 pandemic has contributed to worsening mental health among the general population. Those with psychosis spectrum disorders may be especially susceptible to mental health impacts given greater pre-pandemic social isolation and increased vulnerability to stress. Few studies exploring the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on social functioning and mental health have included individuals with psychosis. Utilizing data from a transdiagnostic sample spanning the psychosis spectrum, this longitudinal study investigated whether perceptions of social relationships and psychiatric symptoms changed during the COVID-19 pandemic, whether pandemic-related impacts were associated with social perceptions and symptomatology, and whether paranoid ideation was related to perceptions of the government response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Results indicated that perceived rejection and hostility increased during the COVID-19 pandemic and participants who experienced more pandemic-related impacts reported poorer social perceptions, greater negative affect, and greater paranoid ideation. Paranoid ideation was related to more negative perceptions of the government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. These findings demonstrate how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted social perceptions and psychiatric symptomatology along the psychosis spectrum and suggest that those high in paranoid ideation may be reluctant to engage in government recommended protective health behaviors to limit the spread of COVID-19. |
