Fear of the coronavirus (COVID-19): Predictors in an online study conducted in March 2020

Autor: Mertens, G., Gerritsen, L., Duijndam, S., Salemink, E., Engelhard, I.M., Leerstoel Engelhard, Experimental psychopathology
Přispěvatelé: Medical and Clinical Psychology, Leerstoel Engelhard, Experimental psychopathology
Rok vydání: 2020
Předmět:
Male
050103 clinical psychology
viruses
bepress|Medicine and Health Sciences|Psychiatry and Psychology|Mental Disorders
Disease
Anxiety
medicine.disease_cause
PsyArXiv|Social and Behavioral Sciences|Clinical Psychology
PsyArXiv|Social and Behavioral Sciences|Health Psychology|Mental Health
bepress|Social and Behavioral Sciences|Psychology|Clinical Psychology
0302 clinical medicine
Surveys and Questionnaires
Health care
Pandemic
80 and over
Safety behaviors
PsyArXiv|Social and Behavioral Sciences|Social and Personality Psychology|Testing and Assessment
Young adult
PsyArXiv|Social and Behavioral Sciences|Social and Personality Psychology
Coronavirus
media_common
Aged
80 and over

Stress
Psychological/epidemiology

05 social sciences
Uncertainty
virus diseases
Fear
Middle Aged
Viral/epidemiology
PsyArXiv|Social and Behavioral Sciences|Social and Personality Psychology|Social Well-being
Psychiatry and Mental health
Clinical Psychology
bepress|Social and Behavioral Sciences|Psychology|Health Psychology
Psychological/epidemiology
PsyArXiv|Social and Behavioral Sciences|Cognitive Psychology
bepress|Social and Behavioral Sciences|Psychology|Social Psychology
bepress|Social and Behavioral Sciences|Psychology|Personality and Social Contexts
Female
Worry
medicine.symptom
Coronavirus Infections
Psychology
PsyArXiv|Social and Behavioral Sciences|Social and Personality Psychology|Attitudes and Persuasion
Anxiety/epidemiology
Clinical psychology
PsyArXiv|Social and Behavioral Sciences|Environmental Psychology|Natural Environments
Adult
Intolerance of uncertainty
Media
Adolescent
media_common.quotation_subject
Pneumonia
Viral

PsyArXiv|Social and Behavioral Sciences|Social and Personality Psychology|Individual Differences
PsyArXiv|Social and Behavioral Sciences|Health Psychology|Stress
PsyArXiv|Social and Behavioral Sciences|Health Psychology|Prevention
PsyArXiv|Social and Behavioral Sciences|Clinical Psychology|Mental Disorders
Stress
Article
PsyArXiv|Social and Behavioral Sciences|Clinical Psychology|Anxiety Disorders
PsyArXiv|Social and Behavioral Sciences|Health Psychology
Young Adult
03 medical and health sciences
Health anxiety
PsyArXiv|Social and Behavioral Sciences|Consumer Psychology
medicine
bepress|Medicine and Health Sciences|Medical Specialties|Psychiatry
Humans
0501 psychology and cognitive sciences
Pandemics
Pneumonia
Viral/epidemiology

Aged
PsyArXiv|Social and Behavioral Sciences|Clinical Psychology|Trauma and Stress
Internet
PsyArXiv|Social and Behavioral Sciences|Environmental Psychology
business.industry
COVID-19
Pneumonia
PsyArXiv|Social and Behavioral Sciences|Health Psychology|Health-related Behavior
bepress|Social and Behavioral Sciences|Psychology|Cognitive Psychology
030227 psychiatry
PsyArXiv|Social and Behavioral Sciences
PsyArXiv|Psychiatry
bepress|Social and Behavioral Sciences
Coronavirus Infections/epidemiology
PsyArXiv|Social and Behavioral Sciences|Clinical Psychology|Depressive Disorders
PsyArXiv|Social and Behavioral Sciences|Emotion
business
bepress|Physical Sciences and Mathematics|Environmental Sciences|Other Environmental Sciences
Social Media
Stress
Psychological
Zdroj: Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 74:102258. Elsevier Limited
Journal of Anxiety Disorders
Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 74. Elsevier Limited
ISSN: 0887-6185
DOI: 10.1016/j.janxdis.2020.102258
Popis: Highlights • The coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak is causing increased fear and worries. • In an online study (N = 439) we investigated predictors of fear of the coronavirus. • Increased fear was related to perceived risks for loved ones and health anxiety. • Increased fear was also related to regular and social media use. • We discuss implications for the management of fear of the coronavirus.
Fear is an adaptive response in the presence of danger. However, when threat is uncertain and continuous, as in the current coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, fear can become chronic and burdensome. To identify predictors of fear of the coronavirus, we conducted an online survey (N = 439) three days after the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic (i.e., between March 14 and 17, 2020). Fear of the coronavirus was assessed with the newly developed Fear of the Coronavirus Questionnaire (FCQ) consisting of eight questions pertaining to different dimensions of fear (e.g., subjective worry, safety behaviors, preferential attention), and an open-ended question. The predictors included psychological vulnerability factors (i.e., intolerance of uncertainty, worry, and health anxiety), media exposure, and personal relevance (i.e., personal health, risk for loved ones, and risk control). We found four predictors for the FCQ in a simultaneous regression analysis: health anxiety, regular media use, social media use, and risks for loved ones (R2 = .37). Furthermore, 16 different topics of concern were identified based participants’ open-ended responses, including the health of loved ones, health care systems overload, and economic consequences. We discuss the relevance of our findings for managing people’s fear of the coronavirus.
Databáze: OpenAIRE