Associations of loneliness, belongingness and health behaviors with psychological distress and wellbeing during COVID-19

Sonia M McCallum; Alison L Calear; Nicolas Cherbuin; Louise M Farrer; Amelia Gulliver; Yiyun Shou; Amy Dawel; Philip J Batterham

doi:10.1016/j.jadr.2021.100214

Associations of loneliness, belongingness and health behaviors with psychological distress and wellbeing during COVID-19

J Affect Disord Rep. 2021 Dec:6:100214. doi: 10.1016/j.jadr.2021.100214. Epub 2021 Aug 29.

Authors

Sonia M McCallum¹, Alison L Calear¹, Nicolas Cherbuin², Louise M Farrer¹, Amelia Gulliver¹, Yiyun Shou³, Amy Dawel³, Philip J Batterham¹

Affiliations

¹ Centre for Mental Health Research, Research School of Population Health, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.
² Centre for Research on Ageing, Health and Wellbeing, Research School of Population Health, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.
³ Research School of Psychology, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.

Abstract

Background: The aim of this study was to assess the effects of loneliness, belongingness and other modifiable factors on psychological distress and wellbeing and whether the effects of COVID-19 modulated these relationships.

Methods: The current study reported on 1217 participants aged 18 years or older who completed an online survey from 28 to 31 March 2020. Survey measures included demographic characteristics; exposure to COVID-19; impact of COVID-19 on employment, finance, and work and social adjustment; loneliness, thwarted belongingness, and health behavior changes as modifiable factors. Outcome measures were psychological distress and wellbeing.

Results: Linear regression models revealed that COVID-19 related work and social adjustment difficulties, financial distress, loneliness, thwarted belongingness, eating a less healthy diet poorer sleep and being female were all associated with increased psychological distress and reduced wellbeing (p < 0.05). Psychological distress was more elevated for those with high difficulties adjusting to COVID-19 and high levels of thwarted belongingness (p < 0.005). Similarly, as COVID-19 related work and social adjustment difficulties increased, wellbeing reduced. This was more pronounced in those who felt lower levels of loneliness (p < 0.0001). Other interactions between COVID-19 impacts were observed with gender and poorer diet for psychological distress and cigarette use, age and gender for wellbeing (p < 0.05).

Limitations: The study was cross-sectional, preventing causal interpretation of the relationships.

Conclusion: Modifiable factors, age and gender had significant impacts on psychological distress and wellbeing. Public health and policy approaches to improving social, economic and lifestyle factors may mitigate the negative mental health effects of the pandemic and its restrictions.

Keywords: Belongingness; COVID-19; Health behaviors; Loneliness; Psychological distress; Wellbeing.