Emotion Regulation and Coronavirus Anxiety: The Moderating Role of Perceived Social Support

Abstract

COVID-19 pandemic has influenced the whole world rapidly. Due to serious preventive measures, many people had to change their everyday routines which may have an influence on their behavioral and emotional states. Hence, the pandemic has been a threat not only to physical health but also to mental health. During the pandemic people who had seen or experienced the adverse effects of the pandemic might have been suffering from coronavirus anxiety. Emotion regulation skills can function as a protective factor against anxiety while difficulties in emotion regulation may be related to elevated coronavirus anxiety. Preventive measures of the pandemic also reduced social contact, which may, in turn, reduce perceived social support. Due to close links with both emotion regulation and anxiety, perceived social support may be a mechanism moderating the relationship between emotion regulation and coronavirus anxiety. The current study sought to assess this moderation model. To this aim, we recruited 282 adult volunteers to fill in self-report questionnaires in emotion regulation, perceived social support and coronavirus anxiety. Results revealed a positive correlation between difficulties in emotion regulation and coronavirus anxiety. Furthermore, perceived social support was significantly moderating this relationship. However, the relationship between the difficulties in emotion regulation and coronavirus anxiety was stronger as the level of perceived social support increased. The findings are discussed in light of the current literature.

Keywords

• emotion regulation
• Coronavirus anxiety
• Percieved social support
• COVID-19 Pandemic
• Moderation
• communication

Duygu Düzenleme ve Koronavirüs Kaygısı: Algılanan Sosyal Desteğin Aracı Rolü

Abstract

COVID-19 virüsü tüm dünyayı hızla etkisi altına almıştır. Dünya çapında çeşitli karantinalar uygulanmış, insanların zorunlu durumlar haricinde evlerinden çıkmamaları, maske ve mesafe kavramlarına dikkat etmeleri için kesin kurallar konulmuştur. Alışılagelmiş davranış dinamiklerinin dışına çıkmak zorunda kalan bireylerde çeşitli duygu ve davranış değişiklikleri görülebilir. Dolayısıyla COVID-19 küresel salgını yalnızca fiziksel iyi oluş için değil mental iyi oluş için de bir risk faktörü oluşturabilir. Salgın sürecinde çeşitli beklenmedik durumlarla karşılaşan veya pandeminin seyrini basından takip eden birçok kişinin koronavirüs kaygısı yaşadıkları gözlemlenmiştir. Duygu düzenleme becerilerinin genel kaygı hususunda olduğu gibi koronavirüs kaygısı için de koruyucu bir faktör olabileceği düşünülmektedir. Bu çerçevede duygu düzenleme konusunda yaşanılan sıkıntılar da yüksek koronavirüs kaygısı ile ilişkilendirilebilir. Bununla birlikte COVID-19 salgınının yayılmasına karşı alınması gereken önlemler sebebiyle tecrübe edilen sosyal izolasyon, mental iyi oluş için önem teşkil eden algılanan sosyal desteği azaltma potansiyeline de sahiptir. Algılanan sosyal destek ise duygu düzenleme ve kaygı ile olan yakın ilişkisi sebebiyle bu iki değişken arasında aracı rol oynayan faktörlerden biri olarak karşımıza çıkabilir. Bu çalışmada duygu düzenleme ve koronavirüs kaygısı arasındaki ilişkide algılanan sosyal desteğin aracı rolü incelenmiştir. Bu amaçla 282 gönüllü yetişkin çevrimiçi ortamda duygu düzenleme, koronavirüs kaygısı ve algılanan sosyal destek ölçeklerini doldurmuşlardır. Bulgulara göre duygu düzenlemede güçlükler (alt boyutları da dahil olmak üzere) ile koronavirüs kaygısı arasında pozitif bir ilişki vardır ve algılanan sosyal destek bu ilişkiye aracılık etmektedir. Ancak koronavirüs kaygısı-duygu düzenlemede güçlükler ilişkisi algılanan sosyal desteğin yüksek olduğu durumlarda daha güçlü olarak karşımıza çıkmaktadır. Sonuçlar var olan literatür çerçevesinde tartışılmıştır.

Keywords

• Duygu düzenleme
• Koronavirüs kaygısı
• Algılanan sosyal destek
• Covid-19 Küresel Salgını
• Aracı değişken
• iletişim

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