Loneliness, Emotion Dysregulation, and Internalizing Symptoms During Coronavirus Disease 2019

A Structural Equation Modeling Approach

Datos Bibliográficos

ID15527169
AutoresPatrizia Velotti (0000-0002-1933-8314, Sapienza University of Rome, autor de correspondencia), Guyonne Rogier (0000-0001-5320-4478, Sapienza University of Rome), Sara Beomonte Zobel (0000-0001-8713-1983, Sapienza University of Rome), Rosetta Castellano (0000-0001-6860-4757, Sapienza University of Rome), Renata Tambelli (0000-0001-6626-1068, Sapienza University of Rome)
Año2021
Volumen11
Páginas581494-581494
Fecha de publicación2021-01-08
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaFrontiers in Psychiatry (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 1664-0640 • E-ISSN: 1664-0640
EditorialFrontiers Media (PUBLISHER • CH)
DOI10.3389/fpsyt.2020.581494
PMID33488417
OpenAlexW3118291235
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas8
Referencias citadas46

Background: Our study aimed to test the hypotheses that an increased level of loneliness experienced during coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) confinement was predictive of internalizing symptoms and that this pathway was mediated by emotion dysregulation levels. Methods: To reach this aim, we performed an online longitudinal survey recruiting 1,330 participants at Time 1 (at the beginning of the lockdown) and 308 participants at Time 2 (few days before the end of the lockdown). All filled out a set of questionnaires: demographic data, University of California, Los Angeles Loneliness scale, Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale-18 items, and Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 items. Hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling in two steps and controlling for age. First, hypotheses were tested on cross-sectional data. Then, a cross-lagged panel analysis was performed on longitudinal data. Results: Models obtained a good fit and evidenced the predictive role of loneliness levels on the three outcomes (i.e., depression, anxiety, and stress). Moreover, we found that emotion dysregulation levels partially mediated the longitudinal relationship between loneliness and both depression and stress but not between loneliness and anxiety levels. Conclusions: This study points out that a central goal of clinical intervention could be the ability to regulate negative emotional states

Anxiety · Depression (economics · Loneliness · Longitudinal study · Psychiatry · Structural equation modeling · UCLA Loneliness Scale · Clinical Psychology · COVID-19 and Mental Health · Health disparities and outcomes · Medicine · Psychological Well-being and Life Satisfaction · Psychology