Changes in Stress Levels During the Covid-19 Pandemic

The Role of Involvement in Criminal Behavior

Bibliographic Data

ID2153644
AuthorsMegan L Swinehart (Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH, USA, corresponding author), P C Giordano (0000-0002-2484-0886, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH, USA), Monica A Longmore (0000-0001-8368-8928, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH, USA), W D Manning (0000-0002-8063-7380, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH, USA)
Year2023
Volume44
Issue12
Pages1761-1774
Publication date2023-12-02
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueDeviant Behavior (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0163-9625 • E-ISSN: 1521-0456
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/01639625.2023.2233042
OpenAlexW4383069103
LanguageEN
References cited52

COVID-19 pandemic related disruptions to work and family life have led to increases in stress levels; however, prior studies have not examined how stress levels and changes in stress during the pandemic may have varied based on involvement in criminal behavior. In this study, we examined how criminal behavior influenced stress levels prior to and during the pandemic, and changes in overall stress levels. Using longitudinal data collected in 2019 and 2020 as part of the Toledo Adolescent Relationships Study (TARS) (n = 787), the current study examines self-reported criminal behavior prior to the pandemic and variation in stress levels during the pandemic. Results show that individuals who engaged in more criminal behavior pre-pandemic reported higher levels of overall stress, but their stress levels decreased during the pandemic. Although individuals who engaged in less criminal behavior had lower levels of overall stress prior to the pandemic, they experienced an increase in stress during the pandemic. Future research should continue to examine how and why stress levels differ based on involvement in criminal behavior and a range of other life circumstances

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19 · Criminal behavior · Criminology · Disease · Infectious disease (medical specialty · Pandemic · Stress (linguistics · COVID-19 and Mental Health · Crime Patterns and Interventions · Death Anxiety and Social Exclusion · Medicine · Psychology