Lades, Leonhard K. and Laffan, Kate and Daly, Michael and Delaney, Liam (2020) Daily emotional well‐being during the COVID‐19 pandemic. British Journal of Health Psychology, 25 (4). pp. 902-911. ISSN 1359-107X

Preview

Download (375kB) | Preview

Abstract

The COVID-19 outbreak has become one of the largest public health crises of our time. Governments have responded by implementing self-isolation and physical distancing measures that have profoundly impacted daily life throughout the world. In this study, we aimed to investigate how people experience the activities, interactions, and settings of their lives during the pandemic. The sample (N = 604) was assessed in Ireland on the 25 March 2020, following the closure of schools and non-essential businesses. We examined within-person variance in emotional well-being and how people spend their time. We found that while most time was spent in the home (74%), time spent outdoors (8%) was associated with markedly raised positive affect and reduced negative emotions. Exercising, going for walks, gardening, pursuing hobbies, and taking care of children were the activities associated with the greatest affective benefits. Home-schooling children and obtaining information about COVID-19 were ranked lowest of all activities in terms of emotional experience. These findings highlight activities that may play a protective role in relation to well-being during the pandemic, the importance of setting limits for exposure to COVID-19-related media coverage, and the need for greater educational supports to facilitate home-schooling during this challenging period.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	This is the preprint version of the published article, which is available at Lades, L.K., Laffan, K., Daly, M. and Delaney, L. (2020), Daily emotional well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic. Br. J. Health Psychol., 25: 902-911. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjhp.12450
Keywords:	COVID-19; Subjective Well-Being; Day Reconstruction Method;
Academic Unit:	Faculty of Science and Engineering > Psychology
Item ID:	15238
Identification Number:	https://doi.org/10.1111/bjhp.12450
Depositing User:	Michael Daly
Date Deposited:	12 Jan 2022 16:34
Journal or Publication Title:	British Journal of Health Psychology
Publisher:	Wiley
Refereed:	Yes
URI:	Publisher
Use Licence:	This item is available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike Licence (CC BY-NC-SA). Details of this licence are available here

Repository Staff Only(login required)

Item control page

Downloads

Origin of downloads