Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health in the general Chinese population: Changes, predictors and psychosocial correlates

Highlights • This longitudinal study was implemented at two timepoints, i.e., during the peak and the remission of the COVID-19 pandemic. • Fear significantly decreased over time, while depression level significantly increased during the second wave compared to the first wave of the survey. • Younger age, lower-income, increased level of perceived stress, and current quarantine experience were significant predictors of depression escalation. • The use of negative coping strategy plays a potential intermediating role in the stress-related increase in hostility, while social support acts as a buffer in hostility in the general population under high stress.
The current COVID-19 pandemic is not only a threat to physical health, but also brings a burden to mental health in the general Chinese population. However, the temporal change of mental health status due to pandemic-related stress in relation to protective and risk factors to hostility is less known. This study was implemented at two timepoints, i.e., during the peak and the remission of the COVID-19 pandemic. 3233 Chinese individuals participated in the first wave, and among them 1390 participants were followed in a second wave. The result showed that fear significantly decreased over time, while depression level significantly increased during the second wave compared to the first wave of the survey. Younger age, lower-income, increased level of perceived stress, and current quarantine experience were significant predictors of depression escalation. Younger people and individuals who had a higher initial stress response tended to show more hostility. Furthermore, the use of negative coping strategy plays a potential intermediating role in the stress-related increase in hostility, while social support acts as a buffer in hostility in the general population under high stress. As the whole world is facing the same pandemic, this research provides several implications for public mental health intervention.