dc.contributor.author
Meyer, Caroline
dc.contributor.author
El-Haj-Mohamad, Rayan
dc.contributor.author
Stammel, Nadine
dc.contributor.author
Lotzin, Annett
dc.contributor.author
Schäfer, Ingo
dc.contributor.author
Knaevelsrud, Christine
dc.contributor.author
Böttche, Maria
dc.date.accessioned
2022-01-27T09:14:51Z
dc.date.available
2022-01-27T09:14:51Z
dc.identifier.uri
https://refubium.fu-berlin.de/handle/fub188/33724
dc.identifier.uri
http://dx.doi.org/10.17169/refubium-33444
dc.description.abstract
Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a wide range of stressors related to depressive symptoms. Prevention measures like physical distancing have burdened the general population, especially in highly urbanized areas. However, little is known about the associations between pandemic-related stressors, coping strategies, and depressive symptoms in highly urbanized vs. less urbanized environments.
Methods: Participants were recruited in a cross-sectional online survey in Germany. Propensity score matching yielded a matched sample of city (n = 453) and town (n = 453) inhabitants. Depressive symptoms, COVID-19-related stressors, and coping strategies were compared between cities and towns. Multiple regression analysis was performed to determine associations between pandemic-related stressors and depressive symptoms for the two groups separately.
Results: City inhabitants showed significantly higher depression scores than town inhabitants (t = 2.11, df = 897.95, p = 0.035). Seven coping strategies were more often used by the city sample. Depressive symptoms were associated with “restricted physical social contact” and “difficult housing conditions” (adjusted R2= 0.19, F[9,443] = 12.52, p < 0.001) in city inhabitants, and with “fear of infection” and “difficult housing conditions” (adjusted R2= 0.20, F[9,443] = 13.50, p < 0.001) in town inhabitants.
Limitations: The data were collected at the end of the first wave and represent a snapshot without causal inferences. Pandemic-related stressors were measured with a newly developed scale.
Conclusion: Depressive symptoms, perceived stressors, and approach/avoidance coping strategies differed between city vs. town inhabitants. These differences should be considered in policy-making and mental health care.
en
dc.rights.uri
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
dc.subject
restrictions
en
dc.subject
level of urbanization
en
dc.subject
pandemic stressors
en
dc.subject
mental health
en
dc.subject.ddc
100 Philosophie und Psychologie::150 Psychologie::150 Psychologie
dc.title
Associations of Depressive Symptoms, COVID-19-Related Stressors, and Coping Strategies. A Comparison Between Cities and Towns in Germany
dc.type
Wissenschaftlicher Artikel
dcterms.bibliographicCitation.articlenumber
791312
dcterms.bibliographicCitation.doi
10.3389/fpsyt.2021.791312
dcterms.bibliographicCitation.journaltitle
Frontiers in Psychiatry
dcterms.bibliographicCitation.volume
12
dcterms.bibliographicCitation.url
https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.791312
refubium.affiliation
Erziehungswissenschaft und Psychologie
refubium.affiliation.other
Arbeitsbereich Klinisch-Psychologische Intervention

refubium.note.author
Die Publikation wurde aus Open Access Publikationsgeldern der Freien Universität Berlin gefördert.
de
refubium.resourceType.isindependentpub
no
dcterms.accessRights.openaire
open access