A Longitudinal Study on the Emotional Impact Cause by the COVID-19 Pandemic Quarantine on General Population

Abstract

COVID-19 pandemic represents, not only a public physical health emergency, but a 79 80 mental health serious problem as well. However, little is known about the psychological 81 impact of the quarantine during this pandemic. The aim of this study is to assess the 82 emotional impact of the lockdown measures imposed by the Argentinian government 83 to fight the virus. For this, a survey was distributed on social network. We surveyed 84 85 the Argentinian general population twice: 2 days after the mandatory quarantine started 86 (time 1), and 2 weeks later (time 2). Anxiety levels were assessed using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory; depressive symptoms were assessed using the Beck Depression 88 Inventory-II; and affect was assessed using the Positive and Negative Affect Scale. 89 A total of 6057 people answered both surveys. In addition, different socio-demographic 90 91 factors were considered, such as risk factors for COVID-19, age, gender, educational 92 level, variation in family income due to quarantine, number of children, whether they have 93 older adults in charge or not and the number of hours viewing information about COVID- 94 19. Statistically significant variations were observed between the two time points. The 95 96 effect size, however, was very small. Depression tends to increase slightly, while levels of 97 anxiety and affect (positive and negative) tend to decrease. Also, some slight differences 98 related to the socio-demographic factors were found. Findings suggests that sustaining 99 the lockdown measures could have a larger effect on mental health in the long term. It 100 is necessary to continue monitoring emotional distress and other related mental health 101 102 problems on the general population. It is also necessary to create programs aimed at 103 promoting mental health, and to distribute information about it.