Fear of COVID-19 and Positivity: Mediating Role of Intolerance of Uncertainty, Depression, Anxiety, and Stress

Int J Ment Health Addict. 2021;19(6):2369-2382. doi: 10.1007/s11469-020-00331-y. Epub 2020 May 28.

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the mediating role of intolerance of uncertainty, depression, anxiety, and stress in the relationship between the fear of COVID-19 and positivity. The participants consisted of 960 individuals, including 663 females (69.1%) and 297 males (30.9%). The age of the participants ranged between 18 and 76 (29.74 ± 9.64). As a result of the correlation analysis, a positive relationship was found between fear of COVID-19 and intolerance of uncertainty, depression, anxiety, and stress, and a negative relationship was determined between the fear of COVID-19 and positivity. The result of the analysis for the study model indicated that there was a mediating role of intolerance of uncertainty, depression, anxiety, and stress in the relationship between the fear of COVID-19 and positivity. Eliminating uncertainty from the fear of COVID-19 will contribute to reducing depression, anxiety and stress, and increasing positivity.

Keywords: Anxiety; Depression; Fear of COVID-19; Intolerance of uncertainty; Positivity; Stress.