Emotion Regulation and Coronavirus Anxiety: The Moderating Role of Perceived Social Support

Abstract

COVID-19 pandemic has influenced the whole world rapidly. Due to serious preventive measures, many people had to change their everyday routines which may have an influence on their behavioral and emotional states. Hence, the pandemic has been a threat not only to physical health but also to mental health. During the pandemic people who had seen or experienced the adverse effects of the pandemic might have been suffering from coronavirus anxiety. Emotion regulation skills can function as a protective factor against anxiety while difficulties in emotion regulation may be related to elevated coronavirus anxiety. Preventive measures of the pandemic also reduced social contact, which may, in turn, reduce perceived social support. Due to close links with both emotion regulation and anxiety, perceived social support may be a mechanism moderating the relationship between emotion regulation and coronavirus anxiety. The current study sought to assess this moderation model. To this aim, we recruited 282 adult volunteers to fill in self-report questionnaires in emotion regulation, perceived social support and coronavirus anxiety. Results revealed a positive correlation between difficulties in emotion regulation and coronavirus anxiety. Furthermore, perceived social support was significantly moderating this relationship. However, the relationship between the difficulties in emotion regulation and coronavirus anxiety was stronger as the level of perceived social support increased. The findings are discussed in light of the current literature.