The COVID-19 Psychological Wellbeing Study: Understanding the Longitudinal Psychosocial Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic
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The COVID-19 Psychological Wellbeing Study: Understanding the Longitudinal Psychosocial Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic in the UK; a Methodological Overview Paper Cherie Armour 1
&
Emily McGlinchey 1 & Sarah Butter 1 & Kareena McAloney-Kocaman 2 & Kerri E. McPherson 2
Accepted: 5 October 2020 # The Author(s) 2020
Abstract The COVID-19 Psychological Wellbeing Study was designed and implemented as a rapid survey of the psychosocial impacts of the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), known as COVID-19 in residents across the United Kingdom. This study utilised a longitudinal design to collect online survey based data. The aim of this paper was to describe (1) the rationale behind the study and the corresponding selection of constructs to be assessed; (2) the study design and methodology; (3) the resultant sociodemographic characteristics of the full sample; (4) how the baseline survey data compares to the UK adult population (using data from the Census) on a variety of sociodemographic variables; (5) the ongoing efforts for weekly and monthly longitudinal assessments of the baseline cohort; and (6) outline future research directions. We believe the study is in a unique position to make a significant contribution to the growing body of literature to help understand the psychological impact of this pandemic and inform future clinical and research directions that the UK will implement in response to COVID-19. Keywords Psychosocial . COVID-19 . Coronavirus . Mental health . General population . Longitudinal . Survey . United Kingdom
Introduction The psychosocial effects of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), otherwise known as COVID-19 are pervasive and of significant societal concern. Indeed, it is likely that COVID-19 will not only affect the mental health of the population presently, as the pandemic spreads, but that the impact may last long into the future. We would expect that many individuals will experience a rise in mental distress symptoms, such as anxiety and depression, during these unprecedented times when populations have been required to drastically change their day to day way of
* Cherie Armour [email protected] 1
Stress Trauma and Related Conditions (STARC) Research Lab, School of Psychology, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK
2
Department of Psychology, Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow, Scotland, UK
life. However, there is further concern that for some, particularly those with pre-existing vulnerabilities, this rise in mental distress will reach clinically significant levels and in turn affect day to day functioning. This is expected due to the rapidly changing and uncertain situation that is COVID-19 and the very real fears that people will have for themselves and others around infection and mortality. Previous research on SARS, MERS and H1N1 (Swine) flu, have given insight into the psychological impact of the outbreak of an infectious respiratory disease and the measures taken to curb its spread. A high
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