Abstract
COVID-19, sense of control, and the rise of addictive behaviors: a study in Poland
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Sciences and Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Institute of Psychology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
- VIZJA University, Warsaw, Poland
- Institute of Psychology, The Maria Grzegorzewska University, Warsaw, Poland
- Swartz Center for Computational Neurosciences, Institute for Neural Computation, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychopathology, Institute of Psychology, University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland
Purpose
As some addictive behaviors increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, we have attempted to identify their risks and protective factors against them. In this research, we have investigated the relationship between the fear of COVID-19 and addictive behaviors and the role of general and COVID-19-specific sense of control, attitude to vaccination, and earlier recovery from COVID-19.
Methods
A total of 511 individuals aged 18-79 participated in the online survey. Women comprised 71.29% of the sample, men 27.93%, and 0.79% (n = 3) declined to provide information on their gender. Participants completed questionnaires assessing substance-related and substance-dependent behaviors, general and COVID-19-specific locus of control, fear of COVID-19, and attitudes toward vaccination. Moderation and mediation analyses were conducted.
Results
Fear of COVID-19 was associated with increased internet, social media, and marijuana use. Lower sense of control (both general and COVID-19-specific) was associated with an increased severity of various addictions. A COVID-19-specific sense of control mediated the relationship between fear and addictive behaviors, particularly for women.
Conclusions
This study highlights the impact of fear and sense of control on addictive behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic. Promoting a sense of control may mitigate the risk of addiction in the face of pandemic-related stress. Public health efforts should address the potential for long-term consequences of addictive behaviors exacerbated by such global health crises, as similar challenges may arise with future outbreaks.
Keywords
sense of control, pandemics, fear of COVID-19, addictive behaviors
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