A Serial Model of the Interrelationship Between Perceived Vulnerability to Disease, Fear of COVID-19, and Psychological Distress Among Teachers in South Africa

Ann Med Psychol (Paris). 2021 Nov 30. doi: 10.1016/j.amp.2021.11.007. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTThe current study examined the serial relationship between perceived vulnerability to disease, fear of COVID-19, anxiety, and psychological distress among schoolteachers. Participants were South African school teachers (N = 355) who completed the Perceived Vulnerability to Disease Questionnaire, Fear of COVID-19 Scale, trait scale of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Beck Hopelessness Scale, and the Centre for Epidemiological Depression Scale. A path analysis confirmed that teachers who appraised themselves as more susceptible to disease experienced heightened levels of fear of COVID-19, which led to heightened levels of anxiety, depression, and hopelessness. Specifically, germ aversion and perceived infectability were separately associated with heightened fear of COVID-19, which in turn was associated with heightened anxiety. This serial relationship was associated with heightened levels of hopelessness and depression. The current study extends research on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic among a distinct subgroup of the population.PMID:34866639 | PMC:PMC8629722 | DOI:10.1016/j.amp.2021.11.007
Source: Annals of Medicine - Category: Internal Medicine Authors: Source Type: research