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COVID-19 anxiety, psychological well-being and preventive behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic in Latin America and the Caribbean: relationships and explanatory model
Author(s)
Tomás, José M.
Private University of the North
Tomás, José M.
Universitat de València
Valencia, Pablo D.
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
Ventura‐León, José
Private University of the North
Vilca, Lindsey W.
Universidad Norbert Wiener
Carbajal‐León, Carlos
Private University of the North
Reyes-Bossio, Mario
Peruvian University of Applied Sciences
White, Michel
Rojas-Jara, Claudio
Catholic University of the Maule
Polanco-Carrasco, Roberto
Gallegos, Miguel
Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
Cervigni, Mauricio
Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
Martino, Pablo
Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
Palacios, Diego Alejandro
Universidad Mariano Galvez
Moreta‐Herrera, Rodrigo
Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador
Samaniego-Pinho, Antonio
Universidad Nacional de Asunción
Rivera, Marlon Elías Lobos
Universidad Tecnológica de El Salvador
Figares, Andrés Buschiazzo
Puerta-Cortés, Diana Ximena
Universidad de Ibagué
Corrales-Reyes, Ibraín Enrique
University of Granma
Calderón, Raymundo
Universidad del Valle de México
Pinto, Bismarck
Universidad Católica Boliviana San Pablo
Ferrari, Ilka Franco
Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Minas Gerais
Flores-Mendoza, Carmen
Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais
Vivanco-Vidal, Andrea
Peruvian University of Applied Sciences
Saroli-Araníbar, Daniela
Peruvian University of Applied Sciences
Date Issued
2 de julio de 2022
Type
Article
Volume
43
Issue
14
Series/Report No.
Current Psychology
Start Page
13159
End Page
13173
ISSN
1046-1310
1936-4733
Abstract
This study assesses the relationship between COVID-19 anxiety and subjective well-being in terms of the mediating role of COVID-19 preventive behaviors. Additionally, the contribution of sociodemographic factors (sex and age) and risk perception on COVID-19 anxiety and its potential measurement invariance was tested in 5655 participants from 12 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. A mixture of both latent and observable variables were analyzed using a system of structural equations. The Coronavirus Anxiety Scale (CAS), Preventive COVID-19 Infection Behaviors Scale (PCIBS) and single-item measures were used to assess the perceived probability of death, perceived severity and concern about transmitting COVID-19. The results indicated that there is a significant and relevant direct effect of COVID-19 anxiety on participants' well-being. Furthermore, COVID-19 anxiety significantly predicted both preventive behavior (β = .29, p < .01) and well-being (β = –.32, p < .01). The effects of COVID anxiety and preventive behavior explained 9.8% of the variance in well-being (R-square = .098); whereas, 8.4% of the variance in preventive behavior was associated with COVID anxiety (R-square = .084). Likewise, perceived likelihood of death from COVID, perceived severity of COVID, and concerns about COVID transmission were positively related to anxiety. Age was negatively related to anxiety, with men being less anxious than women. The results are invariant by country, i.e., the broad relationships found in the combined sample are also present in each individual country. The findings indicate that, although the exact relationships between variables may vary between countries, there are enough similarities to provide useful information about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in each of the countries included in the study.