Open AccessAnxiety, Self-Compassion, Gender Differences and COVID-19: Predicting Self-Care Behaviors and Fear of COVID-19 Based on Anxiety and Self-Compassion with an Emphasis on Gender Differences
Author(s) -
Mohsen Mohammadpour,
Vajiheh Ghorbani,
Samad Khoramnia,
Seyed Mojtaba Ahmadi,
Mahdiyeh Ghvami,
Mahboobe Maleki
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
iranian journal of psychiatry.
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.503
H-Index - 17
eISSN - 2008-2215
pISSN - 1735-4587
DOI - 10.18502/ijps.v15i3.3813
Subject(s) - self compassion , psychology , social distance , anxiety , clinical psychology , covid-19 , marital status , empathy , mindfulness , medicine , psychiatry , population , disease , environmental health , pathology , infectious disease (medical specialty)
Objective: The outbreak of COVID-19 has different effects on people's psychological and social aspects. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between anxiety, self-compassion, and gender differences with self-care behaviors and fear of COVID-19 in Kermanshah.
Method: In the cross-sectional study, 403 people answered online questions on the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-Item (GAD-7) Scale, Self-Compassion Scale (SCS), Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S), and a questionnaire focusing on COVID-19-related behavior. Pearson correlation coefficient and regression analysis were used for data analysis.
Results: There was a significant relationship between social distance and gender, and people who observed social distancing reported higher levels of fear of COVID-19 (p 0.05). There was a significant difference between those who answered yes to self-care behaviours related to washing and those who answered no in terms of variables of fear of COVID-19, the overall score of compassion, and subscales of compassion, including self-kindness and isolation (p < 0.05). In relation to fear of COVID-19, married status, anxiety, and common humanity had a positive relationship with fear of COVID-19. However, self-judgment was negatively related to fear of COVID-19 (p < 0.05).
Conclusion: According to the findings of the present study, men and people who are less afraid of COVID-19 are more likely not to observe self-care behaviors. Therefore, providing training about treatment protocols is necessary for these people. To reduce the fear of this disease in people with high levels of fear, psychologists, psychiatrists, and other medical staff can implement protocols to increase compassion.