Mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic: Effects of stay-at-home policies, social distancing behavior, and social resources

Article by Brett Marroquín, Vera Vine and Reed Morgan. Vol. 293. Psychiatry Research.

August 20, 2020.

Social distancing is the most visible public health response to the COVID-19 pandemic, but its implications for mental health are unknown. In a nationwide online sample of 435 U.S. adults, conducted in March 2020 as the pandemic accelerated and states implemented stay-at-home orders, we examined whether stay-at-home orders and individuals’ personal distancing behavior were associated with symptoms of depression, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), intrusive thoughts, insomnia, and acute stress.