Published online Oct 19, 2021. doi: 10.5498/wjp.v11.i10.864
Peer-review started: April 25, 2021
First decision: July 14, 2021
Revised: July 20, 2021
Accepted: September 8, 2021
Article in press: September 8, 2021
Published online: October 19, 2021
Processing time: 172 Days and 20.8 Hours
We aimed to examine community resilience, hope, and trust in leaders as potential contributors with lower levels of anger and emotional distress during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
To understand in what ways personal and communal factors as well as trust in leaders affect psychological distress of citizens during health pandemic.
(1) To assess sociodemographic factors and resiliency factors as explanatory factors of psychological distress and anger, with stronger resiliency associated with lower levels of distress and anger; (2) To examine gender differences on trust in national leadership and psychological problems; (3) To examine differences between individuals from socioeconomic status on resiliency, trust in national leadership, and distress; and (4) To explore the mediating role of hope in the relationships between resiliency factors and anger and distress.
Data were gathered from 636 Israeli adults. The participants filled out self-reported questionnaires. t-tests and hierarchical multiple regression analysis were used to examine the various research questions.
Differences between women and men were revealed on anger and mental-health problems, but not in terms of coping resources. Individuals of lower socioeconomic status reported more mental-health problems, more anger, and greater trust in the state’s leaders; whereas those of higher socioeconomic status reported greater hope. The sociodemographic factors of gender, age, and socioeconomic status, as well as community resilience, trust in the state’s leaders, and hope explained mental health with a total of 19% of the variance and anger with a total of 33% of the variance.
Personal and communal factors affect psychological distress. Personal resilience is an important factor that should be strengthened throughout life. Trust in leadership is important for citizens’ mental health.
Trust in the country’s leaders is important for its citizens, not only for their obedience to published guidelines, but also for their mental health and, therefore, leaders around the world should act to facilitate and strengthen such trust. These findings could also be beneficial and useful for counselors and other mental-health professionals.