Impact of COVID-19 on mental health and lifestyle behaviours

• Main Author: See, Sinead Wei Chi
• Other Authors: Ho Moon-Ho Ringo
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: Nanyang Technological University 2021
• Subjects: Social sciences::Psychology
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/149911
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

COVID-19, an infectious disease that is highly contagious and health threatening, has drastically affected many people’s lives. This study sets out to explore the impact of the pandemic on the mental health (MH) and lifestyle behaviours (LB) of university students in Singapore. LB include physical activity (PA), eating behaviours (EB), sleep quality and online usage. First, the relationship between MH and LB was investigated using correlation analysis. Results revealed significant positive correlation between MH and sleep quality, and a significant negative correlation between MH and EB, as well as between MH and online usage. Consistent with the transactional model of stress and coping (Lazarus & Folkman, 1984), results from regression analyses showed that more negative perceptions of COVID-19 (NPC) significantly predicted poor MH, EB and sleep quality. Furthermore, such a perception had a moderating effect on the association between certain personality traits and MH as well as LB. Notably, significant interaction effects were found among NPC, agreeableness, and MH, as well as among NPC, extraversion and EB. These findings shed light into the impact of perceived stress levels (as indicated by more NPC) on MH and LB, as well as the role of NPC in influencing personality, MH, and LB. The present study hopes to contribute a deeper understanding on the potential negative impacts of the pandemic, identify those at risks of poor MH and maladaptive behaviours, as well as shape future health recommendations.