The Virus that Locked the Country: Effects of Lockdown due to Covid-19 on Affect, Anxiety and Stress of People Across India

Pages: 310-315
Arjita Jhingran, Sanyukta Agrawal, and Meetu Khosla (Department of Psychology, Daulat Ram College, University of Delhi, Delhi)

This present study aims to assess the mental health of the people in response to COVID outbreak and how lockdown brings about a change in affect, perceived stress, and anxiety of people in Indian. The data was collected using PANAS (Watson, 1988); Perceived Stress Scale (Cohen, 1988); and Beck’s Anxiety Inventory (Beck, Brown, & Steer, 1998) from 600 participants including both males and females which encompasses students, working and non-working individuals in the age range of 15-60 years. Results indicated significant differences in affect, perceived stress and anxiety across age. Younger people reported more negative affect (NA), anxiety and perceived stress as compared to older people. Women reported experienced significantly more stress than men. There were significant positive correlations of NA with stress and anxiety. Positive affect was significantly negatively correlated with NA, anxiety and stress. Anxiety and perceived stress were also found to be correlated significantly in a positive relationship. The study has important implications for designing mental health management programs for people experiencing psychological distress due to the pandemic at community level by involving the policy makers and health care practitioners.