Do Psychological Needs Play a Role in Times of Uncertainty? Associations with Well-Being During the COVID-19 Crisis

Predicting vaccination hesitancy: The role of basic needs satisfaction and institutional trust

Autonomous motivation is considered a powerful driver of health behaviour, but less is known about the specific roles played by basic needs. Drawing on the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, this research examined basic needs as a motivational determinant of vaccination. We hypothesized that satisfaction of basic needs (autonomy, competence, relatedness) has both a direct and an indirect effect (through trust in science and government) on vaccine hesitancy. Two studies (Study 1: N = 968 French and British; Study 2, pre-registered: N = 716 Americans) tested our hypotheses and compared vaccinated and non-vaccinated individuals using multigroup structural equation models. We found positive direct (in both studies) and indirect (in Study 1) effects of autonomy satisfaction on vaccine acceptance. In contrast, competence satisfaction was directly and indirectly, via science mistrust, related to vaccine hesitancy, particularly among non-vaccinated people. Competence satisfaction also indirectly reduced the intention to vaccinate in both studies. We found no impact of relatedness. Complementing previous work on self-determination theory, our research demonstrates the importance of considering the distinct roles of basic needs. Moreover, we highlight that increasing autonomy and science trust may be an efficient strategy to improve vaccine acceptance and vaccination, even among reluctant individuals.

Psychological need fulfillment as a source of resilience: Its protective role in concerns and symptoms of anxiety and depression during the COVID-19 pandemic

The essential role of the psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness in well-being has been demonstrated convincingly. Yet whether their fulfillment also serves as a source of resilience in the face of adversity has received limited attention. A longitudinal sample of Belgian citizens (N = 1869; Mage = 56.23, 68% female) completed an online questionnaire on 13 occasions between April 2020 and April 2022 during the COVID-19 crisis. Multilevel analyses showed that need fulfillment, both at the between- and within-person level, related negatively to concerns, even after controlling for exposure to personal risks. Further, the association between concerns and changes in symptoms of depression and anxiety was dampened when people reported higher need fulfillment compared with others (i.e. between-person level) or when they reported periodically more need fulfillment than usual (i.e. within-person level). This moderation effect occurred on top of the systematic negative main effect of need fulfillment on symptoms of anxiety and depression. Psychological need fulfillment serves as a resilience factor (a) by reducing concerns in the face of adverse events (i.e. an appraisal effect) and (b) by mobilizing resources that help individuals to deal better with concerns (i.e. a coping effect). Theoretical and practical implications of the resilience effect of need fulfillment are discussed.

Translating the COVID-19 epidemiological situation into policies and measures: the Belgian experience

The COVID-19 pandemic led to sustained surveillance efforts, which made unprecedented volumes and types of data available. In Belgium, these data were used to conduct a targeted and regular assessment of the epidemiological situation. In addition, management tools were developed, incorporating key indicators and thresholds, to define risk levels and offer guidance to policy makers. Categorizing risk into various levels provided a stable framework to monitor the COVID-19 epidemiological situation and allowed for clear communication to authorities. Although translating risk levels into specific public health measures has remained challenging, this experience was foundational for future evaluation of the situation for respiratory infections in general, which, in Belgium, is now based on a management tool combining different data sources.

The longitudinal association between caregivers' perceived competence and autonomy and children's dietary consumption before and 10 months into the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has been stressful, potentially affecting caregivers' feeding choices. Caregivers play a role in shaping children's diets, yet few studies have explored how their competence and autonomy, defined by the Self-Determination Theory, impact children's diets. We examined the relationship between caregivers' autonomy and competence and their feeding practices before and during the first year of the pandemic. A national convenience sample of caregivers with 3-12-year-old children completed an online survey during two time-periods. Questions adapted from the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory measured perceived competence and autonomy for feeding fruits and vegetables (F/V) and limiting sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) and desserts. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey Dietary Screener questions measured children's consumption of F/V, SSBs, and desserts. Paired t-tests examined how child consumption and caregiver's perceived competence and autonomy changed, and logistic regressions examined whether caregivers' competence and autonomy predicted the change in child consumption and if changes in competence and autonomy were associated with changes in child consumption. Caregivers (n = 597) were mostly Black/African American (33.0%) or Latina/o/x (42.7%) and older than 30 years (84.1%). Children's consumption did not change overall, but caregivers' competence for feeding F/V increased, and their competence for limiting SSBs and desserts decreased. Caregiver competence and autonomy before COVID-19 did not predict child dietary consumption during the pandemic. However, change in competence was a significant predictor of the change in child consumption of F/V [OR (95%CI): 0.70 (0.57, 0.86)]. The association between caregiver's perceived competence for feeding F/V and child consumption remained positive and significant in both periods [OR (95%CI) pre and during COVID: 2.09 (1.69, 2.57) - 2.40 (1.88, 3.06)]. This study can inform behavioral interventions supporting caregivers' competence and autonomy around feeding choices.

Adolescents' mental health in the social-media era: The role of offline and online need-based experiences

INTRODUCTION

Debate about the precise role of social media use (SMU) in the mental health of today's adolescents is still ongoing. The present study adds to the literature by focusing on adolescents' experiences during SMU and in their offline activities through the lens of basic psychological needs, which are central to self-determination theory.

METHODS

To examine the joint and supplementary effects of need-experiences in the offline and SMU domain (i.e., SMU satisfaction, offline satisfaction, SMU frustration, offline frustration) on several indicators of adolescents' mental health (i.e., vitality, life satisfaction, sleep quality, anxiety, and depression), polynomial regression analyses were used. Three cross-sectional samples were collected in Belgium, including early to mid-adolescents during the COVID-pandemic (Sample 1; N = 447; Mage = 14.26; 54.4% female) as well as postpandemic (Sample 2; N = 179, Mage = 15.25; 54.2% female), and among college students in postpandemic times (Sample 3; N = 4977; Mage = 20.72; 69.1% female).

RESULTS

The results showed that need-experiences common to both domains were a robust factor associated with mental health. This finding was obtained across all samples and outcomes, with need satisfaction playing a beneficial and need frustration a harmful role. We further found that offline need-experiences serve as a more crucial predictor of adolescents' mental health than need experiences on social media.

CONCLUSIONS

Adolescents' experiences of need satisfaction and need frustration on social media and in offline activities are central to their mental health. However, only relying on SMU as a single source of need satisfaction may not be recommended, given that offline experiences seem to be more decisive.

Risk perception as a motivational resource during the COVID-19 pandemic: the role of vaccination status and emerging variants

BACKGROUND

People's perceived risk of being infected and having severe illness was conceived as a motivational source of adherence to behavioral measures during the COVID-19 crisis.

METHODS

We used online self-reported data, spanning 20 months of the COVID-19 crisis in Belgium (n = 221,791; 34.4% vaccinated; July 2020 - March 2022) to study the association between risk perception and motivation.

RESULTS

Both perceived infection probability and severity fluctuated across time as a function of the characteristics of emerging variants, with unvaccinated persons perceiving decreasingly less risk compared to vaccinated ones. Perceived severity (and not perceived probability) was the most critical predictor of autonomous motivation for adherence to health-protective measures, a pattern observed at both the between-day and between-person level among both vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals. An integrated process model further indicated that on days with higher hospitalization load, participants reported being more adherent because risk severity and autonomous motivation for adherence were more elevated on these days.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that risk severity served as a critical and dynamic resource for adherence to behavioral measures because it fostered greater autonomous regulation.

The Role of Collective Group Orientation and Social Norms on Physical Distancing Behaviors for Disease Prevention

To reduce the impact of communicable diseases like COVID-19, collective action is required and likely to be susceptible to normative influence as well as whether people are more or less collectively oriented. We extend the theory of normative social behavior (TNSB) to account for group orientation and predict the relationships between social norms and physical distancing behaviors. Using a rolling cross-sectional design during 17 weeks of the pandemic, a national sample of US residents from 20 states (N = 8,778) participated in the study. The findings show that perceived descriptive norms, injunctive norms, and group orientation are significantly associated with physical distancing. The descriptive norm-behavior relationship and injunctive norm-behavior relationship are moderated by group orientation and the other predicted moderators in the TNSB. The findings extend the TNSB and highlight the need to understand social norms and group orientation in formative research for health communication campaigns designed to promote prevention behaviors.

The Role of Communication Style and External Motivators in Predicting Vaccination Experiences and Intentions: An Experimental Vignette Study

This vignette-based study examined in a sample of unvaccinated Belgian citizens (N = 1918; Mage = 45.99) how health care workers could foster reflection about and intentions to get vaccinated against COVID-19 by experimentally varying their communication style (i.e., autonomy-supportive vs. controlling) and the reference to external motivators (i.e., use of a monetary voucher or corona pass vs. the lack thereof). Each participant was randomly assigned to one of six conditions and rated a vignette in terms of anticipated autonomy satisfaction, perceived effectiveness, reflection, and vaccination intention. An autonomy-supportive, relative to a controlling, communication style predicted greater autonomy need satisfaction, which in turn related positively to perceived effectiveness, reflection, and vaccination intention. External motivators failed to generate positive effects compared to the control condition. The findings highlight the critical role of autonomy support in promoting a self-endorsed decision to get vaccinated.

Clarifying Eudaimonia and Psychological Functioning to Complement Evaluative and Experiential Well-Being: Why Basic Psychological Needs Should Be Measured in National Accounts of Well-Being

Measuring subjective well-being as a key indicator of national wellness has increasingly become part of the international agenda. Current recommendations for measuring well-being at a national level propose three separate dimensions: evaluative well-being, experiential well-being, and eudaimonia. Whereas the measurement of the first two dimensions is relatively standardized, the third category has remained undertheorized, lacking consensus on how to define and operationalize it. To remedy the situation, we propose that the third dimension should focus on psychological functioning and the identification of key psychological factors humans generally need to live well. A key part of psychological functioning is the satisfaction of basic psychological needs-specific types of satisfying experiences that are essential for psychological health and well-being. Psychological needs as a category provides a parsimonious set of elements with clear inclusion criteria that are strongly anchored in theory and our current understanding of human nature-and could thus form a core part of the third, "eudaimonic" dimension of well-being. The needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness have especially received broad empirical support. Accordingly, national accounts of well-being should include measures for key psychological needs to gain an enriched and practically useful understanding of the well-being of the citizens.

“The show must go on”: How Paralympic athletes safeguarded their mental well-being and motivation to train for the postponed Tokyo 2020 games

Introduction

After the decision to postpone the Tokyo 2020 Games due to the COVID-19 pandemic, athletes had to adjust to a novel situation with feelings of uncertainty and insecurity. Grounded in Self-Determination Theory, this study was the first to examine whether different motivational profiles among Paralympic athletes can be identified, and to link these profiles with the athletes’ emotional, cognitive, and performance-related outcomes in times of a pandemic.

Methods

Five months before the start of the Paralympic Games, the participants (N = 32; mean age = 33.2 ± 6.8 years) completed an online questionnaire measuring their demographics, basic psychological needs, perceived stress, depressive symptoms, general well-being, and motivational self-regulation strategies. Two months after the Games, they completed a second online questionnaire measuring their actual and perceived performance at the past Games.

Results

Through K-means cluster analysis, three distinct clusters were identified based on the athletes’ dominant type of motivation, these are, dominantly amotivated (n = 11), autonomously motivated (n = 12), and controlled motivated (n = 9). Comparisons of athletes’ emotional, cognitive, and performance-related outcomes depending on their motivational profile revealed that the athletes with a dominantly amotivated profile had the least adaptive outcomes (i.e., low need satisfaction, high need frustration, and more depressive symptoms). Athletes with a dominantly autonomously motivated profile made less use of controlling self-motivating strategies compared to the other two profiles. Moreover, their actual performance at the Paralympic Games was better.

Discussion

Although none of the athletes were at severe risk for depression or showed extremely high levels of stress, these results confirm that improving the quality of athletes’ motivation can safeguard their well-being and enhance performance in Paralympic Sports.

An examination of the reciprocal associations between physical activity and anxiety, depressive symptoms, and sleep quality during the first 9 weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic in Belgium

During the initial outbreak of the global COVID-19 pandemic, many countries imposed a total lockdown (containment at home). Although it was still allowed in Belgium to be physically active or exercise with people from your household in the vicinity of your home, engaging in sports or physical activity in a group or club context was no longer permitted. To examine whether a lack of physical activity was potentially threatening to the mental well-being of citizens and vice versa, the present study examined concurrent and reciprocal relationships between physical activity and anxiety, depressive symptoms, and sleep quality during the COVID-19 lockdown in a 9-week longitudinal design. In a sample of 983 Belgian adults (75.1% female; M _age = 43.78, range = 18-82 years), we explored these relationships at both the between- and within-person levels through random intercept cross-lagged panel models. The findings indicate that more physical activity was associated with lower symptoms of anxiety and depression and better sleep quality, a finding observed both at the between-person (across weeks; β_anxiety = -0.25, β_depression = -0.30, β_{sleep quality} = 0.24, p < .001) and within-person level (within weeks; β_anxiety = -0.10, β_depression = -0.14, β_{sleep quality} = 0.11, p < .05). Moreover, at the within-person level, an increase in feelings of anxiety and depression at one moment predicted lower levels of physical activity one week later (β_anxiety = -0.04, β_depression = -0.06, p < .05). Since poor mental health poses a threat to the maintenance of physical activity, the current findings suggest that it is critical to invest in the mental health of individuals during distressing times.

The Role of Personality Risk and Protective Factors in Living with Covid-19: A Longitudinal Study

Earlier research has shown the significant role of personality in serving as risk or protective factors in psychological wellbeing. However, it is less clear the extent to which personality plays in coping with the Covid-19 pandemic. The aim of the current study was to examine the role of a personality risk factors such as self-criticism, and personality strengths such as efficacy and intrinsic motivation representing resilience in predicting psychological outcomes in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. As part of a broader longitudinal study, personality measures were assessed at ages 23 and 29, and Covid-19-related outcomes were measured at age 41 on a subsample of 83 Israeli participants, who were approached after the first lockdown that was implemented (April 2020). Findings showed that self-criticism measured at age 23 anticipated greater Covid-19-related distress and lower satisfaction at age 41. Decrease in self-criticism from age 23 to 29, which indicates developmental progress toward maturity, explained lower non-adaptive emotional reactions at age 41- lower distress and lower anxiety. In addition, a higher level of intrinsic motivation at age 29 explained a greater likelihood to expect post pandemic growth. Findings highlight the role of personality in addressing unexpected stressful events such as the current Covid-19 pandemic.

Need dissatisfaction and its consequences on support for anti-pandemic behaviors in China: The mediation of attribution and local government satisfaction, and the moderation of social class

Introduction

The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly impacted the global economy, resulting in a substantial increase in inequality. There is a need to understand need dissatisfaction in this context, its group differences, and its consequences on support for anti-pandemic behaviors.

Methods

Using data from a survey round of the Chinese Social Mentality Survey from 21 April to 26 May 2022, 6,022 participants aged between 18 and 70 years (M = 32.27; SD = 8.74; men = 46.76%) from 29 provinces of Mainland China were included in the study.

Results

1) Need dissatisfaction was negatively related with support for anti-pandemic behaviors and was completely mediated by attribution and local government satisfaction. 2) Internal/external attribution acted as a double-edged sword: they were negatively/positively related with support for anti-pandemic behaviors, while they became positively/negatively related with support for anti-pandemic behaviors via the mediation of local government satisfaction. 3) People who were unemployed and in the subjectively middle class reported higher need dissatisfaction and less support for anti-pandemic behaviors compared to their counterparts. 4) Social class moderated the relationship between need dissatisfaction and internal attribution: when needs were dissatisfied, participants with higher income and subjective social class tended to attribute more internally.

Discussion

This study contributes to the attribution theory and social identity theory in the context of major global public health events and provides practical implications for promoting behavioral compliance in the context of COVID-19. In particular, facilitating a positive interaction between the public and local governments may be helpful to create a shared identity and, ultimately, prevent and control the pandemic together.

Suit the Remedy to the Case-The Effectiveness of COVID-19 Nonpharmaceutical Prevention and Control Policies Based on Individual Going-Out Behavior

Nonpharmaceutical policies for epidemic prevention and control have been extensively used since the outbreak of COVID-19. Policies ultimately work by limiting individual behavior. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the effectiveness of policies by combining macro nonpharmaceutical policies with micro-individual going-out behavior. For different going out scenarios triggered by individual physiological safety needs, friendship needs, and family needs, this paper categorizes policies with significant differences in intensity, parameterizes the key contents of the policies, and simulates and analyzes the effectiveness of the policies in different going-out scenarios with simulation methods. The empirical results show that enhancing policy intensity can effectively improve policy effectiveness. Among different types of policies, restricting the times of going out is more effective. Further, the effect of controlling going out based on physiological safety needs is better than other needs. We also evaluate the policy effectiveness of 26 global countries or regions. The results show that the policy effectiveness varies among 26 countries or regions. The quantifiable reference provided by this study facilitates decision makers to establish policy and practices for epidemic prevention and control.

Social support and psychological well-being in younger and older adults: The mediating effects of basic psychological need satisfaction

This study examined the associations between social support from different relationship types (i.e., spouses, children, friends, and parents) and psychological well-being (i.e., happiness and depressive symptoms), and the mediating effects of basic psychological need satisfaction (i.e., autonomy, competence, and relatedness) in these associations. A dataset on social support, satisfaction of basic psychological needs, and psychological well-being was collected from 823 South Korean adults (the mean of age = 48.83; 50.40% male). Results showed that social support from spouses and friends had the most robust associations with happiness and depressive symptoms. In addition, the satisfaction of needs for autonomy and relatedness mediated the associations between social support from spouses and friends, and happiness and depressive symptoms. However, these associations differed by age groups. Although social support satisfied basic psychological needs better for younger adults than for older adults, the satisfaction of needs for autonomy and relatedness was critical in order to support well-being for both groups.

Coping with Coronavirus Pandemic: Risk Perception Predicts Life Optimism

Given that the coronavirus pandemic has become a severe concern worldwide, how can optimism be maintained during an outbreak of a collective pandemic? We propose that perceived control and negative affect could be potential explanatory factors for optimism in the face of a pandemic. In Study 1 (N = 599), through a large-scale cross-sectional design, we showed the indirect effect of risk perception on optimism through perceived control and negative affect with structural equation modeling. In Study 2 (N = 191), we manipulated perceived risk of the pandemic and determined that experiencing a high-risk pandemic psychologically led to decreased optimism. Finally, through Study 3 (N = 186) and Study 4 (N = 217), we revealed that the effect of risk perception on optimism can be extended to overall subjective well-being and confirmed the indirect effects via perceived control and negative affect. These findings indicate that risk perception can make a difference in one's life optimism during a high-risk pandemic. Moreover, perceived control and negative affect are notable intermediary variables. Measures that strengthen publicity and transparency regarding recovery rates should be taken to help reduce public perceptions of risk and promote an optimistic life attitude.

Pride and adversity among nurses and physicians during the pandemic in two US healthcare systems: a mixed methods analysis

Background

Our aims were to examine themes of the most difficult or distressing events reported by healthcare workers during the first wave of COVID-19 pandemic in two US health care systems in order to identify common themes and then to relate them to both behavioral theory and measures of anxiety and depression.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional survey of nurses and physicians during the early phases of the COVID-19 pandemic in the US. An emailed recruitment letter was sent, with about half choosing to supply open-ended responses relevant to thematic analysis. We measured symptoms of anxiety and depression separately, captured demographics, and asked two open-ended questions regarding events that were the most difficult or stressful, and reinforced pride. We reported descriptive statistics and coded thematic categories for their continuum “pride” and “distress” the factors related to fostering well-being according to the Self-Determination Theory.

Results

Themes that emerged from these narratives were congruent with prediction of Self-Determination theory that autonomy-supportive experiences will foster pride, while autonomy-thwarting experiences will cause distress. Those who reported distressful events were more anxious and depressed compared to those who did not. Among those who reported incidences that reinforced pride in the profession, depression was rarer compared to those who did not. These trends were evident after allowing for medical history and other covariates in logistic regressions.

Conclusion

Causal claims from our analysis should be made with caution due to the cross-sectional research design. Understanding perceptions of the pandemic by nurses and physicians may help identify and manage sources of distress, and suggest means of mitigating the risk of mental health distress through autonomy-supportive policies.

When You Can't Play Sports: The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Motivational and Emotional Experiences in Coach-Athlete Dyads

(1) Background: This study aimed to assess the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on athletes' and coaches' experiences. Following the Dualistic Model of Passion and the Self-determination Theory, the objectives of this study were to investigate whether the COVID-19 pandemic and its restrictions affected athletes' and coaches' passion experiences, emotional experiences and basic psychological needs while engaging in their sport activities. Furthermore, the relationship between passion and emotional experiences as well as between passion and the basic psychological needs were explored; (2) Methods: 87 coach-athlete dyads, active at the recreational or competitive level in an individual sport, participated in the study. Using a cross-sectional dyadic design, athletes and coaches reported separately on their passion experience, emotional experiences and basic psychological needs in the previous two weeks; (3) Results: In total, 30 dyads were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, while 57 were not. Athletes' obsessive passion as well coaches' negative affect were larger in impacted dyads, while athletes' positive affect was lower in that group compared to the not-impacted group. Moderated Actor-Partner Interdependence Models revealed that coaches' obsessive passion was more strongly related to their negative affect in coach-athlete dyads that were not impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic than in dyads that were impacted. Furthermore, the harmonious passion of coaches was more strongly associated with athletes' need satisfaction and need frustration in impacted dyads, while also the athletes' harmonious passion in impacted dyads was more strongly associated with coaches' need satisfaction; (4) Conclusions: Less positive outcomes and more negative outcomes were observed in both athletes and coaches that were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. On the other hand, the COVID-19 pandemic may have suppressed the negative effects of coaches' obsessive passion on their negative affect, but strengthened the positive impact of coaches' harmonious passion on the athletes' need satisfaction and vice versa.

The role of emotion regulation in mental health during the COVID‐19 outbreak: A 10‐wave longitudinal study

The COVID-19 pandemic elicited a lot of concerns among citizens, thereby potentially compromising their well-being. This study sought to examine the role of individuals' emotion regulation styles (i.e., emotional dysregulation, emotional suppression, and emotional integration) in handling these concerns and their experiences of well-being (i.e., satisfaction with life and sleep quality) and ill-being (i.e., anxiety and depressive symptoms). The study had a unique 10-wave longitudinal design (N = 986; M_age  = 41.28; 76% female) and was conducted during the outbreak of the pandemic in March-May 2020. Multilevel analyses showed, first, that weekly variation in COVID-19 related concerns related negatively to weekly variation in well-being and positively to weekly variation in ill-being. Second, at the between-person level, emotional dysregulation and suppression related positively to between-person vulnerability in ill-being and lower well-being (across all waves). Third, between-person differences in emotional dysregulation amplified the strength of the within-person association between concerns and depressive complaints and lowered life satisfaction. Unexpectedly, integrative emotion regulation amplified the strength of the within-person association between concerns and anxiety. The discussion focuses on the critical role of emotion regulation in handling the uncertainty elicited by the pandemic and provides directions for further research.

Aggressive measures, rising inequalities, and mass formation during the COVID-19 crisis: An overview and proposed way forward

A series of aggressive restrictive measures were adopted around the world in 2020-2022 to attempt to prevent SARS-CoV-2 from spreading. However, it has become increasingly clear the most aggressive (lockdown) response strategies may involve negative side-effects such as a steep increase in poverty, hunger, and inequalities. Several economic, educational, and health repercussions have fallen disproportionately on children, students, young workers, and especially on groups with pre-existing inequalities such as low-income families, ethnic minorities, and women. This has led to a vicious cycle of rising inequalities and health issues. For example, educational and financial security decreased along with rising unemployment and loss of life purpose. Domestic violence surged due to dysfunctional families being forced to spend more time with each other. In the current narrative and scoping review, we describe macro-dynamics that are taking place because of aggressive public health policies and psychological tactics to influence public behavior, such as mass formation and crowd behavior. Coupled with the effect of inequalities, we describe how these factors can interact toward aggravating ripple effects. In light of evidence regarding the health, economic and social costs, that likely far outweigh potential benefits, the authors suggest that, first, where applicable, aggressive lockdown policies should be reversed and their re-adoption in the future should be avoided. If measures are needed, these should be non-disruptive. Second, it is important to assess dispassionately the damage done by aggressive measures and offer ways to alleviate the burden and long-term effects. Third, the structures in place that have led to counterproductive policies should be assessed and ways should be sought to optimize decision-making, such as counteracting groupthink and increasing the level of reflexivity. Finally, a package of scalable positive psychology interventions is suggested to counteract the damage done and improve humanity's prospects.

Rewriting the script: How COVID-19 affected the relation between intrinsic aspirations and depressive symptoms

Self-determination theory proposes that intrinsic aspirations protect against negative mental health outcomes by satisfying people's basic psychological needs of autonomy, relatedness, and competence. The present study investigated this relationship using two four-wave prospective longitudinal studies which followed undergraduate students across the Canadian academic calendar (September to May). The first was conducted across 2018–19 and the second across 2019–20. By comparing these two samples, we examined whether baseline levels of intrinsic aspirations moderated the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the development of depressive symptoms. Three main findings emerged, the first being that students reported higher levels of depressive symptoms in Spring 2020 than in Spring 2019. Second, students with more intrinsic aspirations in the pre-pandemic sample (2018–19) experienced fewer depressive symptoms from December to May while students with more intrinsic aspirations in the pandemic sample (2019–20) experienced more depressive symptoms during this period. Lastly, the latter relationship was mediated by need frustration, whereby students with higher levels of intrinsic aspirations experienced greater need frustration during the pandemic year. Together, these findings suggest that although intrinsic aspirations typically protect against negative psychological outcomes, the unique need frustrating context of the pandemic made them a risk factor for depression.

Autonomy-supportive agents: whose support matters most, and how does it unfold in the workplace?

Managers and colleagues satisfy others' need for autonomy, but employees can also satisfy their own need by engaging in autonomy crafting practices. Although all three sources of autonomy support can benefit employee outcomes, they may not be equally beneficial. Furthermore, their benefits may not be straightforward, but rather a psychological process unfolding. To test these assumptions, the aim of the present study was twofold: to determine whether the different sources of support explained significantly different amounts of variance in autonomy satisfaction when compared and to understand the psychological process through which autonomy support from three sources influenced performance, more specifically, whether autonomy support indirectly affected performance through perceived autonomy satisfaction and work engagement in serial. In a sample of 278 employees, autonomy support from others (especially managers) and autonomy crafting played a role in autonomy satisfaction. Furthermore, the results indicated that autonomy support was associated with performance through its serial associations with autonomy satisfaction and work engagement. The results emphasized the importance of autonomy support for performance, enabling organizations to proactively design interventions to improve engagement and performance.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12144-022-03550-9.

The Interaction between Basic Psychological Needs, Decision-Making and Life Goals among Emerging Adults in South Africa

The interaction between emerging adult psychological well-being and decision-making, in South Africa, has not been explicitly explored in Self-Determination Theory. Life goals have been thought to play a role in the interaction between basic psychological needs and decision-making to promote psychological well-being. The current study, therefore, aimed to examine whether the decision-making styles employed, and the life goals which were deemed important, contribute to the understanding of the satisfaction or frustration of the basic psychological needs of emerging adults in South Africa. Data were collected cross-sectionally, using a secure, online survey among 1411 participants. The interaction between decision-making, life goals and basic psychological needs variables were examined using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlations and hierarchical regression analyses. The results in the study suggest that adaptive (vigilant) decision-making and intrinsic life goals were significant predictors for the satisfaction of the basic psychological needs. Some forms of maladaptive decision-making and extrinsic goals were predictors of the frustration of basic psychological needs. The variance explained by the various models were between 15.6–32.6%, with the results suggesting all models were significant. The results provide a novel contribution to emerging adult well-being in South Africa and Self-Determination Theory, with the implications for society, research and practice discussed.

The Psychological Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Postsecondary Students: An Analysis of Self-Determination

The COVID-19 pandemic has put postsecondary students across the world at risk of psychological distress, negatively impacting their basic psychological well-being, including self-determination. Although the concept of self-determination has been widely discussed in literature, it is poorly understood within the context of postsecondary students during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to examine the concept of self-determination (SD) as it relates to postsecondary students amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The Rodgers’ evolutionary method of concept analysis was used. PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and ERIC were electronically searched using the keywords “postsecondary students” “coronavirus pandemic” and “self-determination.” The historical, legal, educational, and health science literature were investigated to generate a holistic definition of SD in the past. This analysis has identified the antecedents, attributes, and consequences of self-determination in postsecondary students during this global health crisis. This analysis adds to the knowledge base regarding the evolution, significance, and application of the concept of SD in the context of postsecondary students amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Implications for future research were also explored, such as using strategies to promote SD in postsecondary students to develop resilience during the pandemic.

The Role of Existential Concerns in the Individual's Decisions regarding COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake: A Survey among Non-Vaccinated Italian Adults during the Third Wave of the Pandemic

Recent studies have suggested that health constructs embraced by the Terror Management Theory (TMT) and the Basic Psychological Needs Theory (BPNT) may drive individuals' COVID-19 health-related decisions. This study examines the relationships between existential concerns (ECs; within the TMT), basic psychological needs (BPNs; within the BPNT) and COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy (VH), as well as the mediating role of negative attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccines. A cross-sectional survey was carried out from April to May 2021 on a sample of two hundred and eighty-seven adults (Mage = 36.04 ± 12.07; 59.9% females). Participants provided information regarding existential concerns, basic psychological needs, attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccines and vaccine hesitancy for Pfizer-BioNTech and AstraZeneca vaccines separately. Higher vaccine hesitancy (32.1%) and vaccine resistance (32.8%) rates were found for AstraZeneca than for Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine (22.3% and 10.1%, respectively). Structural equation modeling showed that existential concerns were related to Pfizer-BioNTech and AstraZeneca vaccine hesitancy both directly and indirectly through negative attitudes toward potential side effects of COVID-19 vaccines. The findings of the study confirm that the TMT is efficient in explaining COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. Targeted efforts are needed to increase the acceptance of COVID-19 vaccines.

One Year on: The Impact of COVID-19 on the Lives of Freelance Orchestral Musicians in the United Kingdom

Before the drastic disruption caused by the sudden emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, 85% of the United Kingdom’s 14,000 orchestral musicians were self-employed freelance workers, engaged in busy and varied portfolio careers comprising a combination of orchestral, West End theatre, chamber music, and commercial recording work. Between May and June 2020 we carried out a first study examining the impact of the pandemic on the lives of 24 self-employed orchestral musicians, all established freelancers. Twelve were mid-career and 12 were late-career (described in that study as “seasoned”). They all reported having lost their much-loved performing careers, missing music making and colleagues, and being anxious about the future of the music profession. However, there were some differences between the two groups: the late-career participants demonstrated greater financial and emotional resilience, while the mid-career musicians reported distress, confusion, and anxiety about their identity as musicians. In the present follow-up study, we aimed to examine the impact of the first year of the pandemic on the lives of 21 of the same musicians. We found that while all the mid-career participants remained committed to their performing careers, many late-career participants aged 54–59 had developed interests in non-performing music work, and the older late-career participants, aged 65 and over, feared that they might already, de facto, have retired. We discuss the findings with reference to the precarity of freelance orchestral musicians’ lives, lifespan models of musicians’ careers, self-determination theory and post-traumatic growth, and their implications for music colleges and musicians’ support organizations.

Merry Christmas and a “Healthy” New Year

Abstract. Background: In November 2020, many European governments imposed severe limitations on social contacts and festive gatherings to avoid a further outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Aims: At the moment when it was still unclear whether Christmas gatherings would be allowed, the present vignette study was conducted to evaluate four hypothetical scenarios varying in restrictiveness (i.e., 1, 2, 4, or an unlimited number of visitors). Method: In total, 5,756 Belgian participants (65.7% female; Mage = 45.6, range: 18–89) evaluated each scenario in terms of the perceived strictness, probability of adherence, and expected psychological advantages (i.e., autonomy, relatedness, pleasure) and disadvantages (i.e., concerns). Results: Evidence for a curvilinear pattern was found, such that the expected psychological benefits increased with an increasing number of allowed visitors till 4, with this effect being reversed in case of an unlimited gathering. Yet, these main effects were qualified: Older adults, those living together, and those scoring high on risk perception and autonomous motivation to adhere to the corona measures expected the more restrictive scenarios to be equally beneficial compared to the more relaxed scenarios. Limitations: Limitations are self-selection of the sample, no counterbalancing of the scenario’s and the vignette-based methodology. Conclusion: The present findings suggest that people’s risk perception and autonomous motivation are key to secure and stimulate the acceptance of life-restricting measures.

Call me maybe: Risk factors of impaired social contact during the COVID-19 pandemic and associations with well-being

The COVID-19 pandemic caused major societal changes worldwide, with the most notable being lockdowns and restrictions on social contact. We conducted a longitudinal study (total n = 1907) in Germany with two time points to (1) identify demographic risk factors of impaired social contact during the pandemic, as well as investigate potential consequences of (2) impaired social contact and (3) different modes of communication on individuals' well-being during the first lockdown in spring 2020. Results indicate that particularly individuals living alone and being unable to work reported a lower frequency of (face-to-face) contact in comparison with participants living with others or working. Impaired social contact was indirectly associated with a negative development in well-being (life satisfaction, anxiety and depression) over time, and this relation was mediated via relatedness. Moreover, the frequency of face-to-face and phone communication during lockdown was positively associated with relatedness and well-being; however, digital communication was not. The findings stress the importance of maintaining social contact in times of social distancing and of fostering reconnection between individuals once the pandemic is over.

Gratitude for Categories of Needs Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic

This naturalistic observation study investigated the influence of broad societal events such as the COVID-19 pandemic on public expressions of gratitude. Spontaneously produced gratitude expressions posted by individuals (N = 159) in an online discussion forum were extracted at three time periods (during the pandemic, one year pre-pandemic, and 2 years pre-pandemic). The gratitude expressions were coded for the categories of deficiency and growth needs based on Maslow's Theory of Motivation. The results demonstrate a higher frequency of gratitude expressions for growth opportunities during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to 2 years prior. The results also demonstrate a higher frequency of gratitude for the fulfillment of deficiency needs compared to growth needs within each of the years, highlighting the overall salience of this category. These findings reveal the capacity of broad societal events to impact public gratitude expressions for needs fulfilment, which has implications for policies and programs intended to meet needs during a global crisis.

Examining American Adult’s Mental Well and Ill-Being During the 2020 COVID-19 Pandemic Using a Self-Determination Theory Perspective

Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic is an international health crisis that has caused unprecedented shifts in people’s environments and has threatened people’s wellbeing. The current study uses self-determination theory (SDT: 10) to understand how people were handling the pandemic, which proposes three basic psychological needs (autonomy, competence, and relatedness) are vital for human growth and thriving. Furthermore, we examined how people’s wellbeing and ill-being changed over the course of the pandemic.

Methods: A sample of 193 American adults from around the country reported on their need satisfaction and frustration as well as well and ill-being at three time periods during the pandemic (April 2020, late July/early August 2020, and late January/early February 2021).

Results: There was much variability in how people were handling the pandemic, but on average, wellbeing increased, and ill-being decreased over time. Consistent with SDT, the basic needs significantly predicted well and ill-being even during such unprecedented times of disruption.

Conclusion: Our results suggest that public health officials should help individuals to focus on autonomy, competence, and relatedness behaviors during times of upheaval.

Maintaining social support while social distancing: The longitudinal benefit of basic psychological needs for symptoms of anxiety during the COVID‐19 outbreak

Although social distancing measures could be potentially perceived as thwarting conditions for basic psychological needs and thus causing psychological distress, off(on)line social support could compensate for this frustration by providing psychological proximity. Using self‐determination theory, in this study, we aimed (a) to evaluate the change of perception in need satisfaction over time (before and during home‐confinement and after a month of lockdown) and (b) to test the short‐term longitudinal association between off(on)line social support, basic needs, and anxiety during social distancing measures in response to the COVID‐19 outbreak. During the lockdown period decreed by Italy in March 2019 to confront the COVID‐19 emergency, 1344 participants completed an online questionnaire and 131 participants completed a follow‐up after 1 month. Results showed a decrease in need satisfaction during home confinement and a further reduction after a month of lockdown. Cross‐sectional path analysis showed that both online and offline social support were associated with higher need satisfaction, which, in turn, was related to a lower level of anxiety. Longitudinal paths also confirmed the association between need satisfaction and anxiety. Collectively, these results suggest that maintaining psychological proximity despite social distancing measures may provide important avenues for reducing negative outcomes during forced home confinement.

Testing an Online Program to Foster Need Crafting During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic represents a threat not only to individuals' physical health but also to their mental health. Self-Determination Theory assumes that the satisfaction of basic psychological needs for autonomy, relatedness and competence promotes psychological well-being during destabilizing times. Yet, the pandemic seriously hampered individuals' opportunities to satisfy their needs. The current study provides a preliminary test of the effectiveness of a 7-session online program, LifeCraft, that promotes individuals' proactive attempts to uplift their need-based experiences (i.e., need crafting). Next to the effects on individuals' need crafting skills, we examined program-effects on adults' need-based experiences and mental health and we explored the role of participants' program engagement. An experimental study among 725 Belgian adults [M age = 51.67 (range = 26 - 85); 68.55% female] was conducted, with an experimental condition of 252 and a control condition of 473 participants. At the level of the entire sample, there was limited evidence for the effectiveness of the program. There were only small immediate program-effects on need crafting and well-being. After taking into account the role of program engagement, findings showed that the program was more beneficial for participants who actively participated, with these participants reporting immediate and stable increases in need crafting, need satisfaction and well-being and decreases in need frustration. Further, changes in need crafting fully mediated changes in need-based experiences and well-being. To conclude, the findings provide initial evidence for the effectiveness of LifeCraft during the COVID-19 pandemic, with active participation being a prerequisite for the program to be effective.

The positive and negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on subjective well-being and changes in social inequality: Evidence from prefectures in Japan

This study aims to specify the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on individual subjective well-being in Japan and to clarify the mechanism generating social inequality of subjective well-being during the crisis. Data were analyzed using fixed effects ordinary least squares (OLS) regression models from the Online Panel Survey of Social Stratification and Psychology in 2020 (SSPW2020-Panel), which was conducted in four waves in June 2020, September 2020, December 2020, and March 2021. The results reveal that COVID-19 spread in a prefecture had differential effects on subjective well-being in prefectures with high infection rates: positive effects for socially advantaged individuals and negative effects for socially disadvantaged individuals. In conclusion, social inequality in Japan, in terms of subjective well-being, has been widened by the COVID-19 pandemic during 2020.

Effects of Threat and Motivation on Classical Musicians’ Professional Performance Practice During the COVID-19 Pandemic

In the past 2 years our world has experienced huge disruptions because of COVID-19. The performing arts has not been insulated from these tumultuous events with the entire music industry being thrown into a state of instability due to the paralyzing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. In this study, we examined how classical professional musicians’ ability to cope with uncertainty, economic struggles, and work-life interplay during COVID-19 was influenced by various factors that affect a crucial part of the development and sustainment of music careers: musicians’ practice. We analyzed responses to an online survey of 309 classical performing musicians from 41 countries in Europe and Latin America across three pandemic stages: immediately before the pandemic, during the pandemic, and when vaccines were being made available and lockdowns were being reduced or lifted. Structural equation modeling indicates relationships between perceptions of threat at the peak of the pandemic and the musicians Self- or External-Based Motivation for the three periods in which respondents were asked to reflect. Findings suggest that musicians who are more internally self-motivated seemed to be more resilient to the pandemic threats and more capable of managing their practicing routines, whereas more externally motivated musicians experienced a reduction in their dedicated time to practice during lockdown. We suggest pedagogical and policy implications, as well as future lines of research that are oriented toward supporting professional musicians in assessing and understanding their motivational drives so that they can cope with situations that disrupt their professional lives.

Preventing the Growing Transmission of COVID Clusters: An Integration of the Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs in the Risk Chain

PURPOSE

China's success in containing the coronavirus is an ongoing process of identifying loopholes and refining the management in the COVID-19 risk chain. This article discusses the role of personal needs in epidemic control and linked psychological needs with management measures to propose intervention advice on curbing viral transmission in a systematic way.

METHODS

Based on case studies, we showed the integration of the Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs in the COVID-19 risk chain. The analysis combined the micro-view from individual needs and macro influences from governmental measures. The proposed chain of vulnerabilities could help identify critical links of COVID-19 crisis management in case that cascading effects such as super-spread can be intercepted in time.

RESULTS

The article mainly focused on curbing the viral transmission timely whenever cluster of cases resurge. Considering the triggered activities from personal needs may facilitate the spread, minimizing the impact scale while managing the crisis could start with protecting vulnerable population, well governing potential hotspots, and necessary restrictions on group activities. Besides, "individual" protections combined with "institutional" solutions are strongly advocated. The worst scenario would be the governance link slackened or made mistakes, together with delayed identification, plus unprotected way of living and gathering. In order to cut the transmission in time, besides virus-blocking strategies and vaccination approach, screening measures in combination with the satisfaction of personal needs would help identify confirmed cases earlier. Publicizing the model citizen of being responsible could show needs' satisfaction can live with the virus elimination. At the emergency response stage, it is also crucial to secure fewer loopholes in the health system and strengthen the self-protection barrier by all means.

CONCLUSION

China's experience offers a reference for the balance between the resurgence of clustered cases and sustained recovery. As long as the global pandemic continues, its impact on personal activities will not stop, and vice versa. The chain of vulnerabilities integrating psychological needs into the COVID-19 risk management can provide clear clues for cutting further transmission in an efficient and more socially acceptable way.

University Students' Basic Psychological Needs, Motivation, and Vitality Before and During COVID-19: A Self-Determination Theory Approach

Self-determination theory assumes that the basic psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness are associated with motivational regulation. As these basic psychological needs may have been affected by the shift to distance learning, students’ motivational regulation and vitality may have suffered as well. The purpose of this study was to examine the motivational regulation, satisfaction, or frustration of the basic psychological needs and vitality of university students before and after the transition to forced distance learning during the COVID-19 pandemic: Two student samples from Austria and Germany were studied: One was surveyed before the conversion to distance learning (N=1,139) and the other at the beginning of forced distance learning (N=1,835). The instruments used were the Scales for the Measurement of Motivational Regulation for Learning in University Students (SMR-L), the German version of the Basic Psychological Needs Satisfaction and Frustration Scale, a scale developed by the authors to differentiate the assessment of social relatedness, and the German version of the Subjective Vitality Scale. The results show that the satisfaction of basic psychological needs was significantly lower and the frustration thereof substantially higher during the distance learning period than before the pandemic. Intrinsic motivation and identified regulation were significantly lower during the forced distance learning period, and more controlled forms of motivation were higher than before the pandemic. Structural equation models showed that 42% of the students’ vitality can be explained by motivational regulation and the satisfaction and frustration of their basic needs. Motivational regulation styles functioned (differentiated according to the degree of autonomy) as mediating variables between basic needs and vitality. In terms of theoretical implications, the distinction between approach and avoidance components of introjected regulation was shown to be adequate and necessary, as they explain the outcome vitality differently. The support and avoidance of frustration of basic psychological needs should be considered in distance learning to promote the quality of motivation and students’ vitality.

Unhappy or unsatisfied: distinguishing the role of negative affect and need frustration in depressive symptoms over the academic year and during the COVID-19 pandemic

Mental health problems are becoming increasingly prevalent across college campuses. Past research has found that negative affect and frustration of basic psychological needs contribute to the development of depressive symptoms, but there is limited research which compares whether these are antecedents or concomitants of depressive symptoms. The present set of studies aimed to distinguish the differential associations of affect and need frustration on depressive symptoms. Students (N_study1 = 379; N_study2 = 235) completed measures on negative affect, need frustration (e.g., relatedness, competence, and autonomy), and depressive symptoms over an academic year and during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. In both samples, fully cross-lagged path models were used to examine the relation between need frustration, negative affect, and depressive symptoms over time. Across both studies, basic psychological need frustration was the only consistent predictor of both negative affect and depressive symptoms over time, suggesting that need frustration is an antecedent of depressive symptoms over time, and especially during vulnerable time periods. Additionally, in Study 2, reports from close others confirm that need frustration is the largest indicator of depressive presentation in students. These results highlight the relative importance of basic psychological need frustration in predicting depressive symptoms in university students.

Stress of COVID-19, Anxiety, Economic Insecurity, and Mental Health Literacy: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach

The COVID-19 pandemic is currently a global health threat attributed to negatively affecting the mental health and well-being of people globally. The purpose of the current study is to examine the mediating roles of economic insecurity and mental health literacy in the relationship between stress about COVID-19 and anxiety. Results from the current study using a large sample of Chinese college students (N = 1,334) showed that stress of COVID-19 was positively associated with economic insecurity and anxiety while negatively associated with mental health literacy, which in turn was negatively associated with anxiety. These results elucidate our understanding of the role of mediators in stress about COVID-19 and anxiety. The findings are useful in terms of providing evidence for tailoring interventions and implementing preventative approaches to mitigate anxiety due to stress of COVID-19. Based on the present findings and within the context of COVID-19, the potential utility of promoting MHL to reduce the psychopathological consequences of COVID-19 is discussed.

'At first I was overwhelmed, but then-I have to say-I did almost enjoy it'. Psychological needs satisfaction and vitality of student teachers during the first Covid-19 lockdown

According to Self-Determination Theory, the satisfaction of the three basic psychological needs (BPN) is crucial for optimal personal and academic development, as well as well-being, which is associated with the perceived vitality. These dimensions can be fostered or hindered by contextual factors within the work, study and personal environment. During the first COVID-19 lockdown, most social contexts for student teachers were substantially altered, for which we hypothesised negative outcomes with regards to perceived basic needs satisfaction and vitality. To investigate changes in needs satisfaction and subjective vitality during distance learning, this research applied an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design combining a quantitative and qualitative study. For the quantitative study, two surveys were conducted; the first before the lockdown (N = 161) and the second after the lockdown (N = 146). The purpose of these surveys was to test the interrelations between need satisfaction, frustration and vitality before and during the distance learning by implementing a SEM-based mediation analysis. In addition, we elaborated on significant and unexpected findings of the quantitative study by interviewing 14 other student teachers, allowing for an in-depth and contextualised understanding of the psychological changes in and the triggering factors of the ‘corona-lockdown’. Results stress the relevance of physical activity and time spent outdoors for the perception of vitality which was supported by a more flexible time structure during distance learning. For the context of distance learning, this research emphasises the relevance of BPN also in the context of online-based learning where higher levels of interaction with fellow students and lecturers, a clear course structure and formative feedback proved to be essential for motivational and achievement-related outcomes.

Activities, Housing Situation and Other Factors Influencing Psychological Strain Experienced During the First COVID-19 Lockdown in Switzerland

Background: The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) crisis and the corresponding first nationwide lockdown from mid-March to 10 May 2020 engendered considerable psychological strain among people in Switzerland. This study analyzes determinants of changes in subjective levels of psychological strain experienced during the lockdown. Methods: An online survey conducted as part of a larger mixed methods study examined the material and emotional aspects of individual reactions to the lockdown from a socio-ecological perspective. Participants (N = 5932) were asked about their personal and employment status, housing features, changes in various activities (e.g., physical activity, watching TV, social media use) and aspects of mental distress and well-being. Results: A substantial share of participants reported to feel depressed (33%) and anxious (43%) more often during the COVID-19 lockdown than before, whereas significantly (p < 0.001) less persons reported a decrease of these negative feelings (depressed 17%; anxious 14%). Women, single people, students and people who lost their jobs or were temporally unemployed due to the lockdown experienced a particularly strong increase of subjective psychological strain. Important residential factors reducing subjective psychological strain were the general comfort of the housing situation and having a private garden or multiple types of outdoor space. Considering leisure activities, the strongest positive psychological effect resulted from increased physical activities, followed by reading and cooking. However, 45% of the participants reported a decreased frequency of physical activity during the lockdown compared to before, whereas significantly less persons (26%) reported a corresponding increase (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Consistent with other studies, the results indicate a substantial reduction of subjective psychological well-being of the population during the first COVID-19 lockdown in Switzerland. The psychological burdens which the participants experienced differ depending on personal characteristics and situational factors. Negative psychological and economic consequences and gender inequalities should accordingly be carefully considered and actively prevented when designing COVID-19 measures. Supportive economic and social, cognitive and behavioral psychological interventions need to be designed and implemented to maintain the well-being of residents during lockdown.