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Shillington KJ, Yates J, Vanderloo LM, Burke SM, Ng V, Tucker P, Irwin JD. 'When you give kindness out, you get it back ten times more': Ontario adults' prosocial behaviour during the first 16 months of the COVID-19 pandemic. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0288720. [PMID: 37459345 PMCID: PMC10351708 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0288720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has provided a collective opportunity to engage in prosocial behaviours, including kindness; however, little is known about the long-term impacts of the pandemic on such behaviours. As a part of a larger study (Health Outcomes for Adults During and Following the COVID-19 Pandemic), the purpose of this mixed methods research was two-fold: (1) to quantitatively explore adults' prosocial behaviour over time during the first 16 months of the pandemic in Ontario, Canada (April 2020-August 2021); and, (2) to more deeply explore, via focus groups, a sub-sample of Ontario adults' lived experiences of prosocial behaviour (assessed March 2022). A total of 2,188 participants were included in this study, with the majority of participants identifying as female (89.5%). At three time points, participants completed online questionnaires which included demographics, Prosocialness Scale for Adults, and three global kindness questions. A subset of participants (n = 42) also participated in one of six focus groups exploring their experiences of prosocial behaviour during the pandemic. A series of one-way repeated measures ANOVAs revealed that participants' self-reported prosocial behaviour increased significantly over time, while participants' awareness of kindness, engagement in acts of kindness, and view of kindness as crucial significantly decreased. Thematic analysis revealed three main themes: (1) shift in prosocial behaviour during the pandemic; (2) kindness from various perspectives; and, (3) prosocial burnout. This study provides insight into the longer-term effects of the pandemic on adults' prosocial behaviours and should be leveraged to help understand how individuals respond in times of crises.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katie J. Shillington
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Health and Rehabilitation Sciences Program, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Julia Yates
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Health and Rehabilitation Sciences Program, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Leigh M. Vanderloo
- Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Occupational Therapy, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Shauna M. Burke
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Health and Rehabilitation Sciences Program, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
- Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Health Studies, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
- Children’s Health Research Institute, Lawson Health Research Institute, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Victor Ng
- Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Division of Professional and Practice Support, College of Family Physicians of Canada, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
| | - Patricia Tucker
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Health and Rehabilitation Sciences Program, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
- Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Occupational Therapy, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
- Children’s Health Research Institute, Lawson Health Research Institute, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jennifer D. Irwin
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Health and Rehabilitation Sciences Program, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
- Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Health Studies, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
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Lowe C, Rafiq M, MacKay LJ, Letourneau N, Ng CF, Keown-Gerrard J, Gilbert T, Ross KM. Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Canadian Social Connections: A Thematic Analysis. JOURNAL OF SOCIAL AND PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS 2023; 40:76-101. [PMID: 38603251 PMCID: PMC9272044 DOI: 10.1177/02654075221113365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Background On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a worldwide pandemic. Responses to the pandemic response disrupted Canadian social connections in complex ways; because social connections are determinants of health and well-being, their disruption could adversely affect health and well-being. Moreover, understanding how pandemics and public health responses affect social connections could inform pandemic recovery strategy and public health approaches designed for future pandemics. The purpose of this study is to understand experiences of pandemic impact on social connections over the pandemic. Methods A sample of 343 Canadian adults was recruited through Athabasca University and social media. Participants were predominantly White (81%) and female (88%). After the pandemic onset, participants responded to open-ended questions about the impact of the pandemic on and any changes to social connections at three time points (baseline, and three- and 6 months from study entry). Responses were categorized into epochs by date (April-June 2020 [Spring]; July-August 2020 [Summer]; September 2020-January 2021 [Fall/Winter]). Qualitative thematic analysis was used to code themes for each epoch. Results Negative impact of the pandemic (37-45%), loss of social connections (32-36%), and alternative means of connection (26-32%) were prominent themes across the epochs. Restrictions to face-to-face connections were largest in spring (9%) and lowest in the Summer (4%). Conversely, participants increasingly reported limited contact or communication into the Fall and Winter (6-12%) as pandemic restrictions in Canada were reinstated. Conclusions The COVID-19 pandemic threatens social connections, with negative impacts that fluctuated with COVID-19 case rates and subsequent pandemic restrictions. These findings could be used to identify targets for social supports during the pandemic recovery, and to adjust public health strategies for future pandemics that minimize impact on social connections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine Lowe
- Athabasca University, Athabasca, AL, CA
- University of Calgary, Calgary, AL, CA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Kharah M Ross
- Athabasca University, Athabasca, AL, CA
- University of Calgary, Calgary, AL, CA
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Kawasaki H, Yamasaki S, Yamashita K, Iki T. Exploring mutual support awareness in Japanese communities: A pilot study. Public Health Nurs 2023; 40:105-113. [PMID: 36128933 PMCID: PMC10087162 DOI: 10.1111/phn.13137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Revised: 09/05/2022] [Accepted: 09/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The study aimed to examine life situations and perceptions related to the recognition of mutual support among Japanese people. DESIGN A quantitative, correlational, cross-sectional analysis. SAMPLE Nine hundred and nine participants who provided complete questionnaire responses. MEASUREMENTS As a disaster prevention measure, a community center conducted a "questionnaire survey evaluating the recognition of mutual support and several potentially related factors". In our study, these data from a self-administered questionnaire were used secondarily. RESULTS The perceptions that differed with regard to the sense of mutual support included family structure; satisfaction with support, security, and disaster prevention in the district; being able to ask for help with shopping; closeness of the relationship with one's neighbors; seeing oneself as providing or needing protection; and recognition of existing worries regarding evacuation. In a logistic regression model, the factors predicting the sense of mutual support included being younger than 70 years, being able to ask for help with shopping, and the closeness of the association with one's neighbors. CONCLUSIONS The study identified situations that might predict the sense of mutual support in individuals in Japanese communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiromi Kawasaki
- Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Satoko Yamasaki
- Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Kotomi Yamashita
- Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Tomoko Iki
- Faculty of Nursing, Kansai University of Nursing and Health Sciences, Awaji, Japan
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Shukla S, Mishra SK, Agustino RD. Reflection of Types of Prosocial Behavior During COVID-19 in Collectivistic Asian Countries-India and Indonesia. QUALITATIVE HEALTH RESEARCH 2022; 32:1993-2005. [PMID: 36177963 PMCID: PMC9527149 DOI: 10.1177/10497323221129260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
COVID-19 is an infectious disease that has widened the gap between victims and non-victims in society. Understanding how individuals support and assist COVID-19 sufferers in a pandemic crisis is critical. Thus, this study aims to qualitatively evaluate the prosocial intention and types of prosocial behavior toward COVID-19 victims by low socioeconomic individuals from India and Indonesia's collectivistic societies. We conducted semi-structured and in-depth interviews during the lockdown from March to May 2020, via phone and in-person, using a purposive selection of respondents (total n = 50). The data were analyzed using the qualitative synthesis method. Five themes were discovered: 1) too scared to help, 2) love to help but scared: moral dilemma, 3) informing authority who knows how to handle, 4) caring, sharing, and supporting, but with a distance, and 5) helping at one's personal health risk. This study highlights that prosocial intentions range from minor acts of kindness to self-harm and out-of-bounds acts of kindness for COVID-19 victims.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shanu Shukla
- Indian Institute of Management
Indore, Indore, India
| | | | - Rahmi Dian Agustino
- Josef Korbel School of International
Studies, University of Denver, Denver, CO, USA
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Koller JE, Villinger K, Lages NC, Absetz P, Bamert M, Branquinho C, Chaves-Avilés L, Dimitropoulou P, Fernández-Fernández AL, Gaspar de Matos M, Griskevica I, Gutiérrez-Doña B, Hankonen N, Inauen J, Jordanova Peshevska D, Kassianos AP, Kolesnikova J, Lavrič M, Mitanovska T, Neter E, Poštuvan V, Trups-Kalne I, Vargas-Carmiol J, Schupp HT, Renner B. Individual and collective protective responses during the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic in 10 different countries: Results from the EUCLID online survey. Int J Infect Dis 2022; 122:356-364. [PMID: 35709963 PMCID: PMC9190179 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijid.2022.06.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Revised: 05/26/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In times of unprecedented infectious disease threats, it is essential to understand how to increase individual protective behaviors and support for collective measures. The present study therefore examines factors associated with individual and collective pathways. METHODS Data was collected through an online survey from 4483 participants (70.8% female, M = 41.2 years) across 10 countries from April 15, 2020 to June 2, 2020 as part of the "EUCLID" project (https://euclid.dbvis.de). Structural equation modeling was used to examine individual and collective pathways across and within countries. RESULTS Overall, the adoption of individual protective behaviors and support for collective measures were high. Risk perception on the individual level and perceived effectiveness at the collective level were positively associated with both individual protective behaviors and support for collective measures. Furthermore, the model explained considerable variance in individual (40.7%) and collective protective behaviors (40.8%) and was largely replicated across countries. CONCLUSIONS The study extends previous research by demonstrating that individual risk perception and perceived effectiveness of collective measures jointly affect individual protective health behaviors and support for collective measures. These findings highlight the need to jointly consider a variety of behavioral actions against infectious disease threats, acknowledging interactions between individual and collective pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia E. Koller
- Psychological Assessment and Health Psychology, Department of Psychology, University of Konstanz, Germany,Corresponding author: Julia E. Koller
| | - Karoline Villinger
- Psychological Assessment and Health Psychology, Department of Psychology, University of Konstanz, Germany,Applied Social and Health Psychology, Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Switzerland,Corresponding author: Julia E. Koller
| | - Nadine C. Lages
- Psychological Assessment and Health Psychology, Department of Psychology, University of Konstanz, Germany
| | | | - Melanie Bamert
- Department of Health Psychology and Behavioral Medicine, Institute of Psychology, University of Bern, Switzerland
| | - Cátia Branquinho
- Institute of Environmental Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Lourdes Chaves-Avilés
- Universidad Estatal a Distancia (UNED), Central Pacific Office (Parrita-Quepos), Costa Rica
| | | | | | | | - Inguna Griskevica
- Department of Health Psychology and Pedagogy, Riga Stradins University, Riga, Latvia
| | - Benicio Gutiérrez-Doña
- Research Vice-Rectory, Research Program in Psychological/Behavioral Sciences, Universidad Estatal a Distancia (UNED), San José, Costa Rica
| | | | - Jennifer Inauen
- Department of Health Psychology and Behavioral Medicine, Institute of Psychology, University of Bern, Switzerland
| | | | - Angelos P. Kassianos
- Department of Applied Health Research, UCL, London, UK,Department of Psychology, University of Cyprus, Cyprus
| | - Jelena Kolesnikova
- Department of Health Psychology and Pedagogy, Psychology laboratory, Riga Stradins University, Riga, Latvia
| | - Meta Lavrič
- Slovene Centre for Suicide Research, Andrej Marušič Institute, University of Primorska, Slovenia,Department of Psychology, Faculty of Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Information Technologies, University of Primorska, Slovenia
| | - Tamara Mitanovska
- Neurovita - Center for Neuropsychology and Cognitive Psychology, Skopje, North Macedonia
| | - Efrat Neter
- Behavioral Sciences Department, Ruppin Academic Center, Israel
| | - Vita Poštuvan
- Slovene Centre for Suicide Research, Andrej Marušič Institute, University of Primorska, Slovenia,Department of Psychology, Faculty of Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Information Technologies, University of Primorska, Slovenia
| | | | - Jorge Vargas-Carmiol
- Medicine School, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
| | - Harald T. Schupp
- General and Biological Psychology, Department of Psychology, University of Konstanz, Germany,Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Germany
| | - Britta Renner
- Psychological Assessment and Health Psychology, Department of Psychology, University of Konstanz, Germany,Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Germany
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