Risk perception, mental health distress, and flourishing during the COVID-19 pandemic in China: The role of positive and negative affect

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought unprecedented disruptions to people’s everyday life and induced wide-ranging impacts on people’s physical health, mental health and well-being. This research investigated the relationship between risk perception, mental health distress, and flourishing during the peak period of the COVID-19 pandemic in China. Three hundred and ninety Chinese completed measures on risk perception, mental health distress, positive and negative affect, flourishing, and demographic information. The results revealed that 27.2% of participants experienced some level of mental health distress, but they also experienced a relatively high level of flourishing. Higher level of risk perception and negative affect were risk factors, whereas positive affect was a protective factor, of mental illness and flourishing. Experiences of positive and negative affect mediated the relationship between risk perception and level of mental health distress and flourishing, respectively. Although the COVID-19 pandemic led to a higher level of mental distress among the general public in China, most people were also resilient during the pandemic. The results have implications for improving mental health and enhancing resiliency during public health crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic.