COVID-19 related stress during and one year after the first wave of the pandemic outbreak in China: The role of social support and perceptions of the pandemic

INTRODUCTION: COVID-19 related stress might vary with the pandemic changes, as well as other associated factors. This study aimed to compare the stress level during the first wave of the pandemic outbreak and 1 year later in China, and to explore the differential roles of social support and perceptions of this disease in affecting pandemic-related stress over time. METHODS: COVID-19 related stress, social support, and perceptions of the pandemic (perceived threat, perceived protection, and perceived controllability) were measured using the Impact of Event Scale-Revised for COVID-19, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, and the Self-Compiled Scale of COVID-19 Related Perception, respectively. Using an online survey, two independent samples were collected during the first wave of the COVID-19 outbreak (Time 1: March 2020, N = 430) and 1 year later (Time 2: April 2021, N = 512). RESULTS: Levels of COVID-19 related stress and social support were lower at Time 2. Furthermore, at both Time 1 and Time 2, more social support was associated with less stress. Perceived protection and controllability of COVID-19 also mediated the relationship between social support and COVID-19 at both time points. However, the perceived threat of COVID-19 only served as a mediator at Time 1. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that Chinese people might experience lower COVID-19 related stress as the pandemic progresses. The perceived threat of COVID-19 played a more critical role in stress experienced at Time 1. These findings not only underscore the importance of social support under the context of Chinese society, but also have implications for developing specific interventions targeting different perceptions of COVID-19 to reduce pandemic-related stress during the different waves of this pandemic.