08.04.2020
Psycho-emotional state of Ukrainians during quarantine
- The results of the survey conducted by Rating Group recorded the presence among respondents of signs of depression, anxiety, panic, fatigue, and sleep disorders. Comparing the results of the two waves of the survey (Wave I – March 27–28, Wave II – April 3–4), a slight increase in anxiety, fatigue, and insomnia is noticeable. The levels of depression and panic remained at the same level.
- Overall, the level of negative emotional states of Ukrainians during quarantine and their dynamics do not currently cause concern. No significant growth was detected, and disorders with a clinical profile (panic, depression) remained at the initial level.
- Age: The level of anxiety is relatively high among all age groups except the oldest. In older age (50+), depressive moods are less common. At the same time, sleep disorders are more frequently observed among representatives of the older and oldest age groups. An increase in negative emotional states was recorded among respondents aged 18–29 and 30–39. Thus, among the youngest, signs of depression appear in the current situation. Among other age groups, changes are insignificant, and among the oldest, a decrease in the level of panic is recorded.
- Age differences in psycho-emotional states are likely related to changes in lifestyles. Young people show more depressive states due to a sharp change in lifestyle, forced narrowing of the social circle, reduced activity, and a decrease in impressions and events. At the same time, at the age of 50+, the lifestyle becomes more and more quarantine-like every year (more time spent at home, a smaller social interaction circle, retirement, etc.), therefore, apart from sleep disorders, which are normative at this age, older people experience other negative states better and adapt better to the situation (panic decreases).
- Gender: Women demonstrate higher levels of all emotional indicators than men. At the same time, no significant shifts were recorded among women during this period. In contrast, indicators increased among men, especially in terms of anxiety and sleep disorders. The identified gender differences correspond to the norm: women typically have a higher level of reflection on their own emotional states and a wider range of manifestations at the behavioral level, as according to gender norms women are “allowed” to be emotional. Men, by contrast, are expected not to feel and to hide emotions. However, due to their behavioral styles, men adapt worse to stressors and are not able to suppress their negative experiences for a long time; therefore, it is likely that the level does not increase, but rather becomes more evident in men’s awareness.
- Respondents mostly communicate frequently with their relatives and friends. Thus, 27% constantly spend time or communicate with relatives, 51% do so often, 10% sometimes, 11% rarely, and 1% never. Men and older people communicate with their relatives relatively less. 15% constantly spend time or communicate with friends/colleagues, 43% do so often, 21% sometimes, 19% rarely, and 2% never. Men and respondents aged 40–49 communicate with friends/colleagues more often.
- Very few seek help from psychologists: 91% never do so, 5% do so rarely, and 3% sometimes. Only about 2% of respondents do so often or constantly. The vast majority also do not seek help from healers or psychics. However, they turn to them somewhat more often than to psychologists. Thus, 88% never seek advice from them, 7% do so rarely, 4% sometimes, and 2% often or constantly. Younger people turn to psychologists somewhat more often, while older people more often turn to healers; women turn to both categories somewhat more often.
- For Ukrainians in general, despite the increase in обращения to psychologists in recent years, seeking help from a specialist in the case of psychological problems or interaction disorders remains unusual. The same applies to visits to a doctor before serious symptoms appear. Demand for psychological assistance is formed by psychological education and the growth of psychological culture, which are still at a low level in our society. While young people are more progressive in their views, older groups prefer healers.
- Level of trust: 54% believe that one must be very careful with people. 30%, on the contrary, believe that most people can be trusted. 16% were unable to answer. In the issue of social trust, a clear age and gender dependence is observed: the younger the respondents, the more inclined they are to distrust others. Men are more cautious toward other people than women. Trust in people as a universal basic value has fallen outside the psychological norm. Normally, we a priori assume that people can generally be trusted, which allows us to build strong social ties not only with a close circle but also in a broader social environment. This is the basis of civil society, the level of responsibility, and mutual assistance. Such a level of distrust is shaped both by personal life experience and by social processes in general. Moreover, distrust of people as a whole requires much more psychological effort than the basic assumption that people can be trusted, which leads to significant differences in the psychological states of those who trust (they feel better) and those who do not trust (they feel worse).
- Most of the population consider themselves rather happy than unhappy: 19% consider themselves very happy (this indicator has decreased; in 2018 it was 36%), 57% rather happy, 16% not very happy, and only 2% absolutely unhappy. The younger the age, the happier respondents feel.
- 70% believe that a person’s happiness primarily depends on their internal state. At the same time, 21% are convinced that whether a person is happy or not depends on external circumstances. Women are more inclined to believe that happiness is primarily the result of a person’s internal state. In general, the happier a person is, the more they agree with this opinion. At least one third of unhappy respondents are convinced that happiness depends on external circumstances.
- The feeling of happiness inversely affects the experience of negative emotions: the happier a person is, the less pronounced are indicators of depressive and anxious states, sleep disorders, panic, and fatigue. People who consider themselves unhappy experience all these negative emotions the most, with the most pronounced difference observed in the indicator of depression. The same applies to the assessment of the source of happiness: people who believe that happiness depends on external circumstances experience more negative emotions, while those who believe that happiness is an internal state experience fewer such emotions.
- Negative feelings are also significantly influenced by interpersonal communication: the less time respondents spend or communicate with their close ones (friends, family), the more pronounced their negative psycho-emotional states are. For example, all indicators (anxiety, fatigue, insomnia, depression, panic) are highest among those who communicate with their relatives rarely.
- A similar relationship is observed between social trust and psycho-emotional states: those who are more inclined to trust others have noticeably lower indicators of negative emotions than those who treat people with caution and distrust.
- Thus, respondents generally feel quite happy. According to the results of the study, the feeling of happiness is supported by an internal locus of control (my life, mood, emotions, and behavior primarily depend on me – I am responsible for my states), strong interpersonal ties and intensity of communication (with relatives and friends), mutual assistance, and basic trust in people. While the level of basic trust is not easy to address quickly, everything else represents resources that help maintain emotional stability during quarantine and endure it without serious psychological consequences for the individual.
Methodology
- Sample: I wave (27-28.03.2020) - 1660 respondents, II wave (3-4.04.2020) – 1700 respondents of Ukraine aged 18 and older.
- The margin of error with confidence level 0.95 does not exceed 4%.
- Internet poll using CASI method (Computer-Assisted Self Interviewing). Based on a random sampling of mobile phone numbers.
- The project was implemented in collaboration with the National Research Network “POLLARIS”
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