Dynamic relations among COVID-19-related media exposure and worries during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Objectives

This study investigated how COVID-19-related media exposure during the COVID-19 crisis was related to same-day and next-day COVID-19-related worries.

Design

A 21-day diary study was conducted between late March and late April 2020 in Germany.

Main Outcome Measures

Hypotheses were tested in a sample of 561 participants (M_age = 42.79, SD_age = 6.12). Every evening, participants indicated their exposure to COVID-19-related media (e.g., TV, print, online) and their COVID-19-related worries.

Results

Same-day analyses showed that participants reported more COVID-19-related worries on days with higher exposure to COVID-19-related media. Dynamical structural equation models provided evidence for a reciprocal cycle across days: Higher media exposure at one day predicted higher worries the next day, and higher worries at one day also predicted higher media exposure the next day. Individuals with high trait anxiety reported an enhanced general level of media exposure during the 21 days of assessment, and individuals high in neuroticism and anxiety reported an enhanced level of worries.

Conclusion

These findings suggest a self-reinforcing cycle whereby consuming crisis-related media and worrying reciprocally influence each other across days, possibly amplifying adverse effects of the COVID-19 crisis and other crises alike on mental and physical health.

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Michaela Menstell for her valuable support in realizing the PACO project.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are openly available in the OSF at: https://osf.io/gbw5t/.

Notes

1 Originally, 562 participants subscribed for the diary part; however, one participant was excluded, as due to a technical error, his or her daily data could not be matched to his or her baseline data.