ArticleGlobalization and health2021
Can psychological flexibility and prosociality mitigate illness perceptions toward COVID-19 on mental health? A cross-sectional study among Hong Kong adults.
Article in Globalization and health, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 19 papers.
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Who cites it
19 citing papers in PubMed, 35 citations in OpenAlex.
- Effect of Health Belief Model Education on Increasing Cognition and Self-Care Behaviour among Elderly Women with Malignant Gynaecological Tumours in Fujian, China.Journal of healthcare engineering · 2021Trial
- The association between prosocial behavior and subjective well-being among Chinese post-00s youth: the roles of meaning in life and prosocial motivation.Frontiers in psychology · 2026Article
- Beyond emotions: Social cognitive predictors of COVID-19 vaccination intentions before and after vaccine roll-out.PLOS global public health · 2026Article
- Difficulties in Emotion Regulation and Stress in Intensive Care Unit Nurses During COVID-19: Exploring the Mediating Role of Psychological Inflexibility and the Moderating Effect of Work Experience.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Cross-Cultural Comparison of Burnout, Insomnia and Turnover Intention Among Nurses in Eastern and Western Cultures During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Protective and Risk Factors.Nursing reports (Pavia, Italy) · 2025Article
- Resilience and Flexibility for Clinical Nurses: A Latent Class Analysis.Journal of nursing management · 2024Article
- From fear and vulnerability to fortitude: sustaining psychological well-being in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.South African journal of psychology = Suid-Afrikaanse tydskrif vir sielkunde · 2023Article
- Predictors of changing patterns of adherence to containment measures during the early stage of COVID-19 pandemic: an international longitudinal study.Globalization and health · 2023Article
- The impact of government actions and risk perception on the promotion of self-protective behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic.PloS one · 2023Article
- Coping styles mediate the association between psychological inflexibility and psychological functioning during the COVID-19 pandemic: A crucial role of meaning-centered coping.Journal of contextual behavioral science · 2022Article
- Increased Risk Perception, Distress Intolerance and Health Anxiety in Stricter Lockdowns: Self-Control as a Key Protective Factor in Early Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Article
- Helping Others Helps Me: Prosocial Behavior and Satisfaction With Life During the COVID-19 Pandemic.Frontiers in psychology · 2022Article
- Stress and Bio-Ethical Issues Perceived by Romanian Healthcare Practitioners in the COVID-19 Era.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2021Article
- Utilization of complementary and alternative medicine for the prevention of COVID-19 infection in Ghana: A national cross-sectional online survey.Preventive medicine reports · 2021Article
- Behind the masks: A cross-sectional study on intolerance of uncertainty, perceived vulnerability to disease and psychological flexibility in relation to state anxiety and wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic.Journal of contextual behavioral science · 2021Article
- Face Covered and Six Feet Apart: Behavioral Awareness Predicts Greater Adherence to Public Health Guidelines during the COVID-19 Pandemic.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2021Article
- Patterns of Psychological Responses among the Public during the Early Phase of COVID-19: A Cross-Regional Analysis.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2021Article
- To Help or Not to Help? Prosocial Behavior, Its Association With Well-Being, and Predictors of Prosocial Behavior During the Coronavirus Disease Pandemic.Frontiers in psychology · 2021Article
- Prosocial Orientation of Russians During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Caring for Others and Yourself.Frontiers in psychology · 2021Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
6 authors at 3 institutions in 4 countries.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundThe negative impact of COVID-19 pandemic on public mental health can be persistent and substantial over a long period of time, but little is known regarding what psychological factors or processes can buffer such impact. The present study aimed to examine the mediating roles of coping, psychological flexibility and prosociality in the impacts of perceived illness threats toward COVID-19 on mental health.
methodFive-hundred and fourteen Hong Kong citizens (18 years or above) completed an online survey to measure illness perceptions toward COVID-19, coping, psychological flexibility, prosociality, and mental health, together with their socio-demographic variables. Structural equation modelling was used to explore the explanatory model that was the best-fit to illustrate the relationships between these constructs.
resultsSerial mediation structural equation model showed that only psychological flexibility (unstandardised beta coefficient, β = - 0.12, 95% CI [- 0.20, - 0.02], p = 0.031) and prosociality (unstandardised β = 0.04, 95% CI [0.01, 0.08], p = 0.001) fully mediated the relationship between illness perceptions toward COVID-19 and mental health. In addition, psychological flexibility exerted a direct effect on prosociality (standardised β = 0.22, 95% CI [0.12, 0.32], p < 0.001). This best-fit model explained 62% of the variance of mental health.
conclusionsFostering psychological flexibility and prosocial behaviour may play significant roles in mitigating the adverse effects of COVID-19 and its perceived threats on public mental health.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.