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When altruists cannot help: The influence of altruism on the mental health of university students during the COVID-19 pandemic
Zhihong Qiao
Corresponding Author
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This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
View the published version at Globalization and Health.
Background: The positive predictive effect of altruism on physical and psychological well-being has been extensively demonstrated in previous studies, but few studies have examined the effect of altruism on negative mental health outcomes when altruists cannot perform altruistic behaviours. This study explored the influence of altruism on negative affect and mental health (anxiety and depressive symptoms) during the COVID-19 pandemic while people self-isolated at home in China.
Method: University students were recruited to participate in a cross-sectional online survey during the outbreak of COVID-19 in China. Self-reported perceived risk, altruism, negative affect, anxiety and depressive symptoms were measured using the Self-Report Altruism Scale (SRA scale), the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7) and the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire depression scale (PHQ-9). A structural equation model was used to analyse the mediating and moderating effects on mental health.
Results: The final sample comprised 1346 Chinese participants (Mage = 19.76 ± 2.23 years, 73% female). Overall, the higher the risk the participants perceived, the more negative affect they exhibited (β = 0.16, p < .001), and thus, the more anxious and depressed they felt (β = 0.134, p < .001); however, this relationship between risk perception and negative affect was moderated by altruism. In contrast to previous studies, the increase in negative affect associated with the increased perceived risk was pronounced among individuals with high altruism (t = 7.68, p < .001).
Conclusions: Individuals with high altruism exhibited more negative affect than those with low altruism, which indirectly increased their anxiety and depressive symptoms. These findings enrich theories of altruism and provide valuable insight into the influence of altruism on mental health during the COVID-19 outbreak.
Keywords
Altruism, Mental health, Negative affect, Perceived risk, COVID-19
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CURRENT STATUS: Published
Version 2
Posted 12 Jun, 2020
Published
On 10 Jul, 2020
No community comments so far
Editorial decision: Accept
On 19 Jun, 2020
Review #2 received
Received 18 Jun, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 12 Jun, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 12 Jun, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 12 Jun, 2020
Editor assigned
On 10 Jun, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 10 Jun, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 09 Jun, 2020
Editor invited
On 09 Jun, 2020
No comments provided
Editorial decision: Major Revision
On 11 May, 2020
Reviewer #3 agreed
On 06 May, 2020
Review #2 received
Received 03 May, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 03 May, 2020
Editor assigned
On 01 May, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 01 May, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 01 May, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 01 May, 2020
Editor invited
On 30 Apr, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 30 Apr, 2020
First submitted
On 28 Apr, 2020
Metrics
Comments: 0
PDF Downloads: ...
HTML Views: ...
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This preprint is under consideration at Globalization and Health. A preprint is a preliminary version of a manuscript that has not completed peer review at a journal. Research Square does not conduct peer review prior to posting preprints. The posting of a preprint on this server should not be interpreted as an endorsement of its validity or suitability for dissemination as established information or for guiding clinical practice.
Learn more about In Review
Research
When altruists cannot help: The influence of altruism on the mental health of university students during the COVID-19 pandemic
Zhihong Qiao
Corresponding Author
Badges
Prescreen
This manuscript passed our Prescreen assessment
Complete author information
Appropriate declaration statements
Potential risks to human health
Prescreen
Peer Review Timeline
CURRENT STATUS: Published
Version 2
Posted 12 Jun, 2020
Published
On 10 Jul, 2020
No community comments so far
Editorial decision: Accept
On 19 Jun, 2020
Review #2 received
Received 18 Jun, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 12 Jun, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 12 Jun, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 12 Jun, 2020
Editor assigned
On 10 Jun, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 10 Jun, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 09 Jun, 2020
Editor invited
On 09 Jun, 2020
No comments provided
Editorial decision: Major Revision
On 11 May, 2020
Reviewer #3 agreed
On 06 May, 2020
Review #2 received
Received 03 May, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 03 May, 2020
Editor assigned
On 01 May, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 01 May, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 01 May, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 01 May, 2020
Editor invited
On 30 Apr, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 30 Apr, 2020
First submitted
On 28 Apr, 2020
Metrics
Comments: 0
PDF Downloads: ...
HTML Views: ...
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
View the published version at Globalization and Health.
Background: The positive predictive effect of altruism on physical and psychological well-being has been extensively demonstrated in previous studies, but few studies have examined the effect of altruism on negative mental health outcomes when altruists cannot perform altruistic behaviours. This study explored the influence of altruism on negative affect and mental health (anxiety and depressive symptoms) during the COVID-19 pandemic while people self-isolated at home in China.
Method: University students were recruited to participate in a cross-sectional online survey during the outbreak of COVID-19 in China. Self-reported perceived risk, altruism, negative affect, anxiety and depressive symptoms were measured using the Self-Report Altruism Scale (SRA scale), the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7) and the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire depression scale (PHQ-9). A structural equation model was used to analyse the mediating and moderating effects on mental health.
Results: The final sample comprised 1346 Chinese participants (Mage = 19.76 ± 2.23 years, 73% female). Overall, the higher the risk the participants perceived, the more negative affect they exhibited (β = 0.16, p < .001), and thus, the more anxious and depressed they felt (β = 0.134, p < .001); however, this relationship between risk perception and negative affect was moderated by altruism. In contrast to previous studies, the increase in negative affect associated with the increased perceived risk was pronounced among individuals with high altruism (t = 7.68, p < .001).
Conclusions: Individuals with high altruism exhibited more negative affect than those with low altruism, which indirectly increased their anxiety and depressive symptoms. These findings enrich theories of altruism and provide valuable insight into the influence of altruism on mental health during the COVID-19 outbreak.
Figure 1
Figure 2