@Article{info:doi/10.2196/29419,
author="Haucke, Matthias
and Liu, Shuyan
and Heinzel, Stephan",
title="The Persistence of the Impact of COVID-19--Related Distress, Mood Inertia, and Loneliness on Mental Health During a Postlockdown Period in Germany: An Ecological Momentary Assessment Study",
journal="JMIR Ment Health",
year="2021",
month="Aug",
day="26",
volume="8",
number="8",
pages="e29419",
keywords="COVID-19; outbreaks; epidemics; pandemics; psychological responses and emotional well-being; ecological momentary assessment; risk and protective factors; low incidence and restrictions",
abstract="Background: The first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020 increased mental health problems globally. However, little is known about mental health problems during a low-incidence period of the pandemic without strict public health measures. Objective: We aim to investigate whether COVID-19--related risk factors for mental health problems persist beyond lockdown measures. We targeted a vulnerable population that is at risk of developing low mental health and assessed their daily dynamics of mood and emotion regulation after a strict lockdown. Methods: During a postlockdown period in Germany (between August 8, 2020, and November 1, 2020), we conducted an ecological momentary assessment with 131 participants who experienced at least mild COVID-19--related distress and loneliness. To estimate negative mood inertia, we built a lag-1 three-level autoregressive model. Results: We found that information exposure and active daily COVID-19 cases did not have an impact on negative mood amid a postlockdown period. However, there was a day-to-day carryover effect of negative mood. In addition, worrying about COVID-19, feeling restricted by COVID-19, and feeling lonely increased negative mood. Conclusions: The mental health of a vulnerable population is still challenged by COVID-19--related stressors after the lifting of a strict lockdown. This study highlights the need to protect mental health during postpandemic periods. ",
issn="2368-7959",
doi="10.2196/29419",
url="https://mental.jmir.org/2021/8/e29419",
url="https://doi.org/10.2196/29419",
url="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/34347622"
}