Psychological consequences of COVID-19 home confinement: The ECLB-COVID19 multicenter study

Achraf Ammar(Université Paris Nanterre), Patrick J. Mueller(German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases), Khaled Trabelsi(University of Sfax), Hamdi Chtourou(University of Sfax), Omar Boukhris(University of Sfax), Liwa Masmoudi(University of Sfax), Bassem Bouaziz(University of Sfax), Michael Brach(University of Münster), Marlen Schmicker(German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases), Ellen Bentlage(University of Münster), Daniella How(University of Münster), Mona Ahmed(University of Münster), Asma Aloui(University of Gafsa), Omar Hammouda(University of Sfax), Laisa Liane Paineiras-Domingos(Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro), Annemarie Braakman‐Jansen(University of Twente), Christian Wrede(University of Twente), Sophia Bastoni(Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore), Carlos Soares Pernambuco(Estácio (Brazil)), Leonardo José Mataruna-Dos-Santos(Canadian University of Dubai), Morteza Taheri(Imam Khomeini International University), Khadijeh Irandoust(Imam Khomeini International University), Aïmen Khacharem(Université Paris-Est Créteil), Nicola Luigi Bragazzi(York University), Jad Adrian Washif(Kuala Lumpur Sports Medicine Centre), Jordan M. Glenn(University of Arkansas at Fayetteville), Nicholas T. Bott(Stanford University), Faı̈ez Gargouri(University of Sfax), Lotfi Chaâri(Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier), Hadj Batatia(Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier), Samira khoshnami(Université Paris Nanterre), Evangelia Samara(Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center), Vasiliki Zisi(University of Thessaly), Parasanth Sankar, Waseem Ahmed, Gamal Mohamed Ali(Assiut University), Osama Abdelkarim(Karlsruhe Institute of Technology), Mohamed Jarraya(University of Sfax), Kaïs El Abed(University of Sfax), Mohamed Romdhani, Nizar Souissi, Lisette Van Gemert-Pijnen(University of Twente), Stephen J. Bailey(Loughborough University), Wassim Moalla(University of Sfax), Jonathan Gómez‐Raja(Government of Extremadura), Monique Epstein, Robbert Sanderman(University Medical Center Groningen), Sebastian Viktor Waldemar Schulz(University Hospital Ulm), Achim Jerg(University Hospital Ulm), Ramzi Al-Horani(Yarmouk University), Taiysir Mansi(University of Jordan), Mohamed Jmail(Digital Research Centre of Sfax), Fernando Barbosa(Universidade do Porto), Fernando Ferreira‐Santos(Universidade do Porto), Boštjan Šimunič, Rado Pišot, Andrea Gaggioli(Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore), Piotr Żmijewski(Józef Piłsudski University of Physical Education in Warsaw), Jürgen M. Steinacker(University Hospital Ulm), Jana Strahler(Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen), Laurel Riemann, Bryan L. Riemann(Georgia Southern University), Notger Mueller(German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases), Karim Chamari(Qatar Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Hospital), Tarak Driss(Université Paris Nanterre), Anita Höekelmann(Otto-von-Guericke-Universität Magdeburg)
PLoS ONE
November 5, 2020
10.1371/journal.pone.0240204
Cited by 289Open Access
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Abstract

BACKGROUND: Public health recommendations and government measures during the COVID-19 pandemic have enforced restrictions on daily-living. While these measures are imperative to abate the spreading of COVID-19, the impact of these restrictions on mental health and emotional wellbeing is undefined. Therefore, an international online survey (ECLB-COVID19) was launched on April 6, 2020 in seven languages to elucidate the impact of COVID-19 restrictions on mental health and emotional wellbeing. METHODS: The ECLB-COVID19 electronic survey was designed by a steering group of multidisciplinary scientists, following a structured review of the literature. The survey was uploaded and shared on the Google online-survey-platform and was promoted by thirty-five research organizations from Europe, North-Africa, Western-Asia and the Americas. All participants were asked for their mental wellbeing (SWEMWS) and depressive symptoms (SMFQ) with regard to "during" and "before" home confinement. RESULTS: Analysis was conducted on the first 1047 replies (54% women) from Asia (36%), Africa (40%), Europe (21%) and other (3%). The COVID-19 home confinement had a negative effect on both mental-wellbeing and on mood and feelings. Specifically, a significant decrease (p < .001 and Δ% = 9.4%) in total score of the SWEMWS questionnaire was noted. More individuals (+12.89%) reported a low mental wellbeing "during" compared to "before" home confinement. Furthermore, results from the mood and feelings questionnaire showed a significant increase by 44.9% (p < .001) in SMFQ total score with more people (+10%) showing depressive symptoms "during" compared to "before" home confinement. CONCLUSION: The ECLB-COVID19 survey revealed an increased psychosocial strain triggered by the home confinement. To mitigate this high risk of mental disorders and to foster an Active and Healthy Confinement Lifestyle (AHCL), a crisis-oriented interdisciplinary intervention is urgently needed.

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