Psychological Inflexibility Predicts Depression And Anxiety During Covid-19 Pandemic
Abstract
COVID-19 has affected people across the globe in psychosocial and economic aspects. This process has been difficult for most people, even more for some others including (teachers, administrators at educational settings) working in educational settings. The purpose of this study was to understand the predictive effect of psychosocial factors (gender, age, marital status, Additional Time Spent (ATS) on social media, ATS internet compared to the pre-COVID-19 pandemic and expert programs), and psychological inflexibility on depression and anxiety for teachers employed in the Ministry of Education during the pandemic. Participants included 514 adults (49% women). The findings of the study revealed that psychological factors and psychological inflexibility together explained 47% of the variance in depression and 42% of the variance in anxiety. Specifically, gender, social media and psychological inflexibility were significant predictors of both depression and anxiety during the pandemic. In addition to the predictive effect of psychosocial factors, these results indicated that psychological flexibility was important to develop further evidence based mental health services to address psychopathology and enhanced wellbeing. The findings of the study were discussed in the light of literature, and some suggestions were provided for future research and practice.
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Additional time spent on the social media compared to pre-COVID-19 epidemic was moderately correlated with depression, anxiety, and psychological inflexibility, whereas internet use had low to moderate correlation with all three scales.
“Additional time spent on the social media compared to pre-COVID-19 epidemic was moderately correlated with depression, anxiety, and psychological inflexibility, whereas internet use had low to moderate correlation with all three scales.”
From A proposed framework based on literature review of online contextual mental health services to enhance wellbeing and address psychopathology during covid-19 (2020) · cites this paper as Çiçek et al. (18)
Çiçek et al. (18) conducted a study in Turkey during COVID-19 and found 72% of the participants reported they spent more time each day on social media and the internet compared to the pre COVID-19 pandemic period.
“Çiçek et al. (18) conducted a study in Turkey during COVID-19 and found 72% of the participants reported they spent more time each day on social media and the internet compared to the pre COVID-19 pandemic period.”
From A proposed framework based on literature review of online contextual mental health services to enhance wellbeing and address psychopathology during covid-19 (2020) · cites this paper as Çiçek et al. (18)
46% of these participants reported that they do not follow professional news on media or online.
“Additionally, 46% percent of these participants reported that they do not follow professional news on media or online.”
From A proposed framework based on literature review of online contextual mental health services to enhance wellbeing and address psychopathology during covid-19 (2020) · cites this paper as Çiçek et al. (18)
Researchers have called for such mental health research and policy regulations to serve all individuals more effectively.
“Researchers have called for such mental health research and policy regulations to serve all individuals more effectively (7,17-20).”
From A proposed framework based on literature review of online contextual mental health services to enhance wellbeing and address psychopathology during covid-19 (2020) · cites this paper as [18]
Among those who spent more time, 1% reported spending thirteen more hours, 5% twelve more hours, 28% four to seven more hours, and 66% one to three more daily hours on the internet.
“Of these %1 reported spending thirteen more hours, 5% reporting twelve more hours, 28% reported four to seven more hours, and 66% reported one to three more daily hours on the internet.”
From A proposed framework based on literature review of online contextual mental health services to enhance wellbeing and address psychopathology during covid-19 (2020) · cites this paper as Çiçek et al. (18)
The researchers found that participants had mild levels of depression and anxiety and a moderate level of psychological inflexibility.
“The researchers found that participants had mild levels of depression and anxiety and a moderate level of psychological inflexibility.”
From A proposed framework based on literature review of online contextual mental health services to enhance wellbeing and address psychopathology during covid-19 (2020) · cites this paper as Çiçek et al. (18)
In the same study, psychological inflexibility significantly predicted depression and anxiety.
“In the same study, psychological inflexibility significantly predicted depression and anxiety, suggesting the possible effect of interventions if they are designed from an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) perspective.”
From A proposed framework based on literature review of online contextual mental health services to enhance wellbeing and address psychopathology during covid-19 (2020) · cites this paper as Çiçek et al. (18)
Psychological inflexibility explained a significant amount of depression and anxiety among those respondents.
“Psychological inflexibility, an important ACT terminology, explained a significant amount of depression and anxiety.”
From A proposed framework based on literature review of online contextual mental health services to enhance wellbeing and address psychopathology during covid-19 (2020) · cites this paper as [18]
In a study of 514 Turkish teachers or school principals during COVID-19, mild levels of depression and anxiety and a moderate level of psychological inflexibility were found.
“An exception, Çiçek and his colleagues (18) who surveyed 514 teachers or school principals regarding their levels of depression, anxiety, and psychological inflexibility during COVID-19 process. They found mild levels of depression and anxiety and a moderate level of psychological inflexibility among respondents”
From A proposed framework based on literature review of online contextual mental health services to enhance wellbeing and address psychopathology during covid-19 (2020) · cites this paper as [18]
Most people in Turkey have had difficult and unenjoyable experiences (mild to severe levels) based on various factors (e.g., province, SES, and history of mental health) during the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Most people in Turkey have had difficult and unenjoyable experiences (mild to severe levels) based on various factors (e.g., province, SES, and history of mental health) during the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic (8,11,18).”
From A proposed framework based on literature review of online contextual mental health services to enhance wellbeing and address psychopathology during covid-19 (2020) · cites this paper as [18]
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Tanhan, A., Yavuz, K. F., Young, J. S., Nalbant, A., Arslan, G., Yıldırım, M., Ulusoy, S., Genç, E., Uğur, E., & Çiçek, İ. (2020) · Electronic Journal of General Medicine · doi:10.29333/ejgm/8316 · Cited by 104 · see citing works
Psikolojik Danışma'nın Psikolojik Esnekliğe Etkisi: Yarı-Deneysel bir Çalışma
TANHAN, A., UĞUR, E., ÇİÇEK, İ., NALBANT, A., & KALENDEROĞLU, A. (2022) · e-International Journal of Educational Research · doi:10.19160/e-ijer.1063518 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
Self-citation
- Authors
- CICEK, D. I.
- Affiliations
- Batman University,HealthCollege, Batman, Turkey
- Venue
- i-manager's Journal on Educational Psychology
- Publisher
- i-manager Publications
- Published
- 2021
- ISSN
- 0973-8827 (ISSN-L)
- 2230-7141
- OpenAlex
- W4285525726
- Cited by
- 21
- References
- 14
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 2
- FWCI
- 2.58
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- i-manager’s Journal on Educational Psychology (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › COVID-19 and Mental Health
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Mindfulness and Compassion Interventions
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Student Stress and Coping
- Keywords
- psychological inflexibility, depression, anxiety, COVID-19 pandemic, teachers, social media use, internet use, gender differences, psychosocial factors, mental health, psychological flexibility
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