Psychosocial predictors of distress in East and West Germans during the COVID-19 pandemic

Figures & data

Table 1. Descriptive statistics of and correlations among key study variables.

Variables M (SD)	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16
2020
1. Life meaning 69.84 (15.69)
2. LOC 14.34 (2.53)	.46**
3. Science attitude 11.67 (4.75)	.22**	.21**
4. Religiosity 3.62 (4.63)	.15**	−.01	−.12**
5. Social support 23.76 (5.64)	.49**	.38**	.24**	.02
6. Social cohesion 50.70 (12.23)	.38**	.24**	.20**	.08	.57**
7. Affected 3.17 (1.74)	−.06	−.06	.04	.11**	−.07	−.05
8. Depression 4.86 (5.32)	−.41**	−.25**	−.15**	.11**	−.38**	−.22**	.38**
9. Anxiety 3.83 (4.43)	−.36**	−.21**	−.15**	.12**	−.34**	−.20**	.38**	.84**
10. Intrusions 0.55 (1.88)	−.10**	−.06	.01	.17**	−.16**	−.04	.34**	.55**	.60**
2021
11. Life meaning 71.06 (16.96)	.77**	.41**	.27**	.13*	.47**	.31**	−.03	−.40**	−.33**	−.07
12. Science attitude 11.26 (4.66)	.25**	.23**	.59**	−.15*	.21**	.18**	−.09	−.11*	−.12*	.03	.24**
13. Social support 21.76 (5.84)	.42**	.36**	.13**	−.02	.68**	.50**	−.11*	−.29**	−.26**	−.11*	.44**	.23**
14. Affected 3.47 (1.74)	−.06	−.12*	.05	.12*	−.09	−.04	.60**	.33**	.32**	.31**	−.09	−.07	−.10*
15. Depression 4.48 (5.04)	−.34**	−.23**	−.06	.17**	−.34**	−.14**	.35**	.69**	.66**	.45**	−.42**	−.05	−.34**	.41**
16. Anxiety 3.57 (4.39)	−.32**	−.23**	−.13*	.20**	−.31**	−.12*	.35**	.68**	.76**	.48**	−.40**	−.13*	−.29**	.37**	.84**
17. Intrusions 1.67 (3.26)	−.03	−.09	.05	.20**	−.18**	−.03	.40**	.50**	.55**	.55**	−.05	.02	−.19**	.40**	.63**	.68**

Note: In 2020, N’s ranged from 629 to 630. In 2021, N’s ranged from 374 to 377. * p < .05. ** p < .01. Italicized coefficients were statistically significant when applying the Bonferroni-Holmes correction.

Table 2. Prediction of distress severity in 2020 and 2021: results of hierarchical regression analyses using forward inclusion.

	Depression 2020			Anxiety 2020			Intrusions 2020
Step	Added variable	beta; p	R²	Added variable	beta; p	R²	Added variable	beta; p	R²
1			.17			.13			.03
	Life meaning	−.41; <.001		Life meaning	−.36; <.001		Religiosity	.17; <.001
2			.21			.16			.05
	Life meaning	−.29; <.001		Life meaning	−.26; <.001		Religiosity	.17; <.001
	Social support	−.24; <.001		Social support	−.21; <.001		Social support	−.17; <.001
3			.23			.19			.06
	Life meaning	−.32; <.001		Life meaning	−.29; <.001		Religiosity	.18; <.001
	Social support	−.23; <.001		Social support	−.20; <.001		Social support	−.19; <.001
	Religiosity	.16; <.001		Religiosity	.17; <.001		Scientism	.08; .049
	Depression 2021			Anxiety 2021			Intrusions 2021
Step	Added variable	beta; p	R²	Added variable	beta; p	R²	Added variable	beta; p	R²
1			.48			.57			.30
	Depression 2020	.69; <.001		Anxiety 2020	.76; <.001		Intrusions 2020	.55; <.001
2						.58			.30
				Anxiety 2020	.74; <.001		Intrusions 2020	.53; <.001
				LOC	−.09; .011		Religiosity	.09; .040
3						.58			.31
				Anxiety 2020	.73; <.001		Intrusions 2020	.51; <.001
				LOC	−.09; .008		Religiosity	.09; .033
				Religiosity	.07; .045		Social support	−.09; .040

Note: N = 629 for 2020 outcomes. N = 376 for depression and intrusions in 2021. N = 377 for anxiety in 2021.

R² refers to adjusted R². Step 1 for the outcomes in 2021 was pre-set.

Table 3. Output from multiple linear regression analyses including all predictors and interaction effects.

	Outcome 2020			Outcome 2021
	Depression	Anxiety	Intrusions	Depression	Anxiety	Intrusions
Predictor	beta; p	beta; p	beta; p	beta; p	beta; p	beta; p
Life meaning	−.30; <.001	−.27; <.001	−.06; .156	−.07; .170	−.08; .072	.06; .229
LOC	−.02; .539	.00; .994	−.01; .772	−.04; .330	−.09; .02	−.10; .035
Scientism	−.03; .461	−.04; .253	.08; .031	.05; .183	−.00; .938	.07; .101
Religiosity	.10; .002	.10; .003	.13; <.001	.08; .044	.08; .034	.08; .074
Social support	−.22; <.001	−.19; <.001	−.17; <.001	−.10; .060	.01; .831	−.10; .077
Social cohesion	.04; .378	.04; .373	.07; .121	.08; .089	.05; .184	.04; .405
Affected	.33; <.001	.34; <.001	.31; <.001	.08; .065	.07; .073	.22; <.001
2020 symptoms				.60; <.001	.67; <.001	.40; <.001
Life meaning*A	−.09; .022	−.03; .435	−.04; .420	−.02; .650	−.03; .495	.05; .346
LOC*A	.06; .108	.02; .704	−.03; .424	−.04; .319	.04; .352	.00; .973
Scientism*A	.05; .163	.02; .692	.14; .001	.11; .013	.12; .002	.16; <.001
Religiosity*A	.10; .004	.10; .003	.22; <.001	−.00; .959	.04; .275	.11; .016
Social support*A	−.08; .080	−.08; .095	−.07; .160	−.02; .667	−.10; .021	−.20; <.001
Social cohesion*A	.03; .431	.05; .304	.04; .366	.04; .329	.01; .832	−.02; .672
R² full model	.35	.31	.21	.49	.60	.41

Note: N = 629 for 2020 outcomes. N = 376 for depression and intrusions in 2021. N = 377 for anxiety in 2021.

2020 symptoms stands for the respective symptom severity in 2020. *A indicates interaction effects with being negatively affected by the pandemic.

R² refers to adjusted R².

Table 4. Schematic overview of significant relationships.

	Meaning			LOC			Scientism			Religiosity			Social support			Social cohesion
Outcome	r	b	ME	r	b	ME	r	b	ME	r	b	ME	r	b	ME	r	b	ME
Depression 2020	−	−	−	−			−			+	+	+	−	−		−
Depression 2021	−			−					+	+			−	−		−
Anxiety 2020	−	−		−			−			+	+	+	−	−		−
Anxiety 2021	−			−	−		−		+	+	+		−	−	−	−
Intrusions 2020								+	+	+	+	+	−	−
Intrusions 2021									+	+	+	+	−	−	−

Note: rs indicate Pearson correlations. bs indicate regression coefficients. ME’s indicate moderation effects.

− indicates a significant negative effect, blank cells indicate no significant effect, + indicates a significant positive effect.