Covid-19 lockdown loneliness and mental health: The mediating role of basic need satisfaction across different age groups

Abstract

Covid-19 and its lockdown measures have uniquely challenged people’s wellbeing and numerous studies have been carried out to understand the effects of such lockdown measures on mental health. Yet, to date most of these studies do not assess psychological pathways and conditional effects. By drawing on self-determination theory, the present study tested whether the relationship between lockdown loneliness and mental health is mediated via basic needs satisfaction (relatedness, autonomy, and competence) and whether these associations are exacerbated for younger age groups. A total of 339 Portuguese residents completed an anonymous web-based survey during the Covid-19 lockdown in March 2021. The results corroborate a significant link between perceived loneliness and anxiety as well as depression. Parallel mediation analyses showed that competence consistently mediated the lockdown loneliness-mental health link. Moderated mediated analyses also confirmed that the psychosocial pathway applied most strongly to younger age groups. These findings highlight the role of social factors for competence need satisfaction and mental health among younger people during the Covid-19 lockdown in Portugal. The results also point to potential avenues for future prevention measures to mitigate the harmful effects that social exclusion can bring about.