Changes in loneliness and coping strategies during COVID‐19

Abstract

Abstract The social distancing measures implemented to slow the spread of COVID‐19 impacted many aspects of people's lives. Previous research has reported negative consequences of these measures for people's psychological well‐being, and that people differed in the impact on their psychological well‐being. The present study aimed to describe the different coping strategies Dutch people used to deal with these measures and to link these strategies to loneliness. In addition, the study aimed to examine mean‐level changes in loneliness and to explore individual differences in loneliness change. We used data from 2009 participants of a panel study of representative Dutch households. We assessed coping strategies used during the first wave of the COVID‐19 pandemic in May 2020 and examined changes in loneliness between October 2019 (before COVID‐19) and May 2020 (during the first wave of COVID‐19). First, results showed that most people employed specific coping strategies. The most frequently used social strategies were chatting and (video)calling; the most frequently used non‐social strategies were going outside, doing chores, watching TV, reading and self‐care. Second, people who used more coping strategies reported lower levels of loneliness. Third, analyses revealed an average increase in loneliness between October 2019 and May 2020. Fourth, we observed two significant interaction effects, showing a stronger positive link between the number of social coping strategies and initial loneliness levels among those with a partner or living with others than for those who were single or lived alone. Yet, no moderating effects on changes in loneliness were found: people using more coping strategies did not differ in loneliness changes from people using fewer coping strategies. Together, findings suggest that loneliness increased in the Netherlands during the first phase of COVID‐19 and that, while people's coping strategies were related to loneliness levels, they did not buffer against loneliness increases.