Anxiety and well-being amidst the COVID-19 outbreak and the moderating role of locus-of-hope: Evidence from a large sample in the Philippines

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has placed a heavy psychological burden on the lives of many individuals and created a rise in the prevalence of anxiety, which could be detrimental to people's well-being. Nevertheless, there have also been reports about having hope in overcoming the challenges brought about by the pandemic. The study intended to find out whether the different locus-of-hope dimensions (internal, family, peers, and spiritual locus-of-hope) would moderate the impact of anxiety symptoms on well-being (psychological, social, and emotional well-being). A nationwide survey was conducted among Filipino adults (N = 10,529). Results showed that anxiety symptoms were negatively associated with psychological, social, and emotional well-being. Moderation analyses show that internal, family, and spiritual locus-of-hope buffered the negative effect of anxiety symptoms on specific well-being outcomes, whereas peer locus-of hope did not. The study demonstrates the importance of hope as a viable resource in facilitating an individual's well-being amid adverse and uncertain circumstances, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.