(STUDY FINDS) — INNSBRUCK, Austria — Between lockdowns, layoffs, and the fear of COVID-19, the world’s mental health has rarely faced such a challenge. While stress remains high for many, a study finds people who believe their life has meaning are faring better in isolation.
Researchers in Austria report people who said their life has a direction experienced fewer psychological issues associated with the global pandemic. The team examined over 1,500 people in Germany and Austria between April and May of 2020. The group discussed their living conditions and general perception of the coronavirus emergency.
“In the current study, we looked at the way meaning in life affected people during the period of restrictive lockdown and immediately afterwards. Did people with a strong sense of meaning in their lives cope better with the situation?,” says Prof. Tatjana Schnell from the University of Innsbruck in a release. “Our second major focus was on self-control: how well were people able to restrict their needs and adapt to the exceptional situation.”
