Brief report: perseverative cognition and behaviors during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic

Objective The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic engendered a host of different behavioral responses in key areas such as resource purchasing and compliance with COVID regulations. This study explores why participation in these behaviors may have varied by examining the role of perseverative cognition (...

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Main Authors: Leeanne Qussiny, Cameron R. Wiley, Logan T. Martin, Sarah D. Pressman
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2024-12-01
Series:Cogent Psychology
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Online Access:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/23311908.2024.2333657
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author Leeanne Qussiny
Cameron R. Wiley
Logan T. Martin
Sarah D. Pressman
author_facet Leeanne Qussiny
Cameron R. Wiley
Logan T. Martin
Sarah D. Pressman
author_sort Leeanne Qussiny
collection DOAJ
description Objective The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic engendered a host of different behavioral responses in key areas such as resource purchasing and compliance with COVID regulations. This study explores why participation in these behaviors may have varied by examining the role of perseverative cognition (i.e., worry, rumination).Method A representative sample of U.S. adults (N = 230, Mage = 45.4, 50% female) was recruited online early in the COVID-19 pandemic (June 2020), approximately three months into safety-related school and business shutdowns. Participants completed a series of questionnaires on COVID-19-related worry, non-specific rumination, and a range of behaviors observed during the early stages of the pandemic (e.g., excessive shopping, purchasing guns, following isolation guidelines). Exploratory principal axis factoring and reliability studies of the newly created COVID-19 worry and behavior scales were performed, followed by an examination of the associations between worrying, ruminating and COVID-19-related early behaviors.Results COVID-related worry and reflective rumination were positively associated with purchasing behavior (i.e., purchasing household items, items for security, and items for entertainment). COVID-related worry was also positively associated with compliance behavior (i.e., watching the news, following government directives strictly, and staying home but contacting family and friends remotely). Brooding rumination was not significantly associated with either type of behavior.Conclusions Perseverative cognition can help explain patterns in COVID-related behaviors, what motivated differences in these behaviors and, thereby, help explain how people coped during this trying time.
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spelling doaj-art-4be9058365ce4f659fca60759a729bce2025-08-20T02:38:23ZengTaylor & Francis GroupCogent Psychology2331-19082024-12-0111110.1080/23311908.2024.2333657Brief report: perseverative cognition and behaviors during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemicLeeanne Qussiny0Cameron R. Wiley1Logan T. Martin2Sarah D. Pressman3Psychological Science, University of California, Irvine, USAPsychological Science, University of California, Irvine, USAPsychological Science, University of California, Irvine, USAPsychological Science, University of California, Irvine, USAObjective The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic engendered a host of different behavioral responses in key areas such as resource purchasing and compliance with COVID regulations. This study explores why participation in these behaviors may have varied by examining the role of perseverative cognition (i.e., worry, rumination).Method A representative sample of U.S. adults (N = 230, Mage = 45.4, 50% female) was recruited online early in the COVID-19 pandemic (June 2020), approximately three months into safety-related school and business shutdowns. Participants completed a series of questionnaires on COVID-19-related worry, non-specific rumination, and a range of behaviors observed during the early stages of the pandemic (e.g., excessive shopping, purchasing guns, following isolation guidelines). Exploratory principal axis factoring and reliability studies of the newly created COVID-19 worry and behavior scales were performed, followed by an examination of the associations between worrying, ruminating and COVID-19-related early behaviors.Results COVID-related worry and reflective rumination were positively associated with purchasing behavior (i.e., purchasing household items, items for security, and items for entertainment). COVID-related worry was also positively associated with compliance behavior (i.e., watching the news, following government directives strictly, and staying home but contacting family and friends remotely). Brooding rumination was not significantly associated with either type of behavior.Conclusions Perseverative cognition can help explain patterns in COVID-related behaviors, what motivated differences in these behaviors and, thereby, help explain how people coped during this trying time.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/23311908.2024.2333657WorryruminationCOVID-19purchasingcompliancecoping
spellingShingle Leeanne Qussiny
Cameron R. Wiley
Logan T. Martin
Sarah D. Pressman
Brief report: perseverative cognition and behaviors during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic
Cogent Psychology
Worry
rumination
COVID-19
purchasing
compliance
coping
title Brief report: perseverative cognition and behaviors during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic
title_full Brief report: perseverative cognition and behaviors during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic
title_fullStr Brief report: perseverative cognition and behaviors during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic
title_full_unstemmed Brief report: perseverative cognition and behaviors during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic
title_short Brief report: perseverative cognition and behaviors during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic
title_sort brief report perseverative cognition and behaviors during the early months of the covid 19 pandemic
topic Worry
rumination
COVID-19
purchasing
compliance
coping
url https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/23311908.2024.2333657
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