A nationwide study exploring the factors associated with psychological resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic is a global adverse event that affected many individuals’ well-being. Resilience is an essential component that allows one to cope during stressful events such as the pandemic. Not many studies have longitudinally explored changes in resilience across time during the...

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Main Authors: Savita Gunasekaran, Eng Hong Tay, Saleha Shafie, Shazana Shahwan, Peizhi Wang, YunJue Zhang, Pratika Satghare, Sing Chik Tan, Michael Y. Ni, Phyllis Lun, Siow Ann Chong, Mythily Subramaniam
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-04-01
Series:Frontiers in Public Health
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1516829/full
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author Savita Gunasekaran
Eng Hong Tay
Saleha Shafie
Shazana Shahwan
Peizhi Wang
YunJue Zhang
Pratika Satghare
Sing Chik Tan
Michael Y. Ni
Phyllis Lun
Siow Ann Chong
Mythily Subramaniam
Mythily Subramaniam
author_facet Savita Gunasekaran
Eng Hong Tay
Saleha Shafie
Shazana Shahwan
Peizhi Wang
YunJue Zhang
Pratika Satghare
Sing Chik Tan
Michael Y. Ni
Phyllis Lun
Siow Ann Chong
Mythily Subramaniam
Mythily Subramaniam
author_sort Savita Gunasekaran
collection DOAJ
description BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic is a global adverse event that affected many individuals’ well-being. Resilience is an essential component that allows one to cope during stressful events such as the pandemic. Not many studies have longitudinally explored changes in resilience across time during the pandemic in the Southeast Asia region. The current article investigates resilience and the sociodemographic and psychological factors associated with resilience across two waves of survey of a Singapore adult population.MethodsThe study was conducted across two timepoints from May 2020 to June 2021 (T1) and October 2021 to September 2022 (T2). 1129 participants partook during T1 (response rate = 54.8%) and 858 participants partook during T2 (response rate = 76.0%). The questionnaire included sociodemographic information and measures such as the Brief Resilience Scale, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale-7, the stress component of the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale, and four COVID-19-related stressors. Generalized estimating equations (GEE) were utilized to investigate the relationships adjusting for timepoints.ResultsMost participants had normal levels of resilience (M = 3.61, SD = 0.62), and resilience scores did not differ much over time (p = 0.852). Males, younger adults, university-educated, employed individuals, and individuals living in private housing had higher levels of resilience. Higher levels of anxiety symptoms, depressive symptoms, stress, and one specific COVID-19-related stressor (i.e., employment concerns) were associated with lower levels of resilience. Individuals who reported having moderate to severe depression and anxiety symptoms were more likely to have low resilience.DiscussionThe findings suggest that resilience levels remained within the normal range and unchanged over time, reflective of the population’s ability to cope with the pandemic. However, there is still a need for more targeted interventions for individuals who are more vulnerable to lower resilience. Continued research is also needed to understand the long-term psychological effects of the pandemic.
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spelling doaj-art-ecace8d9eacf40ecb70be36552e53e512025-08-20T03:13:26ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Public Health2296-25652025-04-011310.3389/fpubh.2025.15168291516829A nationwide study exploring the factors associated with psychological resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic in SingaporeSavita Gunasekaran0Eng Hong Tay1Saleha Shafie2Shazana Shahwan3Peizhi Wang4YunJue Zhang5Pratika Satghare6Sing Chik Tan7Michael Y. Ni8Phyllis Lun9Siow Ann Chong10Mythily Subramaniam11Mythily Subramaniam12Research Division, Institute of Mental Health, Singapore, SingaporeResearch Division, Institute of Mental Health, Singapore, SingaporeResearch Division, Institute of Mental Health, Singapore, SingaporeResearch Division, Institute of Mental Health, Singapore, SingaporeResearch Division, Institute of Mental Health, Singapore, SingaporeResearch Division, Institute of Mental Health, Singapore, SingaporeResearch Division, Institute of Mental Health, Singapore, SingaporeResearch Division, Institute of Mental Health, Singapore, SingaporeSchool of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, ChinaSchool of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, ChinaResearch Division, Institute of Mental Health, Singapore, SingaporeResearch Division, Institute of Mental Health, Singapore, SingaporeSaw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore, SingaporeBackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic is a global adverse event that affected many individuals’ well-being. Resilience is an essential component that allows one to cope during stressful events such as the pandemic. Not many studies have longitudinally explored changes in resilience across time during the pandemic in the Southeast Asia region. The current article investigates resilience and the sociodemographic and psychological factors associated with resilience across two waves of survey of a Singapore adult population.MethodsThe study was conducted across two timepoints from May 2020 to June 2021 (T1) and October 2021 to September 2022 (T2). 1129 participants partook during T1 (response rate = 54.8%) and 858 participants partook during T2 (response rate = 76.0%). The questionnaire included sociodemographic information and measures such as the Brief Resilience Scale, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale-7, the stress component of the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale, and four COVID-19-related stressors. Generalized estimating equations (GEE) were utilized to investigate the relationships adjusting for timepoints.ResultsMost participants had normal levels of resilience (M = 3.61, SD = 0.62), and resilience scores did not differ much over time (p = 0.852). Males, younger adults, university-educated, employed individuals, and individuals living in private housing had higher levels of resilience. Higher levels of anxiety symptoms, depressive symptoms, stress, and one specific COVID-19-related stressor (i.e., employment concerns) were associated with lower levels of resilience. Individuals who reported having moderate to severe depression and anxiety symptoms were more likely to have low resilience.DiscussionThe findings suggest that resilience levels remained within the normal range and unchanged over time, reflective of the population’s ability to cope with the pandemic. However, there is still a need for more targeted interventions for individuals who are more vulnerable to lower resilience. Continued research is also needed to understand the long-term psychological effects of the pandemic.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1516829/fullCOVID-19pandemicresiliencepublic mental healthSingaporeAsia
spellingShingle Savita Gunasekaran
Eng Hong Tay
Saleha Shafie
Shazana Shahwan
Peizhi Wang
YunJue Zhang
Pratika Satghare
Sing Chik Tan
Michael Y. Ni
Phyllis Lun
Siow Ann Chong
Mythily Subramaniam
Mythily Subramaniam
A nationwide study exploring the factors associated with psychological resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore
Frontiers in Public Health
COVID-19
pandemic
resilience
public mental health
Singapore
Asia
title A nationwide study exploring the factors associated with psychological resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore
title_full A nationwide study exploring the factors associated with psychological resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore
title_fullStr A nationwide study exploring the factors associated with psychological resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore
title_full_unstemmed A nationwide study exploring the factors associated with psychological resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore
title_short A nationwide study exploring the factors associated with psychological resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore
title_sort nationwide study exploring the factors associated with psychological resilience during the covid 19 pandemic in singapore
topic COVID-19
pandemic
resilience
public mental health
Singapore
Asia
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1516829/full
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