Emotion Regulation, Hope, and Optimism During the Third Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Role of Age and Personality

The present study, recently published by PlosOne, confirmed that older adults were more able than younger adults to cope with the emotional and psychological experience of the COVID-19 pandemic also during the third wave of contagions. Moreover, personality traits, and in particular emotional stability and conscientiousness, were found associated with a better emotional functioning, as well as greater optimistic and hopeful attitudes. These results confirm older adults’ advantage in facing the emotional and psychological fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic also in its advanced phases. The role of personality traits suggests that there would be individual profiles more likely prone to experiencing negative emotional/psychological consequences of large-scale, prolonged emergencies as the COVID-19 pandemic, with implications for the design of effective, personalized interventions.

Authors: Elena Carbone, Graziana Lenti, Enrico Sella, Angelica Moè, Erika Borella
Link: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0296205