The COVID-19 Pandemic has disrupted our lives in many ways. Staying at home and social distancing has become some of the most important tools for controlling this terrible disease. Unfortunately, such measures have the potential to have a profound impact on people’s emotional and social wellbeing.
An international group of researchers, in collaboration with researchers from the University of Malta, are collecting data on people's emotional experiences, feelings and resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic around the world. The interdisciplinary research team is composed of over 60 members with backgrounds in psychology, psychiatry, public health and the social sciences.
The study seeks to understand people’s emotional experiences during social distancing, to look at the role of prosocial behaviour in helping people cope better during the pandemic, and to examine cultural and individual variation. In just 10 days, our survey has been completed by more than 11,000 people from 100 different countries. People report enjoying the survey; Many people find it insightful and cathartic to reflect and share their emotional experiences, and also enjoy contributing to a greater good.
This study will help us understand cross cultural differences in the impact of preventative measures and to get a clear picture of the effects of these interventions on our local population. We hope to use such data to aid policy for any future lockdown situations.
Anyone over the age of 16 can participate in this study by filling in the survey below (it takes around 6 minutes to fill in). Below are the links to the Maltese and English versions of the questionnaire; and you can also fill in the questionnaire in any of the other languages provided.
Contact Dr Claude Bajada for more information.