Resilience, loneliness, and anxiety during COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S.

This cross-sectional study uniquely examined the stressor and stress relationship between loneliness and anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S. The direct and indirect effects of loneliness on anxiety via resilience were studied to explore how the sense of resiliency protects individuals in coping with loneliness related to the COVID-19 pandemic. An online survey collected data from adult participants (N = 571) in the U.S. Path analysis with Amos 25 was employed to investigate the impact of loneliness on anxiety among adults in the U.S during COVID-19. We examined resilience as an intervening variable between loneliness and anxiety based on the stress process model. Loneliness had a significant direct effect on anxiety. Resilience had a negative direct effect on anxiety. Also, loneliness had an indirect effect on anxiety via resilience. Results from this study will help us to better understand risk and protective factors on individual's mental health during COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, understanding individuals' resiliency could lead to developing appropriate prevention and intervention programs to support individuals during and after a pandemic.