NEW RESEARCH: Australians’ Well-being and Resilience during COVID-19

This report presents findings of a national survey of over 1300 Australians conducted in November 2020 examining well-being and resilience within the COVID-19 pandemic context. The research project looked at the factors that promoted or hindered well-being and resilience during the pandemic, and what we can learn for future crises.

The team found that by the end of 2020, the pandemic had negatively impacted Australians’ well-being and resilience. But COVID-19, lockdowns and restrictions did not affect everyone equally. Young people, students and the unemployed, and single people, in particular single people living with their parents/family, were most negatively affected by the pandemic.

Australians had higher rates of anxiety than people in the UK and New Zealand, and comparable rates of depression and stress. Those who believed that external forces (such as luck) determined their outcomes in life were more likely to be depressed, anxious, stressed and lonely and less resilient as compared to those who believed that they were responsible for their own success.

Interestingly, whilst altruism towards strangers was associated with higher resilience, it was also associated with increased depression, anxiety and stress. This might be because not being able to help others contributed to feelings of helplessness, which may have negatively impacted on their mental health.

Most respondents did not believe in COVID-19 conspiracy beliefs or fake news, but there was some support and uncertainty around conspiracy theories that COVID-19 was created by the Chinese and is bio-engineered, and belief in fake news that hot climates/temperatures can kill the coronavirus. One in five respondents agreed that face masks do not prevent the spread of COVID-19 and that making masks mandatory impedes on their personal freedom.

On average Australians reported normal to moderate levels of anxiety, moderate stress, and mild depression, alongside moderate to high levels of loneliness that may show resilience in the face of adversity. However, the study showed that interpersonal trust was a consistently protective factor, associated with less depression, anxiety, stress, loneliness and greater resilience.

Lead researcher Associate Professor Nida Denson said

‘As we recover from the impacts of lockdowns and continue to deal with the long term effects of the pandemic, it is important to understand how people were affected, and which people need the most support. Our study shows the importance of trust, in each other, the media, and the government, in dealing with crises and turmoil. This is something we can invest in now, to protect people’s mental health in the future. We know that young people, single people and the unemployed were the most negatively affected by the pandemic – and efforts should be targeted towards them in particular.’