2021/03/21 by Michele Roccato, Silvia Russo, Pasquale Colloca +1 · 2 citations
Psychology · Economics, Econometrics and Finance · #Psychological Well-being and Life Satisfaction #COVID-19 Pandemic Impacts #COVID-19 and Mental Health
paper · pdf · doi:10.1111/ssqu.12958
Objectives We aimed to analyze the enduring effects exerted by COVID‐19 exposure and subjective economic threats on support for anti‐democratic political systems. Method We performed a two‐wave longitudinal study on a quota panel of the Italian adult population ( N = 1,073), surveyed first in April 2020, during the first peak of the pandemic ( T 1 ) and the first lockdown, and second in October 2020, at the onset of the second peak of the pandemic and of the second lockdown ( T 2 ). Results A mediation model showed that COVID‐19 exposure and subjective economic threats, measured at T 1 , fostered a negative evaluation of how the government managed the pandemic, which, in turn, had a positive association with support for anti‐democratic political systems, both measured at T 2 . Conclusion The existential threats related to the COVID‐19 pandemic have enduring political consequences, undermining people's support for democracy, even six months after their onset.