(PS9-A20) Equanimity Moderates Relationships Between covid-19-related Stress and Symptoms of Depression and Anxiety

Although research has examined the effects of dispositional mindfulness as a protective factor against COVID-19 related stress, there has been virtually no research examining the effects of more specific mindfulness-related mechanisms in the relationship between COVID-19 related stress and mental health symptoms. Equanimity, or the tendency to remain even-minded in response to both positive and negative external objects and events, appears to be a particularly relevant mindfulness-related construct in the context of COVID-19 stress. Accordingly, we conducted an exploratory study examining equanimity as a moderator of the relationships between the different facets of COVID-19 related stress, and symptoms of depression and anxiety. We recruited 414 participants using TurkPrime in January 2022 and administered measures of mindfulness, COVID-19 related stress, and symptoms of depression and anxiety. We found that equanimity significantly moderated the relationships of COVID-19 danger and contamination fears, fears about socioeconomic consequences from COVID-19, and COVID-19 related xenophobia, with symptoms of generalised anxiety. Additionally, equanimity moderated the relationship between COVID-19 danger and contamination fears and symptoms of depression. The interaction effect for each of the relationships suggested that the respective COVID-19-related stress factor was associated with fewer symptoms of depression and anxiety at higher levels of equanimity. These preliminary findings open up avenues for further research in the area and may have implications on the need for cultivating equanimity more directly and specifically in mindfulness-based interventions to reduce impacts of COVID-19 stress.