Thesis Format
Integrated Article
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy
Program
Health and Rehabilitation Sciences
Supervisor
Irwin, Jennifer D.
Abstract
The overall purpose of this dissertation was to provide a detailed assessment of the mental health, wellbeing, and prosocial behaviour of Ontario adults aged 30–59 (those at highest risk for losing years of healthy life due to chronic disease) during the first 16 months of the COVID-19 pandemic (April 2020–August 2021). To address this dissertation’s purpose specifically, four distinct yet thematically connected articles were written. Article 1 provides the starting point of this program of research via an overview of Ontario adults’ inter-related health behaviours (i.e., physical activity, sedentary behaviours, and dietary intake) and outcomes including, mental health, and wellbeing during the first few months of the COVID-19 pandemic (April–July 2020) along with differences between physical activity status and wellbeing, mental health, and dietary intake. Article 2 presents a cross-sectional overview of the same adults’ prosocialness—inclusive of kindness—during the identical timeframe as Article 1 and, given the disparate risks associated with living locales at the time, also explored whether prosocial behaviour differed among those living in urban versus rural settings. To assess the longer term patterns of mental health, wellbeing, and prosocial behaviour as the pandemic continued, the specific purposes of Articles 3 and 4 were to quantitatively assess participants’ mental health and wellbeing (Article 3) and their prosocial behaviour (inclusive of kindness), while also qualitatively exploring their lived experiences of prosocial behaviour (Article 4) over the first 16 months of the pandemic.
The findings from Article 1 indicated that during the first few months of the COVID-19 pandemic, in general, individuals’ (n = 2,156) mental health and wellbeing were poor. The average score for participants’ mental health was concerning and indicative of experiencing some mental health problems during this timeframe. With respect to wellbeing, participants’ scores were below the “normative” range for means in Western populations in several of the domains (i.e., satisfaction with their physical and mental health, respectively, as well as their satisfaction with feeling part of their communities and their future security). Further analysis revealed that participants who engaged in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) during the initial stages of the pandemic reported significantly higher levels of positive mental health and wellbeing, compared to those who did not engage in MVPA.
The results from Article 2 revealed that participants (N = 2,188) scored high on prosocial behaviour, as well as on the three kindness-related questions pertaining to their awareness of kindness around them, engagement in deliberate acts of kindness, and view of kindness as crucial to their pandemic experience, during the first few months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Interestingly, there was no statistically significant difference in participants’ prosocialness based on geographic location (urban vs. rural).
The findings from Article 3 identified that participants’ (N = 2,188) mental health significantly improved over the first 16 months of the pandemic, though their average scores at each time point indicated that they still may have been experiencing mental health problems throughout this timeframe. Statistically significant changes in participants’ wellbeing were noted on several domains. Specifically, participants’ satisfaction with their standard of living, physical health, mental health, personal relationships, and spirituality/religion significantly decreased over time, while their satisfaction with their safety, community connectedness, and future security significantly decreased during the first few months of the COVID-19 pandemic and increased thereafter.
The results from Article 4 revealed that participants’ (N = 2,188) prosocialness significantly increased over time, while their awareness of kindness around them, engagement in deliberate acts of kindness, and view of kindness as crucial to their pandemic experience significantly decreased. Additionally, participants described their experiences receiving, giving, and witnessing kindness, their perspectives on how prosocial behaviour shifted throughout the pandemic, their experiences of prosocial burnout, and they provided several examples of how they engaged in prosocial behaviours, and continued to do so, throughout the ongoing pandemic.
Based on the findings presented in this dissertation, it can be concluded that during the early stages of the pandemic, Ontario adults’ mental health and wellbeing were, in general, poor, while they reported high levels of prosocialness. As the pandemic continued, findings revealed that participants’ mental health and prosocial behaviour improved, while their wellbeing declined in several domains. Participants’ improvement in mental health may be explained, in part, by their high levels of prosocialness. These findings are particularly important as prosocial behaviour might be an approach worthy of further investigation as a mental health and wellbeing support during and following the pandemic.
Summary for Lay Audience
Public health emergencies, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, can exacerbate pre-existing mental health problems and lead to poor wellbeing, which can have long-term impacts on individuals. This is particularly concerning for adults aged 30–59 years, who are most at risk for losing years of healthy life due to chronic disease. Prosocial behaviour is one approach that has been associated with physiological benefits that can lead to improved mental and physical health and longevity. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has presented an extreme situation wherein typical expressions of prosocial behaviour might be challenged, thus providing a rare context to study this construct. To this end, the overarching purpose of this dissertation was to provide a detailed assessment of the mental health, wellbeing, and prosocial behaviour of Ontario adults during the first 16 months of the COVID-19 pandemic (April 2020–August 2021). To specifically address this dissertation’s purpose, four articles were written.
Article 1 provides the starting point of this program of research via an overview of Ontario adults’ inter-related health behaviours (i.e., physical activity, sedentary behaviours, and dietary intake) and outcomes including, mental health, and wellbeing during the first few months of the COVID-19 pandemic (April–July 2020) along with differences between physical activity status and wellbeing, mental health, and dietary intake. It was concluded that, in general, individuals’ mental health and wellbeing were poor, and that those who engaged in physical activity during the initial stages of the pandemic had better mental health and wellbeing than those who did not engage in physical activity.
Article 2 presents a cross-sectional overview of the same adults’ prosocialness—inclusive of kindness—during the identical timeframe as Article 1 and, given the disparate risks associated with living locales at the time, also explored whether prosocial behaviour differed among those living in urban versus rural settings. It was found that the majority of participants reported high prosocial behaviour and kindness; however, there was no difference in participants’ prosocialness based on geographic location (urban vs. rural).
Given the evolving nature of the pandemic, the purpose of Article 3 was to assess adults’ mental health and wellbeing over time during the first 16 months of the pandemic in Ontario. It was concluded that participants’ mental health improved over time, while their wellbeing improved in some domains, but declined in the majority of domains.
In Article 4, Ontario adults’ prosocial behaviour—inclusive of kindness—was assessed over the first 16 months of the pandemic, and their lived experiences of prosocial behaviour were explored via group discussions. It was found that particpants prosocial behaviour increased over time, while their awareness of kindness around them, engagement in deliberate acts of kindness, and view of kindness as crucial to their pandemic experience decreased over time. Participants described their experiences receiving, giving, and witnessing kindness, their perspectives on how prosocial behaviour shifted throughout the pandemic, their experiences of prosocial burnout, and they provided several examples of how they engaged in prosocial behaviour during the pandemic.
Given the uncertainty and novelty of the COVID-19 pandemic, understanding Ontario adults’ mental health, wellbeing, and prosocial behaviour is a crucial starting place, in order to develop appropriate health promotion interventions. Findings from this program of research might aid program planners in designing interventions that meet the needs of those most at risk for losing years of healthy life due to chronic disease, with the ultimate goal of improving individuals’ health.
Recommended Citation
Shillington, Katie J., "Ontario Adults' Mental Health, Wellbeing, and Prosocial Behaviour During the First 16 Months of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Longitudinal Study" (2023). Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository. 9382.
https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/etd/9382