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Volume 18
Issue 16
10.3390/ijerph18168672
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Article

Psychosomatic Symptoms and Neuroticism following COVID-19: The Role of Online Aggression toward a Stigmatized Group

by
Fei Teng
1,
Xijing Wang
2,*,
Jiaxin Shi
3,
Zhansheng Chen
3,
Qianying Huang
1 and
Wanrong Cheng
1
1
School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
2
Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
3
Department of Psychology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(16), 8672; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18168672
Submission received: 27 June 2021 / Revised: 6 August 2021 / Accepted: 13 August 2021 / Published: 17 August 2021
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social and Emotional Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic)
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Abstract

The present study investigated the effect of interpersonal mistreatment on the perpetrators’ mental health. We proposed that the threat of COVID-19 will increase people’s mental health problems through their on-line aggression toward stigmatized groups accused of spreading the disease and that there might be potential gender differences in such effects. We tested our predictions among a sample of U.S. residents (Study 1) and a large sample of Chinese residents living out of Hubei province (Study 2) during a heightened period of concern about COVID-19, February 2020. Specifically, we measured U.S. residents’ on-line aggressive behaviors toward Chinese people (Study 1) and Chinese non-Hubei residents’ on-line aggressive behaviors toward Hubei residents (Study 2) as well as their neuroticism (Study 1) and mental health states (Study 2). In line with our predictions, both studies showed that perceived infection of COVID-19 can induce on-line aggression toward stigmatized groups, thereby increasing people’s mental health problems. Moreover, the relationship between COVID-19 vulnerability, on-line aggression, and psychosomatic symptoms was more prominent in men than in women. These results offer insights into people’s responses toward COVID-19 and add to the understanding of people’s mental and physical health during the epidemic stage of contagious diseases.
Keywords: COVID-19; on-line aggression; neuroticism; psychosomatic symptoms; mental health COVID-19; on-line aggression; neuroticism; psychosomatic symptoms; mental health

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MDPI and ACS Style

Teng, F.; Wang, X.; Shi, J.; Chen, Z.; Huang, Q.; Cheng, W. Psychosomatic Symptoms and Neuroticism following COVID-19: The Role of Online Aggression toward a Stigmatized Group. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18, 8672. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18168672

AMA Style

Teng F, Wang X, Shi J, Chen Z, Huang Q, Cheng W. Psychosomatic Symptoms and Neuroticism following COVID-19: The Role of Online Aggression toward a Stigmatized Group. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2021; 18(16):8672. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18168672

Chicago/Turabian Style

Teng, Fei, Xijing Wang, Jiaxin Shi, Zhansheng Chen, Qianying Huang, and Wanrong Cheng. 2021. "Psychosomatic Symptoms and Neuroticism following COVID-19: The Role of Online Aggression toward a Stigmatized Group" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 18, no. 16: 8672. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18168672

APA Style

Teng, F., Wang, X., Shi, J., Chen, Z., Huang, Q., & Cheng, W. (2021). Psychosomatic Symptoms and Neuroticism following COVID-19: The Role of Online Aggression toward a Stigmatized Group. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(16), 8672. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18168672

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