Social and Emotional Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Dear Colleagues,

The outbreak of COVID-19 has caused an unprecedented worldwide crisis with dramatic implications across several societal levels. Besides the concerns related to the propagation of the disorder, many important economic and societal challenges have been raised.

The restrictions that are imposed to reduce the propagation of the disorder lead to increased social distancing between individuals with potential implications for mental health. In such a context, it is relevant not only to understand the domains that are affected by the pandemic, but also to investigate which aspects may mitigate pandemic-related negative effects.

This special issue aims to publish contributions pertaining to psychological consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. We will be looking for investigations characterizing the impact of COVID-19 related restrictions on human behavior, with a particular focus on social and emotional processes. Topics of interest include: descriptions of social and emotional consequences of the pandemic; impact of the pandemic on addictive behavior, including addiction or gambling; identification of mitigating/aggravating predictors of social and emotional variables. Considering the potential relevance of media and technology in a context where individuals are socially isolated, we also invite submissions addressing (but not limited to) the influence of broadcasting of pandemic-related news on the adoption of protective behavior and mental health variables, the dissemination of fake-news related to COVID-19 and their potential impact on mental health, the use of digital technology (e.g., social-media, online gaming) and their association with mental health variables.

Dr. Pedro Silva Moreira
Prof. Pedro Morgado
Prof. Dr. Pedro R Almeida
Guest Editors

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