The enemy which sealed the world: effects of COVID-19 diffusion on the psychological state of the Italian population

Background: Starting from the first months of 2020, worldwide population has been facing the COVID-19 pandemic. Many nations, including Italy, took extreme actions to reduce the diffusion of the virus, profoundly changing lifestyles. The Italians have been faced with both the fear of contracting the infection and the consequences of enforcing social distancing. This study was aimed to understand the psychological impact of the COVID-19 outbreak and the psychopathological outcomes related to the first phase of this emergency. Methods: The study included 2291 respondents. An online survey collected information on socio-demographic variables, history of direct or indirect contact with COVID-19, and additional information concerning the COVID-19 emergency. Moreover, psychopathological symptoms such as anxiety, mood alterations and post-traumatic symptomatology were assessed. Results: The results revealed that respectively 31.38%, 37.19% and 27.72% of respondents reported levels of general psychopathological symptomatology, anxiety, and PTSD symptoms over the cut-off scores. Furthermore, a significant worsening of mood has emerged. Being a female or under the age of 50 years, having had direct contact with people infected by the COVID-19, and experiencing uncertainty about the risk of contagion represent risk factors for psychological distress. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that the first weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic appear to impact not only on physical health but also on psychological well-being. Although these results need to be considered with caution being based on self-reported data collected at the beginning of this emergency, they should be used as a starting point for further studies aimed to develop interventions to minimize both the brief and long-term psychological consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.