Time and Covid-19 stress in the lockdown situation: Time free, «Dying» of boredom and sadness

PLoS One. 2020 Aug 10;15(8):e0236465. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0236465. eCollection 2020.

Abstract

A lockdown of people has been used as an efficient public health measure to fight against the exponential spread of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) and allows the health system to manage the number of patients. The aim of this study (clinicaltrials.gov NCT00430818) was to evaluate the impact of both perceived stress aroused by Covid-19 and of emotions triggered by the lockdown situation on the individual experience of time. A large sample of the French population responded to a survey on their experience of the passage of time during the lockdown compared to before the lockdown. The perceived stress resulting from Covid-19 and stress at work and home were also assessed, as were the emotions felt. The results showed that people have experienced a slowing down of time during the lockdown. This time experience was not explained by the levels of perceived stress or anxiety, although these were considerable, but rather by the increase in boredom and sadness felt in the lockdown situation. The increased anger and fear of death only explained a small part of variance in the time judgment. The conscious experience of time therefore reflected the psychological difficulties experienced during lockdown and was not related to their perceived level of stress or anxiety.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Anxiety / psychology
  • Betacoronavirus*
  • Boredom*
  • COVID-19
  • Coronavirus Infections / epidemiology*
  • Coronavirus Infections / prevention & control*
  • Coronavirus Infections / virology
  • Fear / psychology
  • Female
  • France / epidemiology
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Pandemics / prevention & control*
  • Pneumonia, Viral / epidemiology*
  • Pneumonia, Viral / prevention & control*
  • Pneumonia, Viral / virology
  • Quarantine / methods*
  • Quarantine / psychology*
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Sadness / psychology*
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Time Factors
  • Young Adult

Grants and funding

The French national research agency (ANR) financially supported this project within the framework of the ANR flash COVID-19. The CNRS Foundation has provided additional financial support.