Mitigating the effect of COVID-19 in a postemergency phase: The role of sense of community and individual resilience

Abstract

To identify and confirm patterns of relationships connecting sense of community (SOC) and individual resilience with psychological well-being, via the mediation of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) impacts on life domains. An online survey was conducted with a sample of adults (n = 650) 1 year after the COVID-19 outbreak in Italy and the United States (April–December 2021). Utilizing a Structural Equation Model, we tested a mediation model (n = 563) to identify the associations between SOC and individual resilience and the perceived impacts of the emergency situation and psychological well-being. Results revealed that during the crisis, SOC had an influence on psychological well-being, but only by mediating the effects of COVID-19 impacts on life domains. Independently, individual resilience had a direct influence on psychological well-being. The findings support the importance of the interaction of individual and collective variables that played different roles at different phases of the pandemic. The findings suggest for possible interventions to enhance well-being during crises.