Enforced social isolation and stress among uninfected Chinese residents during the early COVID-19 pandemic: mediating role of fear and moderating role of hoarding behavior

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, governments worldwide implemented various restrictive measures, which were particularly stringent in China. These measures resulted in significant challenges to resident’s mental health. This cross-sectional study examined the association between enforced social isolation and COVID-19 stress, focusing on the mediating role of COVID-19 fear and the moderating role of hoarding behavior. A total of 1,589 residents (Mage = 34.34, 68% female) from areas experiencing varying levels of enforced isolation during the early pandemic stages completed an electronic survey assessing COVID-19 fear, COVID-19 stress, and hoarding behavior. Results showed that residents experiencing higher levels of enforced social isolation reported lower levels of COVID-19 fear and COVID-19 stress. Moreover, greater COVID-19 fear was associated with higher COVID-19 stress. COVID-19 fear mainly mediated the association between enforced social isolation and COVID-19 stress. Furthermore, hoarding behavior moderated the relationship between enforced social isolation and COVID-19 fear. Specifically, individuals who engaged in hoarding experienced a weaker reduction in COVID-19 fear under high levels of isolation compared to those who did not engage in hoarding. These findings suggest that high levels of enforced social isolation can reduce COVID-19 stress by diminishing COVID-19 fear. However, this protective effect is attenuated among individuals who engage in hoarding behavior. Understanding these mechanisms can inform targeted interventions to bolster psychological resilience among uninfected individuals during periods of enforced isolation, potentially mitigating the pandemic’s adverse psychological impact.