Emotion networks across self-reported depression levels during the COVID-19 pandemic

During stressful circumstances, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, disturbances in emotional experiences can occur. These emotional disturbances, if not relieved or regulated, can be associated with feelings of depression. Currently, little is known about which emotional experiences (positive and negative) are associated with feelings of depression during COVID-19. This study aimed to estimate and compare mixed, positive and negative valence emotion networks during COVID-19 for low, moderate and high levels of self-reported depression. Across 26,034 participants, central emotional experiences included gratitude, sadness, fear, anxiety, compassion, and being moved for all self-reported depression levels; love for low levels of depression, and confusion for high levels of depression. The strongest edges included fear-anxiety, loneliness-boredom, anger-disgust, determination-hope, and compassion-being moved for all self-reported depression levels; calm-relief, and sadness-frustration for high levels of self-reported depression; and admiration-being moved for low and moderate self-reported depression levels. Network comparison tests showed mixed, positive and negative emotion networks significantly differed in structure across all self-reported depression levels. Network connectivity was also significantly stronger for low self-reported depression within positive and negative emotion networks. These networks provide key information on emotional experiences associated with depression during COVID-19.