Predicting Psychological Distress, and Flourishing During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Brazil

Abstract

This study investigated the positive and negative predictors of depression, anxiety, stress, and flourishing among Brazilian adults during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. The sample consisted of 665 adults (women: 77%), aged between 18 and 79 years (M = 36.70; SD = 13.12). Participants completed a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Brief-COPE Inventory; the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale; the PERMA Profiler; the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II; and the Meaning-Centered Coping Scale. Multiple regression analyses indicated that avoidance coping, and psychological inflexibility were significant predictors of stress, anxiety, and depression. Age, flourishing, and perceived physical health acted as protective factors, with significant differences between participants with and without prior psychological diagnoses. Meaning-centered coping predicted flourishing in both groups. These findings suggest that interventions should address prior diagnoses, and foster flourishing dimensions, alongside adaptive coping strategies, including meaning-centered coping.