Compassion, social connectedness and trauma resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic

The world is facing an unprecedented crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with detrimental effects on physical and mental wellbeing. In fact, the WHO has issued advice on the importance of protecting mental wellbeing during this pandemic. There are reports in the media about increased stress, anxiety and isolation for the entire population, but especially for health professionals and vulnerable groups (e.g. elderly). There is evidence from numerous studies that self-compassion and compassion for others can act as a buffer against mental distress (e.g. depression, anxiety) and promote feelings of social safeness and connectedness. Therefore, this project aims to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on emotion regulation, coping, feelings of social safeness, isolation, traumatic stress, psychopathological symptoms, and post traumatic growth, throughout the pandemic period, in 23 different countries from all around the world. Furthermore, this project explores the longitudinal protective effect of compassion against the detrimental effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on these indicators of mental wellbeing, across countries and pandemic waves.