Collective action mitigates the negative effects of COVID-19 threat and anti-abortion restrictions on mental health

• Published in: Social science & medicine (1982) 2023-10, Vol.335, p.116225-116225, Article 116225
• Main Authors: Wnuk, Anna, Oleksy, Tomasz, Gambin, Małgorzata, Woźniak-Prus, Małgorzata, Łyś, Agnieszka, Holas, Paweł
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Collective action; COVID-19 pandemic; Depressive and anxiety symptoms; Mental health; Social movements; Street protests
• ISSN: 0277-9536; 1873-5347
• DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2023.116225

The COVID-19 pandemic changed our lives in many different domains, forcing people to adapt to countrywide lockdowns, school shutdowns, and business closures. The burden of the COVID-19 pandemic resulted also in deterioration of mental health. At the same time, political conflicts and social inequalities was reinforced and many people engaged in demonstrations to fight for their rights. This study examines whether collective acting for an important cause during the pandemic might mitigate the impact of both political tension related to anti-abortion restrictions and COVID-19 threats on mental health. We conducted a two-wave study with a representative sample of the Polish population, investigating the effect of participating in Polish pro-choice demonstrations on depressive and anxiety symptoms. Participating in protests attenuated the negative effects of COVID-19 threat and anti-abortion restrictions on mental health. Moreover, we found that the feeling of solidarity with other demonstrators and sense of agency derived from such demonstrations led to lower levels of depressive and anxiety symptoms. The results of the study indicate that participating in meaningful and value-oriented collective action may serve as a buffer against the detrimental effects of social and health threats. •Collective action mitigated negative effects of different threats on mental health.•Feeling of solidarity with protesters predicted lower levels of depression and anxiety.•Sense of agency among protesters also led to lower levels of depression and anxiety.