A network analysis study on the relationship between generalized anxiety symptoms, big five personality and perceived social support of Chinese residents during COVID-19

Introduction Under the background of COVID-19, people’s mental health problems are concerned by researchers. Network analysis is a new method of exploring the interactions between mental health issues at the symptom level. This study investigates the network structure of generalized anxiety symptoms among Chinese residents during the COVID-19 pandemic from the perspective of “society-family-personality,” and explores its relationship with the Big Five personality traits and perceived social support. Methods A multi-stage random sampling cross-sectional survey was conducted in 120 cities across China Mainland from July 10, 2021 to September 15, 2021, based on the PBICR database. The Big Five Scale (BFI-10), Perceived Social Support Scale (PSSS), and Generalized Anxiety Scale (GAD-7) were used for measurement. Pearson correlation analysis was used to examine the variables mentioned in this research, and network analysis was used to estimate the psychopathological network of the three variables. Results A total of 11,031 subjects were included in the study, with 17% of individuals suffering from severe generalized anxiety symptoms. The results showed a correlation between the three research variables, and it was found that perceived social support in both dimensions and agreeableness of the Big Five personality traits were at the center of the network, with a significant impact on the overall network. There is a positive correlation between agreeableness and family support, but a negative correlation with generalized anxiety symptoms. Agreeableness serves as an indicator linking the other two variables; No significant gender differences were found through gender network testing. Conclusion According to this study, we believe that interventions in family atmosphere and social interaction can be used to prevent symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder. The limitation of this study is that it cannot determine the causal relationship between variables and its generalizability in general contexts has not been confirmed. Future research can further explore its directionality based on this study and consider the influence of cultural factors to extend its applicability to other backgrounds.