Is The Energy Crisis Correlated With Increased Anxiety And Decreased Well-Being Levels?

Abstract

Previous research on crises has shown that they can have a negative impact on individuals’ anxiety and well-being levels. Therefore, the present cross-sectional study investigated whether the current energy crisis impacts individuals’ anxiety and well-being levels and whether these relationships are mediated by preventive behaviors. The data were collected in Germany, as this country has been severely affected by the energy crisis. 219 participants from the general population completed a questionnaire including the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A), the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), and information on the impact of the energy crisis and preventive behaviors. Data were collected via Qualtrics. Correlation, linear regression, and mediation analyses were used to analyze the data. The results showed that energy crisis was associated with increased anxiety levels. An association of energy crisis with well-being levels was only found when controlling for trait anxiety. Therefore, this finding should be interpreted cautiously. Additionally, the energy crisis predicted preventive behaviors, although preventive behaviors did not predict anxiety symptoms. Therefore, only a partial mediation was found between energy crisis and anxiety. Factors negatively associated with anxiety symptoms included a low education level, young age, being female, and using preventive behaviors. Limitations included subjective measures, a young sample with 69% of participants aged between 19 and 29, almost 65% of university graduates, and no prior clinical assessment. Further research is needed to adequately assess the impact of the energy crisis on individuals’ mental health.