Abstract

SANCHEZ ALVAREZ, Nicolás. Mental health during confinement imposed in Spain: effects of exercising and taking the dog for a walk on mood, depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation. Escritos de Psicología [online]. 2021, vol.14, n.2, pp.73-83.  Epub May 23, 2022. ISSN 1989-3809.  https://dx.doi.org/1024310/espsiescpsi.v14i2.12501.

Due to the global urgency of COVID-19, the population's lifestyle has changed, often causing a tremendous emotional impact. The purpose of this study, carried out in a sample of 765 people under imposed confinement within the framework of Spain's state of alarm as of March 14, 2020, is to explore in depth the emotional impact caused by these home confinement measures. The influence of variables such as the extension of home confinement, daily physical exercise, and taking the dog out for a walk on the state levels of affectivity (positive and negative), depressive symptomatology, and suicidal ideation was analyzed. The multivariate results showed a significant influence of confinement on suicidal ideation and highlighted the role of daily exercise as a direct enhancer of positive mood and indirect reducer of depressive symptomatology and suicidal ideation. These results are helpful for planning future situations of confinement and its effect on the population and for evaluating the mechanisms of psychological influence in times of deprivation of liberty.

Keywords : confinement; COVID-19; mood; depression; suicidal ideation.

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