Health Сare of the Russian FederationHealth Сare of the Russian FederationЗдравоохранение Российской Федерации0044-197X2412-0723Federal Scientific Center for Hygiene F.F.Erisman63793010.46563/0044-197X-2020-64-6-329-335PROBLEMS OF SOCIALLY SIGNIFICANT DISEASESПРОБЛЕМЫ СОЦИАЛЬНО ЗНАЧИМЫХ ЗАБОЛЕВАНИЙSemantic regulation of anxiety expectations during the COVID-19 pandemic: conspiracy trendsСмысловая регуляция тревожных ожиданий в период пандемии COVID-19: конспирологические тенденцииhttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-7507-327XZakharovaNatalia V.ЗахароваНаталья Вячеславовна
Russian Federation

MD, Ph.D., Senior researcher of the N.A. Alekseev Clinic No 1, Moscow,117152, Russia. E-mail: nataliza80@gmail.com

канд. мед. наук, врач-психиатр, и.о. руководителя лаб. фундаментальных методов исследования НКИЦ нейропсихиатрии «ГБУЗ ПКБ 1 ДЗМ», 117152, Москва.

e-mail: nataliza80@gmail.com

nataliza80@gmail.comhttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-0887-4995BonkaloTatyana I.БонкалоТ. И.
Russian Federation
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5380-4406BravveLidia V.БраввеЛ. В.
Russian Federation
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9012-4140KalakovAnvar M.КалаковА. М.
Russian Federation
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4334-1601SyunyakovTimur S.СюняковТ. С.
Russian Federation
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4685-5138KovalchukDmitriy F.КовальчукД. Ф.
Russian Federation
N.A. Alekseev Clinic No 1ГБУЗ «Психиатрическая клиническая больница № 1 им. Н.А. Алексеева» Департамента здравоохранения города МосквыResearch Institute of Health Organization and Medical Management of Moscow Healthcare DepartmentГБУ «Научно-исследовательский институт организации здравоохранения и медицинского менеджмента Департамента здравоохранения города Москвы»Zakusov Research Institute of PharmacologyФГБУ НУ «Научно-исследовательский институт фармакологии им. В.В. Закусова»Gazprom LLCООО «Газпром»0101202164632933525102024Copyright ©; 2021, Zakharova N.V., Bonkalo T.I., Bravve L.V., Kalakov A.M., Syunyakov T.S., Kovalchuk D.F.Copyright ©; 2021, Захарова Н.В., Бонкало Т.И., Бравве Л.В., Калаков А.М., Сюняков Т.С., Ковальчук Д.Ф.2021Zakharova N.V., Bonkalo T.I., Bravve L.V., Kalakov A.M., Syunyakov T.S., Kovalchuk D.F.Захарова Н.В., Бонкало Т.И., Бравве Л.В., Калаков А.М., Сюняков Т.С., Ковальчук Д.Ф.https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0https://journals.eco-vector.com/0044-197X/article/view/637930

Introduction. The COVID-19 pandemic is associated with the spread of conspiracy theories, which are heterogeneous in terms of the structure of their views. The hypothesis is that the substrate for the spread of conspiracy trend is an increased level of anxiety, reduced due to the paralogical (conspiracy) interpretation of events.

The purpose of this research was to study the prevalence of conspiracy trends during the preparation for the COVID-19 pandemic in Moscow (before the introduction of strict restrictive measures).

Methods: 320 people, randomly selected from the general population, were asked if they agree or disagree with 9 statements regarding the conspiracy interpretation of events, compared with the level of anxiety/depression (using the HADS scale). There are 3 trends (COVID-conspiracy, COVID-skepticism, COVID-obscurantism).

Results: 45.7% of respondents were ready to agree with one or the other conspiracy idea. I The level of anxiety in all adherents of conspiracy theory was found to be higher than in the rest of the sample. Differences in sociodemographic characteristics of adherents of different conspiracy tendencies are revealed. Among COVID skeptics, there are significantly fewer students and pensioners, and among COVID conspiracy theorists, the level of education received is lower, with unstable labor and family status.

Discussion. Conspiracy trends were universal for all social groups in the background of increased anxiety among the population of Moscow in preparation for the COVID-19 pandemic. It is suggested that the mechanism for the development of conspiracy tendencies may be the process of rationalization of an increased level of anxiety as a protective response during a crisis.

Введение. Пандемия COVID-19 сопряжена с нарастанием тревоги и распространением разнообразных конспирологических суждений. Высказана гипотеза о том, что повышенный уровень тревоги выступает субстратом конспирологии по механизму смысловой регуляции негативных ожиданий.

Цель исследования: изучение особенностей конспирологических тенденций в период пандемии COVID-19 в Москве.

Методы. Обследовано 320 человек, выбранных сплошным случайным образом из общей популяции жителей Москвы, опрошены на предмет согласия или несогласия с 8 утверждениями, касающимися конспирологической трактовки событий, в сопоставлении с уровнем тревоги/депрессии (с применением шкалы HADS).

Результаты. Выделены три тенденции (COVID-конспирология, COVID-скептицизм, COVID-обскурантизм). Согласиться с той или иной конспирологической идеей оказались готовы 45,7% опрошенных. Обнаружено, что уровень тревоги у всех приверженцев конспирологии выше, чем в остальной части выборки. Выявлены различия в социодемографических характеристиках приверженцев разных конспирологических тенденций. Среди COVID-скептиков достоверно меньше учащихся и пенсионеров, а среди COVID-конспирологов ниже уровень полученного образования при нестабильном трудовом и семейном статусе, а COVID-обскурантизм свойственен в большей степени женщинам с высшим образованием.

Обсуждение. Конспирологические тенденции являются универсальными для всех социальных групп на фоне повышенной тревожности населения Москвы в связи с пандемией COVID-19. Предполагается, что механизмом развития конспирологических тенденций может быть процесс рационализации повышенного уровня тревожности как защитной реакции во время кризиса.

Заключение. Полученные результаты могут быть полезны при разработке психопрофилактических мероприятий в периоды глобальных кризисов.

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