Objective: The present study examined the factors that predict anxiety in workers of institutions for older adults in Puerto Rico during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Methods: Nine hundred nursing home and assisted living workers were assessed via self-administered questionnaires. Data were collected online from October 2020 to February 2021, during Puerto Rico’s third COVID-19 wave peak.
Results: Experiential avoidance, emotional exhaustion, negative mood, perceived stress, and, to a lesser extent, depersonalization, predicted anxious feelings and thoughts during the pandemic. This study highlights the psychological distress faced by these workers during the COVID-19 pandemic and emphasizes considering maladaptive psychological factors when assessing and addressing anxiety in clinical practice during crises.
Conclusions: These results underscore the urgent need for mental health support and interventions for these professionals to mitigate the pandemic’s long-term impact on their well-being.
