Perspective Chapter: The Impact of COVID-19 on Mental Health – The Protective Role of Resilience and Capacity for Mentalizing

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused enormous psychological impact worldwide, and represents an unprecedented threat to mental health. There are significant individual differences in adaptation to a stressful situation such as a pandemic, which depends on personality characteristics and psychological resources such as resilience and capacity for mentalizing. Research shows that a good capacity for mentalizing and resilience are a protective factors for mental health, which can be acquired through an appropriate education and training programs. The objective of this chapter is to summarize the extant literature reporting on mental health, ie. the prevalence of symptoms of depression, anxiety, and others forms of psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic. An additional objective is to identify the role of preventive factors: resilience and capacity for mentalizing, which are associated with mental health. Findings from the extensive scientific literature prove that the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has increased the prevalence of mental health problems by a massive 25% worldwide and that resilience and good mental capacity play a significant role in reducing mental health disorders.