Association Between the Time Spent on and Sources of the News of Russo-Ukrainian War and Psychological Distress Among Individuals in Poland and Ukraine: The Mediating Effect of Rumination

Abstract

Background: The Russo-Ukrainian War has resulted in massive social, economic, and psychological burdens worldwide. This study aimed to investigate the associations between time spent on the war-related news and psychological distress, including depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and the mediating effects of rumination on the associations in people residing in Poland and Ukraine. Methods: This cross-sectional study recruited 1438 internet users in Poland and Ukraine, and collected data on levels of rumination, psychological distress, and the amount of time spent on and sources of the news of the Russo-Ukrainian War. Structural equation modeling with bootstrapping methods was used to evaluate the mediation effect. Multivariate linear regression was used to identify predictive effect of the source of the war-related news on psychological distress and rumination. Results: The results showed a mediating effect of rumination on the association between the amount of time spent on the war-related news and psychological distress among participants in Poland (β = 0.16, p < 0.001) and Ukraine (β = 0.15, p < 0.001). Approaching the news from television was associated with rumination (β = 0.607, p < 0.001) and PTSD symptoms in Poland (β = 2.475, p = 0.009), while approaching news from the internet was associated with rumination in Poland (β = 0.616, p = 0.001). Conclusion: The study identified the mediating effect of rumination and the associations of approaching the war-related news from television and the internet with mental health.