Predicting mental health from the Apter Motivational Style Profile during the COVID-19 pandemic – the importance of planfulness and goal orientation

The research reported here examines the utility of Reversal Theory variables, amongst others, as predictors of mental health during the 2020-21 covid pandemic. 135 participants completed an author-generated ‘Lockdown Questionnaire”, The Apter Motivational Style Profile for research (AMSP-R), the Multidimensional Mortality Awareness Measure, and questions about demographic factors. Dependent variables were three self-report questionnaires measuring eudaimonic well-being, depression, and health anxiety. AMSP-R variables were found to be bivariately associated with the dependent variables. Results from multiple regression analyses between significant bivariate correlates and the three dependent variables notably showed that telic AMSP scores emerged as the leading independent predictor of eudaimonic well-being. Other predictors of outcome variables included mortality fearfulness, disengagement and acceptance, diffculty managing health conditions during lockdown, physical activity, highest level of educational attainment, and political orientation. It can be inferred from the study’s main finding that those during the pandemic who adopted a goal-oriented and planful mindset appear to have been more resilient during this time of chronic adversity than those who did not. Conversely, it is plausible that happier people tend to be able to engage in greater goal activity. Both explanations, however, are not mutually exclusive. The finding has implications for ongoing public health messaging to help people manage their mental health during the continuing pandemic.