We examined stress as a predictor of behaviours related to Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) through its effects on delay discounting. Adults (N = 3686) completed an online survey with a behavioural measure of delay discounting and questions regarding stress, physical distancing, and stockpiling of food and supplies. Stress was weakly, but positively, correlated with delay discounting (p < 0.01). Delay discounting was positively correlated with stockpiling (p < 0.01); and discounting was negatively correlated with physical distancing (p < 0.01). Mediation models indicated that discounting was a significant mediator of the relationship between stress and physical distancing (−0.003) and stockpiling (0.003); bootstrap 95% CIs (−0.006, −0.001) and (0.001, 0.005), respectively. After accounting for its indirect effects through discounting, stress continued to have a direct effect on these outcomes. This study indicates that delay discounting partially mediates the link between stress and behaviours related to COVID-19. Results suggest that interventions reducing stress and/or delay discounting may be profitable for increasing infection prevention and reducing stockpiling.

中文翻译：

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压力和 COVID-19 相关行为：延迟折扣的中介作用

我们通过压力对延迟折扣的影响，将压力作为与 2019 年冠状病毒病 (COVID-19) 相关的行为的预测因子。成年人 ( N  = 3686) 完成了一项在线调查，其中包含延迟折扣的行为测量以及有关压力、身体距离以及食物和用品储存的问题。压力与延迟折扣呈弱正相关（p  < 0.01）。延迟折扣与库存呈正相关（p  < 0.01）；并且折扣与身体距离呈负相关（p < 0.01)。中介模型表明，折扣是压力与身体距离（-0.003）和囤积（0.003）之间关系的重要中介；bootstrap 95% CIs (-0.006, -0.001) 和 (0.001, 0.005)，分别。在通过贴现计算其间接影响后，压力继续对这些结果产生直接影响。这项研究表明，延迟折扣在一定程度上调节了压力与 COVID-19 相关行为之间的联系。结果表明，减少压力和/或延迟折扣的干预措施可能对增加感染预防和减少储存有利可图。