The present study monitored changes in beliefs about the COVID-19 pandemic, depressive symptoms, and preventive motives between the first wave and the second wave in South Korea using an online survey administered to 1144 individuals nationally representative for age, gender, and areas of residence. While participants correctly updated their beliefs about the worsening pandemic situations, perceived importance of social distancing did not change, and their motives to follow prevention measures shifted toward compulsory rather than voluntary motives. This inconsistency appeared to be mediated by depressive symptoms, such that negative belief changes followed by increased depressive symptoms were associated with decreased perceived importance of social distancing and decreased voluntary motives. Our data highlights the importance of psychological responses to the dynamically evolving pandemic situations in promoting preventive behaviors.

中文翻译：

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抑郁症状介导了 COVID-19 大流行的严重程度与预防动机之间的不匹配

本研究使用在线调查监测了韩国第一波和第二波之间关于 COVID-19 大流行、抑郁症状和预防动机的信念变化，该调查对全国 1144 名具有年龄、性别和居住地区代表的人进行了调查. 尽管参与者正确地更新了他们对不断恶化的大流行情况的看法，但他们认为保持社交距离的重要性没有改变，他们采取预防措施的动机转向了强制性而非自愿性动机。这种不一致似乎是由抑郁症状介导的，因此消极信念的改变伴随着抑郁症状的增加与社会疏远的重要性降低和自愿动机的降低有关。