Periods of significant stress can influence an individual’s capacity for thought, but the stress reaction varies across different situations and age brackets. Individuals who become more troubled will experience diminishing reserves of empathy and forbearance, based on findings from Washington University in St. Louis.
This study serves as a continuation of earlier investigations into how the pandemic impacted mental anguish and decision-making among various age demographics.
The prior research indicated that mental distress levels in younger populations were on the rise in the eight years leading up to the pandemic, to the extent that the increase in distress during the pandemic matched the trend line expected for that age cohort, explained Professor Leonard Green, a co-author of the study alongside colleagues from the psychological and brain sciences department within the College of Arts & Sciences.
An exception occurred during the brief intervals when nations were under complete lockdown, where distress levels surged across all age groups, reverting to pre-pandemic figures once restrictions were lifted.
Currently, new research, co-authored by Professor Sandra Hale; Joel Myerson, an academic coordinator; and Michael Strube, a professor emeritus and research scientist, has delved deeper into what influences choices during times of anxiety.
The study, which saw publication this spring in Medical Research Archives by the European Society of Medicine, examined various elements that influenced decisions about social distancing and vaccination. It utilized survey questions to assess levels of mental distress, neuroticism (the tendency to react adversely under stress), together with evaluations of individuals’ capacity for “empathy” (a combination of measures involving altruism, compassion, and trust).
In general, elevated levels of neuroticism were associated with reduced empathy and lowered tolerance for pandemic mitigation strategies such as social distancing and wearing masks. Conversely, higher empathy levels were positively linked to adherence to social distancing guidelines.
Nevertheless, higher distress levels also indicated those individuals who opted for vaccination, likely because it is perceived as a singular action that enables them to worry less about the virus.
Myerson noted this is a crucial consideration when formulating messages to enhance public health. Although fear-induced messaging may motivate vaccination, it might not be effective for other measures that necessitate ongoing social isolation, particularly for younger individuals who are more acutely affected by psychological distress. Overloading with fear may have adverse effects on actions that require some social sacrifice for collective benefit.
Myerson pointed out that neuroticism tends to decline with age, while the ability for empathy seems to rise. “It’s distress that obstructs compassion, altruism, and empathy,” he added.
Thus, alleviating that distress should be a primary objective in tackling public health issues, he said. If individuals can remain composed, the public’s capacity for altruism and positive behavior could also rise.
As neuroticism decreases, empathy increases. However, this necessitates addressing the additional pandemic at hand—elevated distress levels among both youth and adults worldwide.
“It’s as if we were dealing with a distress pandemic and then imposed another one on top of it,” Myerson remarked.
Certain physiological transformations in the brain over time may explain why older adults are generally less affected by global events, but they also rely on closer personal networks of friends and family rather than the more superficial connections fostered by social media.
Even as older individuals lose partners and cherished friends, they report significantly lower levels of distress and loneliness, Green observed. This in-person network might play a vital role. This remains a topic for future investigation, as despite much of the world moving on from COVID, “the stress pandemic persists,” remarked Green.
Myerson J, Strube MJ, Green L, Hale S, Bernstein B. Effects of age, psychological distress, and compassion on people’s decision-making during the COVID-19 pandemic. Medical Research Archives, v. 13, n. 5, May 2025. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18103/mra.v13i5.6479.
This research was funded by the National Institute on Aging of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) under award number RO1AG058885.
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