@article{Wollast_R-2025_193340,
title = {Gender inequality and cultural values in explaining gender differences in positive and negative emotions: A comparison of 24 countries during the COVID-19 pandemic},
author = {Wollast, R. and Lüders, A. and Nugier, A. and Guimond, S. and Phillips, J. and Sutton, R. and Douglas, K. and Sengupta, N. and Lemay, E. and Zand, S. and van Lissa, C. and Bélanger, J. and Abakoumkin, G. and Khaiyom, J. and Agostini, M. and Ahmedi, V. and Almenara, C. and Atta, M. and Bagci, S. and Bernardo, A. and Choi, H. and Cristea, M. and Danyliuk, I. and Enea, V. and Fisher, A. and Gómez, Á. and Greiff, S. and Gützkow, B. and Hamaidia, A. and Han, Q. and Hudiyana, J. and Jeronimus, B. and Jiang, D. and Jovanović, V. and Kende, A. and Keng, S. and Koç, Y. and Kovyazina, K. and Kreienkamp, J. and Kurapov, A. and Lantos, N. and Lesmana, C. and Malik, N. and Martinez, A. and McCabe, K. and Milla, M. and Molinario, E. and Moyano, M. and Muhammad, H. and Mula, S. and Myroniuk, S. and Nisa, C. and Nyúl, B. and O'Keefe, P. and Osuna, J. and Osin, E. and Park, J. and Pierro, A. and Rees, J. and Reitsema, A. and Rullo, M. and Ryan, M. and Samekin, A. and Schumpe, B. and Selim, H. and Stanton, M. and Tseliou, E. and vanDellen, M. and Vázquez, A. and Weaving, M. and Yahiiaiev, I. and Yeung, V. and Zheng, B. and Zúñiga, C. and Leander, N.},
month = {jan},
year = {2025},
abstract = {The coronavirus pandemic posed a major challenge to mental health. Existing evidence shows that COVID-19 is related to poor emotional well-being, particularly among women. However, most work on the subject uses single-country samples, limiting the ability to generalize the disparity or explain it as a function of societal variables. The present study investigates the expression of positive and negative emotions during the pandemic as a function of gender and across 24 countries (N = 49,637). Strong gender differences emerged across countries, with women reporting more negative emotions (anxious, depressed, nervous, exhausted) and less positive emotions (calm, content, relaxed, energetic) than men. The gender gap in positive emotions was significantly wider in countries higher in individualism and narrower in countries higher in power distance. For instance, differences in emotions were larger in Western countries high in individualism, such as the USA, the UK, Italy, and France, and smaller in countries with higher collectivism and power distance, such as China, Malaysia, and South Korea, with a few exceptions like Japan and Brazil. These gender differences across countries were not explained by country-level gender inequalities indicators (GGGI and GII). Interestingly, the national severity of the pandemic, an epidemiological factor, reduced gender differences in positive emotions. These results underscore the importance of considering cultural and national factors when assessing gender differences in well-being.},
journal = {Current Psychology},
publisher = {Springer Nature},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-024-06989-0},
}
