Table 6.

Mediating effect of health behavior change on stress. The table presents the coefficients from ordinary least squares regression models of PSS stress score on COVID-19 worry, COVID-19 attention, and stress from social distancing as well as the indicated health behavior changes. The demographic variables of age, male sex, Hispanic, income <US $80,000, income US $81,000-100,000, unemployed, and underlying medical condition were included as covariates in all models, which also estimated heteroscedasticity-robust standard errors.

Variable			PSSa stress score
		Total effect					Change in physical activity							Stopped meditating						Strength of meditation habit
		Coefficient (SE)		P value		Coefficient (SE)			P value			Coefficient (SE)			P value			Coefficient (SE)			P value
COVID-19 worry—total effect			0.61 (0.02)		<.001		—b			—			—			—			—			—
COVID-19 worry—indirect effect								0.60 (0.03)			<.001			0.64 (0.028)			<.001			0.63 (0.03)			<.001
	Change in physical activity	—		—		–0.25 (0.03)			<.001			—			—			—			—
	Stopped meditating	—		—		—			—			2.00 (0.33)			<.001			—			—
	Strength of meditation habit	—		—		—			—			—			—			–0.15 (0.02)			<.001
COVID-19 attention—total effect			0.77 (0.16)		<.001		—			—			—			—			—			—
COVID-19 attention—indirect effect								0.74 (0.16)			<.001			0.65 (0.18)			<.001			0.76 (0.18)			<.001
	Change in physical activity	—		—		–0.30 (0.04)			<.001			—			—			—			—
	Stopped meditating	—		—		—			—			2.15 (0.35)			<.001			—			—
	Strength of meditation habit	—		—		—			—			—			—			–0.17 (0.02)			<.001
Stress from social distancing—total effect			3.59 (0.16)		<.001		—			—			—			—			—			—
Stress from social distancing—indirect effect								3.54 (0.14)			<.001			3.64 (0.16)			<.001			3.59 (0.16)			<.001
	Change in physical activity	—		—		–0.27 (0.03)			<.001			—			—			—			—
	Stopped meditating	—		—		—			—			1.93 (0.33)			<.001			—			—
	Strength of meditation habit	—		—		—			—			—			—			–0.15 (0.02)			<.001

^aPSS: Perceived Stress Scale.

^b—: not applicable.