Fig. 1.

Mediation model including social media as Covid-19 information source (predictor), stress symptoms (mediator), and burden caused by Covid-19 (outcome): a) German sample: all variables assessed at baseline; b) German sample: social media and stress symptoms assessed at baseline, burden assessed at follow-up; c) Italian sample: all variables assessed at the same measurement time point.

Notes. c = path of predictor to outcome, without inclusion of mediator (total effect); a = path of predictor to mediator; b = path of mediator to outcome; c’ = path of predictor to outcome including mediator (direct effect); BL = baseline; FU = follow-up.