Fig. 1.

Conceptual diagram of the mediation hypotheses tested in this study. Parameter a s represents the relationship between each predictor variable – COVID death, COVID diagnosis, or secondary COVID stressors and each mediator variable – core belief violation or meaning made of the pandemic. Parameter b represent the relationship between each mediator variable – core belief violation or meaning made of the pandemic – and each outcome variable – coronavirus anxiety or depression and general anxiety. The overall indirect effect is the product of the coefficient for a and the coefficient for b and is indicated by the notation ab throughout the results section. The direct effect of COVID diagnosis, COVID death, or secondary COVID stressors is represented by the path coefficient for parameter c'.