Epidemics among perceived impacts on Latvia before and during COVID-19: emerging threats versus stability

In the time of global challenges, perception of the ongoing change at different levels of social systems modulates individual expectations, decisions, and emotional health. A previous study in Latvia revealed that perceived threats, globalization, political power, and personal control form the latent structure of perceived impacts on the country. The present study assessed the stability of this structure, comparing a relatively favorable situation and the situation of the COVID-19 emergency in Latvia.

Two successive independent samples included 254 and 171 university students in 2019 and 2020, respectively. Participants assessed the impact of 15 factors on Latvia: personal impact, parents and relatives, friends, people of Latvia, political parties and leaders, Saeima (the parliament of Latvia), the government of Latvia, the European Union, the United States, other countries, global economic crises, war and military conflicts, terrorism, epidemics, and natural disasters.

A series of confirmatory factor analyses established partial invariance of the model. During the COVID-19 emergency, a significant shift in the perceived impact of epidemics, natural disasters, and global economic crises combined with the relative stability of personal, meso-, and macro-level factors.

This stability indicates possible resources for balancing perceived threats in the situation of successful coping with COVID-19 in Latvia in Spring 2020.