Examination of the relationship between fear of covid-19 and psychological symptoms

The aim of this research is to examine the relationship between the fear of Covid-19 and psychological symptoms and whether the fear of Covid-19 differs according to some variables. In the study, in which the relational screening model, which is one of the quantitative research methods was used, prepared by the researcher Personal Information Form (PIF), Covid-19 Fear Scale (CFS) and Psychological Symptom Screening Test (SCL-90-R) were used as data collection tools. 574 (274 males, 300 females) adult individuals aged 18 and over, reached by the convenient sampling method, participated in the study. Analyzes were made with SPSS (Statistics Package Program for Social Sciences) 24.0 program. The relationship between the scores in the study was analyzed with the Spearman Correlation Test. The difference between the scores according to the variables with two groups was analyzed with the Mann Whitney U Test, and the difference between the variables with three or more groups was analyzed with the Kruskal Wallis Test. If the results analyzed with the Kruskal Wallis Test are significant, the Bonferroni corrected Mann-Whitney U Test was used to determine which group favored the difference between the paired groups. As a result, a strong positive relationship was found between the fear of Covid-19 and psychological symptoms; A strong positive relationship between fear of Covid-19 and somatization (rho=0.745); a moderate positive correlation between obsessive-compulsive symptoms (rho=0.689); a strong positive relationship between depression (rho=0.721); A strong positive correlation was found between anxiety (rho=0.735). In addition, it was observed that as the level of fear of Covid-19 increased, psychological symptoms increased. Educational status of fear of Covid-19, marital status, place during the Covid-19 pandemic process, monthly economic income, whether or not to have children, with whom the Covid-19 pandemic process was spent, being an individual over the age of 65 at home during the Covid-19 pandemic process, chronic disease It has been determined that there are statistically significant differences according to the status of being in contact with an infected (Covid-19 Positive) individual during the Covid-19 pandemic process and being in the quarantine process, and being infected (Covid-19 Positive) during the Covid-19 pandemic process. However, it was determined that the fear of Covid-19 did not differ statistically significantly according to gender. The findings obtained from the research were discussed and interpreted in line with the literature and suggestions were made for mental health professionals and researchers. Keywords: Fear of Covid-19, Psychological Symptoms, Anxiety, Depression, Somatization, Obsessive Compulsive Symptoms