covid-19-induced anxiety and covid-19 precautionary measures as predictors of mental wellbeing of nigerians

Introduction: the present study investigated the covid19induced anxiety and covid19 precautionary measures as predictors of mental wellbeing of nigerians during the covid19 pandemic. method: by using a crosssectional design methodology, 340 participants (58.2% males and 41.8% females) were selected through the snowball sampling technique. their age ranged from 15 to 56 years (m=26.66; sd=6.485). participants responded to the covid19induced anxiety questionnaire (c19iaq), covid19 precautionary measures questionnaire (c19pmq), and the warwickedinburgh mental wellbeing scale (wemwbs). results: standard multiple regression analyses indicated that covid19 inducedanxiety and covid19 precautionary measures significantly predicted mental wellbeing [r= .082; r2 .077;f (2,337) =15.096, p < .05]. however, only covid19 inducedanxiety [b= .25, t (339)=3.94,p < .05] independently predicted mental wellbeing. conclusion: based on these findings, the researchers recommended that mental wellbeing in the era of covid19 should be prioritized and given necessary attention by governments and other stakeholders. information on covid19 should be structured in a manner that promotes health knowledge of the pandemic rather than inducing fear and anxiety. individuals are also urged to engage in anxietyreducing techniques which may help curb the rise of anxiety in these times of the covid19.