*3.2. Anxiety, Depression, and Traumatic Stress*

We focused on anxiety, depression, traumatic stress and COVID-19 related anxiety, following Shevlin et al. (2020). In order to be consistent with the original study, traumatic stress and COVID-19 related anxiety where treated independently, whereas a new variable was computed to describe participants with anxiety, depression, or both. Sample size, percentages and adjusted odds ratio are summarized in Tables 3–5.



*Note*. \* *p* < 0.05; \*\* *p* < 0.01; \*\*\* *p* < 0.001 (adjusted controlling the false discovery rate [32]).


**Table 4.** Multiple logistic regression results predicting COVID-19-related anxiety.

*Note***.** \* *p* < 0.05; \*\* *p* < 0.01; \*\*\* *p* < 0.001 (adjusted controlling the false discovery rate [32]).


**Table 5.** Multiple logistic regression results predicting traumatic stress.

*Note*. \* *p* < 0.05; \*\* *p* < 0.01; \*\*\* *p* < 0.001 (adjusted controlling the false discovery rate [32]).

The rate of anxiety (GAD-7) in the overall sample was 21.59% (95% CI: 15.93%–20.72%), with no differences between regions (χ<sup>2</sup> (3) = 4.07, *p* = 0.25) and with more women above the anxiety cut-off (11.75%, men: 6.45%; χ<sup>2</sup> (1) = 15.94, *p* < 0.001). Depression (PHQ-9), with a rate of 21.4% (95% CI: 18.95%–24.03%), showed no differences between regions (χ<sup>2</sup> (3) = 0.29, *p* = 0.96) but was significantly higher among women (12.52%), compared to men (8.86%; χ2 (1) = 5.82, *p* = 0.016).

The rate of anxiety and/or depression was 26.11 (95% CI: 23.48%–28.91%). No significant differences between regions were detected (χ<sup>2</sup> (3) = 1.78 *p* = 0.61), whereas the gender difference was confirmed (women: 15.90%, men: 10.21%; χ<sup>2</sup> (1) = 13.37, *p* < 0.001).

Using the ITQ scale, 25.92% of the sample was above the traumatic stress cut-off score (95% CI: 23.34%–28.77%). No difference was found between regions (χ<sup>2</sup> (3) = 4.30, *p* = 0.23), while the gender effect was again significant (women: 15.11%, men: 10.88%; χ<sup>2</sup> (1) = 7.16, *p* = 0.007). Finally, COVID-19 related anxiety was 18.30% overall (95% CI: 16.02%–20.82%). Regions showed a similar rate (χ<sup>2</sup> (3) = 2.66, *p* = 0.44) whereas a gender difference was found (women: 12.14%, men: 6.17%; χ<sup>2</sup> (1) = 20–65, *p* < 0.001).

We considered anxiety and/or depression, traumatic stress, and COVID-19-related Anxiety as dependent variables in three separate multiple logistic regressions (respectively, Tables 3–5). Figure 2 shows the plot of the odds ratio for the model of traumatic stress.

**Figure 2.** Plot of the odds ratio for the regression model of traumatic stress.

The age effect, observed by Shevlin and colleagues, was confirmed for anxiety/depression (Adj OR = 0.96, CI = 0.95–0.97, *p* < 0.001), and traumatic stress (Adj OR = 0.97, CI = 0.96–0.98, *p* < 0.001), showing more moderate cases in younger participants. A gender difference was observed only in COVID-19 anxiety, with men less anxious than women about the new virus (Adj OR = 0.33, CI = −0.03–0.69, *p* < 0.001). No differences were observed between regions.

The presence of minors in the house had a detrimental effect on anxiety/depression (Adj OR = 1.55, CI = 1.20–1.90, *p* = 0.002) and traumatic stress (Adj OR = 1.52, CI = 1.17–1.87, *p* = 0.004), as did the presence of pre-existing health conditions in others (anxiety/depression; Adj OR = 1.53, CI = 1.14–1.91, p = 0.006) and themselves (traumatic stress; Adj OR = 1.59, CI = 1.15–2.02; *p* = 0.008).

Interestingly, an increase in perceived risk to contract COVID-19 in the following four weeks had an effect on depression/anxiety (LR χ<sup>2</sup> (3) = 54.24, *p* < 0.001), traumatic stress (LR χ<sup>2</sup> (3) = 66.14, *p* < 0.001), and COVID-19 anxiety (LR χ<sup>2</sup> (3) = 84.74, *p* < 0.001), mostly in the third and fourth quartile.
