The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Mental Health of Individually-Owned Businesses in China

Background: COVID-19 has emerged as a public health crisis with far-reaching implications, impacting not only physical well-being but also precipitating severe mental health challenges. Compared to other occupations, individually-owned businesses in China lack adequate external security measures. However, the mental health challenges they face during this epidemic have not been thoroughly examined. Purpose: This study aimed to examine the mental health of individually-owned businesses in China during the COVID-19 epidemic. Methods: Employing a qualitative research design, 26 individual businesses were selected for semi-structured interviews to investigate their mental health status amidst the pandemic. Results: The results indicated that individually-owned businesses reported experiencing a range of perceived psychological feelings such as helplessness, complaint, fear, and anxiety. Additionally, it was revealed that these businesses relied on social support that included physical, emotional, and informational support to alleviate the negative impact of the pandemic. Self-regulation was also identified as a useful strategy for coping with the challenges faced by these businesses. Conclusion: The mental health of individually-owned businesses in China needs to be concerned, and relevant psychological improvement intervention programs can be formulated from the perspective of social support and self-regulation.