Playful people had stronger resilience during pandemic: study

By Stephen Beech

People with a positive outlook on life proved more resilient during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to new research.

Adults with high levels of "playfulness" showed stronger resilience during lockdowns compared to more serious individuals, say scientists.

They excelled at "lemonading" – creatively imagining and pursuing the positive, according to the findings published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology,

Study leader Dr Xiangyou “Sharon” Shen of Oregon State University (OSU), says the findings are important because playfulness is a vital but underappreciated resource for building resilience and maintaining well-being during difficult periods such as the pandemic.

And she emphasized that it’s a characteristic that people can cultivate.

Dr. Shen, an Assistant Professor at the OSU College of Forestry and the director of the Health, Environment and Leisure Research Lab (HEAL), said: “Understanding how playful people navigate adversity can inform interventions and strategies to help people cope with stress and uncertainty.

“This is particularly relevant as we face increasing global challenges that require both realistic assessment and creative adaptation.”

She explained that chronic stress is a "significant" public health concern, and it’s linked to a range of health issues from heart disease and diabetes to depression and anxiety.

And factors such as the pandemic, economic uncertainty and social issues can heighten stress and increase mental health problems.

Dr. Shen and HEAL researcher Zoe Crawley broke a study group of more than 500 adults from the United States into two subgroups: those with higher levels of playfulness as measured by the Adult Playfulness Trait Scale, and those with lower levels of playfulness.

Dr. Shen said: “They shared similar perceptions of risk and protective factors as their less playful peers but demonstrated greater optimism when envisioning future possibilities, engaged in more creative problem solving and managed to infuse quality and enjoyment into everyday activities.

“They actively altered challenging situations, found creative substitutes for what was lost, viewed obstacles as opportunities for growth and maintained a strong sense of control over their responses.”

She added, perhaps most revealing, that while the "highly playful" didn’t necessarily do different activities or do them more often than less playful people, they experienced the activities with higher quality – greater immersion, activeness and positive affect.

Dr. Shen said: “This is essentially making lemonade from lemons, and it’s connected intimately with resilience.

“Their unique combination of realistic assessment and flexible problem solving emerged as a powerful formula, offering a vivid demonstration of how personality traits like playfulness shape our responses under stress.”

Dr. Shen emphasized that playful people don’t view the world through “rose-colored glasses” but rather with the ability to see upside while maintaining “clear-eyed realism.”

She said: “Highly playful people were just as realistic about COVID-19 risks and challenges as others, but they excelled at ‘lemonading’ – creatively imagining and pursuing the positive, discovering ways to create moments of joy even in difficult circumstances."

Dr. Shen noted that while researchers have long claimed that playful people “reframe” situations to make them more enjoyable, the widely accepted idea had been “surprisingly vague and untested.”

Dr. Shen and her team saw COVID-19 as an opportunity to look for answers.

With most of the population experiencing similar large-scale disruption, the researchers were able to move beyond assumptions and determine the specific ways playfulness helps people navigate tough times.

Dr. Shen said: “Playfulness doesn’t distort reality – it enhances it.

“And while our study focused on measuring rather than developing playfulness, research suggests several approaches to cultivate this quality.”

She said the approaches include engaging in activities that spark joy and curiosity; being open to new experiences, including experimenting with new ways of doing routine activities; creating opportunities for spontaneous, unstructured exploration; hanging out with people who make you laugh and inspire you to play, and embracing moments of silliness and humor when appropriate.

Dr. Shen said: “Of course, interpretation of appropriateness may vary, and knowing boundaries makes playing with them more fun.

“A key to all of this is focusing on the quality of engagement rather than simply doing what might be called play activities.

"True playfulness doesn’t require a playground, games or toys. It’s about bringing a spirit of openness, flexibility and fun to everyday moments.”

She says that regularly setting aside time for play can be "instrumental" as it provides a safe space to express and practice playfulness.

Dr. Shen added: “Even during hectic times, dedicating five to 10 minutes daily for a small dose of play – whether solo or shared – can make a meaningful difference."