Does social capital protect life satisfaction from COVID-19 stressors? Results of a survey in 34 countries

Life satisfaction is a key indicator of population health and wellbeing, but few studies directly compare the relative influence of various dimensions of social capital and multiple COVID-19 stressors on life satisfaction. This study utilizes a multicountry survey (19,878 individuals in 34 countries) to establish whether the magnitude of the positive influence of social capital offsets the negative influence of the pandemic-related stressors. Generalized ordered logit regression is estimated. The main finding is that social capital mostly offsets the influence of pandemic-related stressors. However, social capital is not a monolithic benefit. Cognitive dimensions play a more important role in shaping life satisfaction than structural ones. Finally, the influence of social capital dimensions and stressors is unequally distributed across the spectrum of life satisfaction. Theoretical, policy, and research implications of these findings are discussed.