Soundscape, Well-Being and Mental Health During/After the COVID-19 Pandemic

COVID-19, new coronavirus pneumonia, is the most devastating and lethal global public health catastrophe in the last 100 years. Although many countries have announced the full unsealing and removal of all antiepidemic measures, such as European countries, which have begun to get back to normal, some countries, such as China, are still taking strict lockdown in family and community as the primary tactic to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. These actions have profoundly changed the acoustic environment and urban soundscape, and also impacted residents’ sound perception. Simultaneously, these regulations have exacerbated residents' psychological distress and have had a negative impact on their physical and mental health. The experience of a good acoustic environment can result in positive sound perception, and relief of the negative emotional states during the lockdown period. Conversely, noise pollution, behavioral and psychological changes can compromise the well-being of residents, and negatively affect our experience of places and even lead to individual mental health changes. These changes have opened up previously unexplored avenues for soundscape study. Yet we do not know the specific changes in the acoustic environment and urban soundscapes during the three-year COVID-19 pandemic , and their potential influence on human perceptual, well-being and mental health.

Therefore, the goal of this research topic is to investigate if there are any specific characteristics changes in the acoustic environment and urban soundscape during/after the COVID-19 pandemic. And the further purpose is to discuss the influence of these changes on individual sound perception, well-being and mental health. We also aim to highlight the restorative effect of soundscape after people have been through the pandemic. The focus could either be on theoretical or methodological aspects.

We welcome a broad range of article types, including Original Research, Systematic Review, Methods, Review, Mini Review, Hypothesis and Theory, Perspective, Brief Research Report, General Commentary, and Opinion. Topics of interest include but are not limited to:
- Possible/main changes in the acoustic environment
- Possible/main changes in urban soundscape
- Effect of soundscape on psychological indicators and mental health
- Effect of soundscape on comfort and well-being
- Intervention and evaluation
- Monitoring and measurement
- Comparison between different countries/regions
- Potential benefits brought by sounds
- Other sound characteristics changes