scholarly journals Changes in Stress, Coping Styles, and Life Satisfaction between the First and Second Waves of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Longitudinal Cross-Lagged Study in a Sample of University Students

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (17) ◽  
pp. 4025
Author(s):  
Aleksandra Maria Rogowska ◽  
Cezary Kuśnierz ◽  
Dominika Ochnik

In this study, we aimed to explain the interplay mechanism between stress, life satisfaction, and coping styles among university students. A cohort study was performed during the first (wave 1; W1) and second (wave 2; W2) waves of the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The total sample included 231 university students, of which 59.31% were women. The Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations (CISS) were included in one online survey. Stress, emotion-oriented, and avoidance-oriented coping styles increased from W1 to W2 of the COVID-19 pandemic, while life satisfaction and task-oriented coping decreased. The partial mediation effect of all three coping styles during W1 and W2 (in a cross-sectional approach) on the relationship between perceived stress and life satisfaction was confirmed in this study. The task-oriented and avoidance-oriented coping styles can play a mediating role in the reciprocal relationship between life satisfaction and perceived stress during W1 and W2 of the pandemic. There were no mutual interactions between stress and life satisfaction from a longitudinal approach. Coping styles changed subsequently due to stressful environmental changes related to lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic. Having a wide range of coping strategies from which to choose during an unstable situation should help manage stress and well-being.

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Aleksandra M. Rogowska ◽  
Dominika Ochnik ◽  
Cezary Kuśnierz ◽  
Karolina Chilicka ◽  
Monika Jakubiak ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Research indicates that mental health worsened during the Coronavirus crisis, in particular among women and university students. However, few longitudinal studies have so far investigated the changes in mental health outcomes across three subsequent waves of the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, this study aims to examine changes in mental health among university students. Methods A total of 1,961university students from Poland, at mean age 23.23 years (SD = 3.16, 57.47% of women) were included in this repeated cross-sectional study across three waves of the COVID-19 pandemic: W1 (n = 657), W2 (n = 654), and W3 (n = 650). They completed the online survey with the Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), General Self-Rated Health (GSRH), and Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), as well as sociodemographic variables. Results The prevalence of people at high risk of anxiety and perceived stress, poorer physical health, and low life satisfaction changed significantly across three waves of the COVID-19 pandemic. The results of the two-way ANOVA showed that both the wave (W1<W2<W3) and gender (men<women) had a significant impact on the level of anxiety. Statistically significant changes in perceived stress were found between pandemic waves (W1>W2, W1>W3), and genders (men<women). Self-reported physical health significantly deteriorated in W3 compared to W1 and W2 (W1>W3, W2>W3), and was significantly worse in women than in men. The level of life satisfaction also decreased significantly in W3 (W1>W3, W2>W3), but did not differ between men and women. High GAD risk was presented two times more frequently among women and people who subjectively assessed their health as poor, three times more likely in participants dissatisfied with their lives, and seven times more probably in persons with high-stress levels. Conclusions The results of this study consistently indicate (using parametric and non-parametric statistical analysis) that there are significant differences in mental health problems across three waves of the COVID-19 pandemic. It suggests that pandemic waves should be considered in future review studies and meta-analyses. Furthermore, these findings indicate a potential role for prevention and intervention programs aimed at alleviating life satisfaction and subjective assessment of health and improving coping skills to reduce stress and anxiety.


2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (6) ◽  
pp. 1756-1764
Author(s):  
Manoochehr Taghi Pour ◽  
Asmah Ismail ◽  
Wan Marzuki Wan Jaafar ◽  
Gholamreza Rajabi

Background: Alfred W. Adler (1870-1937), psychotherapist and founder of the school of individual psychology, believed that education, marriage, and job play important role in human development. Higher learning is a demanding and challenging period for students that can result in high rates of psychological distress affecting their life satisfaction. Aim: The research is to study the links between family communications, perceived stress and resilience with life satisfaction among pre-university students in UPM. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted among a sample of 310 (females 158 and 152 males) pre-university students from a public university in Malaysia. Four instruments were used in this research namely the Family Communication Scale (FCS, Olson et al., 2004), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS, Cohen et al., 1983) Resilience Scale (CD-RISC, Connor-Davidson, 2003) & The Satisfaction with Life Scale (Diener et al. 1985). The data were analyzed using independent t-test, Pearson correlation coefficients and multiple regressions. Results: The finding of this study revealed that there are simple and multiple relationships between family communications, perceived stress and resilience with life satisfaction among pre-university students. Conclusion: The research may guide university counselors to view adolescents’ life satisfaction holistically and assist them in developing preventive and intervention plans for the university new enrolled students. Also, the results will provide students with some knowledge on their life satisfaction and its effects on their future accomplishments. Keyword: Family Communication; Perceived Stress; Resilience; Life Satisfaction; Pre-University Students


2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 73-92
Author(s):  
Ruqia Safdar Bajwa ◽  
Hamida Bibi

Psychological health directly affects life satisfaction especially to those women who face social and family pressure about their infertility. A wide range of research studies comparing fertile and infertile women documented that there is negative impact of infertility on subjective well-being and global life satisfaction (Abbey et al., 1991, 1992; Callan, 1987; Callan& Hennessey, 1988). The present study was aimed to investigate the impact of psychological health on life satisfaction among fertile and infertile females. Through the convenience sampling technique, a sample of 310 (N=310) fertile and infertile women was selected whose age ranged between 25 to 50 years. Demographic variables included age, employment status, level of education, duration of marital life, type of marriage and family system for both fertile and infertile females. To be included in sample, Women must have been diagnosed with infertility (primary or secondary), they must not have adopted any child, and marriage duration must be at least 2 years and must not have past history of psychiatric illness. General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28) was used for current psychological health and Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) was used to measure life satisfaction. Data was analyzed by using SPSS version 21. Descriptive statistics, Regression analysis, ANOVA and t-test were used to analyze the data. Results have shown that psychological health has impact on life satisfaction in both fertile and infertile groups of women. Furthermore, results show that level of life satisfaction and psychological health is more prevalent in educated and employed women as compared to uneducated and unemployed women. To conclude, this study will be helpful in resolving psychological problems of the infertile females. Education can increase awareness about infertility and infertile females can meet the challenges of the society and can stand with better health and emotions.


2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon Ozer

Societal lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic has transformed everyday life across the globe, including requirements of social distancing which might limit the social support people derive from social interaction. Social support has proven to be a vital resource for well-being and coping during societal challenges. The present study examines how social support is associated with perceived stress and life satisfaction through self-efficacy and self-esteem among Danish students (N = 204). These psychological constructs were examined both during and after lockdown, assessing the possible aversive psychological effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Results did not yield any significant changes in either the mean scores of the constructs or the indirect effects model across the two timepoints. Moreover, the results indicate that social support derived from a significant person, family, and friends—but not student peers—is negatively linked with perceived stress and positively associated with life satisfaction through both self-efficacy and self-esteem. Although societal lockdown did not yield significant psychological impact, the results highlight the importance of social support among students, both during and after lockdown.


2021 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 22-29
Author(s):  
Andrea Lukács

Abstract. Background: The novel coronavirus disease has caused a worldwide pandemic and has been distressing for the general population including the student population in higher education. Aims: This study assesses the changes in the lives of university students, and finds an association between fear of COVID-19 and mental well-being controlled by demographic and socio-psychological factors. Method: Students from one of the largest universities of Hungary were sampled responding to multidimensional questions about their life situations prior to and after social isolation measures, 4–6 weeks after the COVID-19 outbreak in Hungary. The questionnaire packet included the 8-item version of the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale for evaluating mental well-being. Results: Students experienced significant negative changes after 4–6 weeks of confinement in terms of physical activity, relationship with family, friends, studies, financial situation, perceived health, future prospects, and life satisfaction. Desirable changes were observed in smoking habits, cannabis use, and alcohol consumption, including binge drinking. Explanatory variables of favorable mental well-being were younger age, better-perceived health status, higher life satisfaction, and more optimism about future prospects. Limitations: Mental well-being was measured only during social isolation. The pre-pandemic status of the students was reported retrospectively, making it prone to recall bias. Conclusion: Findings suggest that the pandemic with its associated social isolation measures negatively affected students’ everyday life and well-being, however, the fear of the coronavirus did not contribute to it. Higher institutions should offer a wide range of measures to mitigate the downstream mental health consequences of the COVID-19 outbreak in university population.


2016 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Palkee Baruah ◽  
Dr. Neelam Pandey

Taking the path less travelled by exploring your spirituality can lead to a clearer life purpose, better personal relationships and enhanced stress management skills. This study explores the role played by spirituality in coping and presents the relationships between spiritual dimensions and coping styles. Spirituality has been considered as an important buffer against stressful events which may help people to overcome their distress and difficulties. Some stress relief tools are very tangible: exercising more, eating healthy foods and talking with friends. A less tangible — but no less useful — way to find stress relief is through spirituality. Spirituality has many definitions, but at its core spirituality helps to give our lives context. It’s not necessarily connected to a specific belief system or even religious worship. Instead, it arises from your connection with yourself and with others, the development of your personal value system, and your search for meaning in life. For many, spirituality takes the form of religious observance, prayer, meditation or a belief in a higher power. For others, it can be found in nature, music, art or a secular community. Spirituality is different for everyone. Methods: One hundred individuals completed questionnaires which included the Expressions of Spirituality Inventory Douglas A. MacDonald 1997 and the Coping Strategies Assessment by DJ, 2008. The results suggest that five spiritual dimensions, i.e., Experiential/ Phenomenological Dimensions (EPD), Cognitive Orientation towards Spirituality (COS), Existential Well- Being (EWB), Paranormal Beliefs (PAR), and Religiousness (REL) play an important role in coping processes. The dimensions have a different impact on particular styles depending on their internal structure. Overall spirituality was associated with Task-oriented and Social Diversion coping. It means that people characterized by a high level of spirituality will try to solve problems through efforts aimed at solving the problem and seeking out social support. There was no statistically significant relationship between Religious attitudes and coping styles. Ethical sensitivity was positively connected with using Task-oriented, Avoidance-oriented, and Social Diversion coping. Harmony was associated positively with Task-oriented, but negatively with Avoidance-oriented, coping. The relationships between spirituality dimensions and coping styles confirmed the assumption that people’s reactions to stress relate to the configuration of their spiritual qualities. Results and Implications: The study reported that there is significant relationship between spirituality and coping. Individuals high on spirituality have positive coping strategies whereas individuals low on spirituality has negative coping strategies. Also it adds to the already existing data pool with equivocal studies.


2014 ◽  
Vol 155 (33) ◽  
pp. 1312-1318 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bettina Pikó

Introduction: Because the level of stress is rather high among medical students, it would be important to prepare them for preventing it. Aim: The aim of the authors was to investigate the perceived stress level of medical students, their psychosomatic symptoms, coping strategies and satisfaction with life. Method: Preclinical medical students from the University of Szeged, Hungary (N = 155) participated in the study. Data collection was performed by groups, in self-administered, anonymous and voluntary form. Results: Levels of stress load and satisfaction with life among medical students were similar to previous international and national data. There were no gender differences in the levels of life satisfaction, however, levels of perceived stress and psychosomatic symptoms were higher among girls. Satisfaction with life was primarily related to perceived stress level and the coping methods. Conclusions: The results suggest that there are significant interrelationships among in the levels of perceived stress, psychosomatic symptoms and coping styles among in preclinical students. During medical education there is also a need for improving skills, such as coping and stress management. Orv. Hetil, 2014, 155(33), 1312–1318.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 12
Author(s):  
Samson F. Agberotimi ◽  
Choja Oduaran

This study examined the moderating effect of self-esteem on the relationship between optimism and life satisfaction in final year university students. A correlational survey design was utilized. Two hundred and twenty-three university final year students of a Nigerian university consisting of 124 males and 99 females aged 24.67&plusmn;2.56 participated in the study. Data were collected with a structured self-report questionnaire containing satisfaction with life scale (&alpha; = .82), Rosenberg self-esteem scale (&alpha; = .86), and life orientation test &ndash; revised (&alpha; = .79). Data were analyzed with SPSS v.23 at 0.05 significant level. Self-esteem significantly moderated the relationship between optimism and life satisfaction as indicated by a significant increase in proportion of the variance in life satisfaction when the interaction term between optimism and self-esteem was added to the regression model [&Delta;R2 = .03, &Delta;F (1, 219) = 7.26, p &lt; .008, b = .188, t(220) = 2.69, p &lt; .01]. It was concluded that the predictive impact of optimism on life satisfaction of university final year students is enhanced by their self-esteem; thus, students should be exposed to environment and program that promotes the development of high self-esteem and optimistic life orientation to enhance their well-being.


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