Covid-19 fear, happiness and stress in adults: the mediating role of psychological resilience and coping with stress

Abstract

Objective

The aim of this study is to examine the mediating role of coping with stress and psychological resilience in the relationship between happiness and perceived stress of COVID-19 fear in Turkish adults.

Methods

827 individuals (516 females, 311 males) above 18 years of age and living in Turkey participated in this research. The data of the research was collected through the COVID-19 Fear Scale, Depression-Happiness Scale Short Form, Perceived Stress Scale and Psychological Resilience Scale Short Form.

Results

The results show that fear of COVID-19 negatively predicts happiness and positively predicts perceived stress. According to the results, psychological resilience and coping with perceived stress mediate the relationship between fear of COVID-19 and happiness and stress. Moreover, psychological resilience and coping with perceived stress mitigate the impact of COVID-19 fear on happiness and stress.

Conclusions

The findings provide evidence as to how to reduce the negative impact of COVID-19 on mental health. In addition, the results provide information to improve mental health during the pandemic period.

KEY POINTS

• Psychological resilience reduces the effect of COVID-19 on stress and increases happiness levels.

• Coping with stress reduces the impact of COVID-19 on stress and increases happiness levels

Keywords:

• COVID-19
• psychological resilience
• mental health
• coping with stress
• happiness
• mediation

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors

Author contributions

After the literature review of the relevant subject, AP and SC collectively came up with the idea of this research. After determining the subject, they ensured the completion of the AP and SC research procedures. While AP handled the ethics committee approvals and the official permission work for the implementation of the scales, AP and SC conducted the data collection process. The transfer of the collected data to the computer environment and examination of their suitability for analysis were made by AP. Reporting processes were completed by AP and SC. The introduction part of this study was written by SC, the methodology section by AP and the findings and discussion parts by AP. AP reviewed the whole reporting process of this study.

Notes

1 https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e1FAIpQLSdQim4uhSIMEWuTKxtgsz