Stress and coping strategies among youth during the COVID-19 pandemic: a population-based cohort study

Figures & data

Figure 1. Flow chart.

Table 1. Frequency of COVID-19- related stressors.

Characteristics of the stressor^1	N = 1,031	95% CI^2
Social stressors	79%	76%, 81%
No time with friends or family	54%	51%, 57%
No social activity	56%	53%, 59%
Change of plans	61%	58%, 64%
Family-relational stressors	23%	20%, 26%
Challenges at home or elsewhere	15%	13%, 18%
Greater responsibility	14%	12%, 16%
Schoolwork-related stressors	47%	44%, 50%
School work online	43%	40%, 46%
Trouble doing schoolwork	32%	29%, 35%
Worry-related stressors	54%	51%, 57%
Frightening news	20%	17%, 22%
Worry about the future	51%	47%, 54%
Infection-related stressors	44%	41%, 47%
Worry about symptoms	27%	24%, 30%
Worry about infection	37%	34%, 40%
Family economy stressors	6.2%	4.8%, 7.9%
Procurement challenges	1.6%	0.92%, 2.6%
Family financial trouble	5.8%	4.5%, 7.5%
Health-care related stressors	9.9%	8.2%, 12%
Health care	9.9%	8.2%, 12%

1 respondent answering some or more. 2 CI = Confidence Interval. Broader categories of stressors are in boldface, with single stressors belonging to the category listed below.

Table 2. Summary statistic of coping strategies.

Factors of Coping, with subscales	N = 1,031^1	95% CI^2
Primary control engagement coping	2.04 (0.52)	2.01, 2.07
Problem solving	1.86 (0.59)	1.83, 1.90
Emotional regulation	1.95 (0.64)	1.91, 1.99
Emotional expression	2.31 (0.75)	2.27, 2.36
Secondary control engagement coping	2.24 (0.53)	2.21, 2.27
Cognitive restructuring	2.01 (0.66)	1.97, 2.05
Positive thinking	2.07 (0.75)	2.02, 2.11
Acceptance	2.86 (0.73)	2.82, 2.91
Distractions	1.90 (0.68)	1.86, 1.95
Disengagement coping	1.79 (0.52)	1.76, 1.83
Denial	1.49 (0.53)	1.46, 1.53
Avoidance	1.87 (0.65)	1.83, 1.91
Wishful thinking	2.01 (0.78)	1.96, 2.06

¹Mean (SD). ²CI = Confidence Interval. Scores ranging from 1 (‘Not at all’) to 4 (‘A lot’).

Table 3. Results from univariate regressions with grouped stressors as dependent variables and gender, age, country of birth and socioeconomic status as independent variables.

	Gender^3		Age		Country of birth^4		Socioeconomic status^5
Outcome	b^1	95% CI^2	b^1	95% CI^2	b^1	95% CI^2	b^1	95% CI^2
Social stressors	.32**	.23, .42	.06**	.03, 0.09	−.15	−.36, .05	−.09*	−.18, .00
Family-relational stressors	.14**	.06, .23	.02	.00, 0.05	.17	−.01, .35	−.17**	−.25, −.10
Schoolwork-related stressors	.32**	.20, .43	.18**	.15, 0.21	.14	−.11, .39	−.17*	−.28, −.06
Worry-related stressors	.55**	.46, .64	.05**	.02, 0.07	−.07	−.28, .13	−.10*	−.19, −.01
Infection-related stressors	.45**	.36, .55	.06**	.03, 0.09	−.05	−.26, .16	−.13*	−.22, −.03
Family economy stressors	−.01	−.07, .04	.02*	.01, 0.04	.08	−.03, .20	−.23**	−.28, −.18
Health-care related stressors	.22**	.12, .31	.05**	.03, 0.08	.24*	.04, .43	−.17**	−.25, −.08

¹b= unstandardized coefficient. ²CI = Confidence Interval. ³Males as reference category. ⁴ Born in Norway as reference category. ⁵Socioeconomic status entered as ordinal variable with ‘Worse off than others’ as lowest category. *p <.05. **p < 0.001.

Table 4. Results from univariate regressions with main coping strategies as dependent variables and gender, age, country of birth and socioeconomic status as independent variables.

	Gender^3		Age		Country of birth^4		Socioeconomic status^5
Outcome	b^1	95% CI^2	b^1	95% CI^2	b^1	95% CI^2	b^1	95% CI^2
Primary control engagement coping	.21**	.14, .27	.01	−.01, .03	−.01	−.15, .12	.03	−.03, .09
Secondary control engagement coping	.12**	.06, .19	.02*	.00, .04	−.05	−.19, .09	−.04	−.10, .02
Disengagement coping	.28**	.21, .34	.01	−.01, .03	.06	−.08, .19	−.07*	−.12, −.01

¹b= unstandardized coefficient. ²CI = Confidence Interval. ³Males as reference category. ⁴ Born in Norway as reference category. Socioeconomic status entered as ordinal variable with ‘Worse off than others’ as lowest category. *p <.05. **p < 0.001.

Table 5. Results from separate multiple linear regressions with main coping strategies and average number of endorsed stressors (some or more) as dependent variables and grouped stressors as independent variables. Adjusted for age, gender, country of birth and socioeconomic status.

	Primary control engagement coping		Secondary control engagement coping		Disengagement coping
Characteristic	b^1	95% CI^2	b^1	95% CI^2	b^1	95% CI^2
Social stressors	.13**	09, .17	.09**	.05, .13	.15**	.11, .19
Family-relational stressors	.09**	.04, .13	.06*	.01, .11	.32**	.28, .36
Schoolwork-related stressors	.04*	.00, .07	.05*	.01, .08	.18**	.15, .22
Worry-related stressors	.13**	.09, .17	.08**	.04, .12	.30**	.26, .34
Infection-related stressors	.14**	.10, .18	.09**	.05, .13	.24**	.20, .28
Family economy stressors	.15**	.07, .23	.03	−.05, .11	.31**	.23, .38
Health-care related stressors	.07**	.03, .11	−.02	−.06, .03	.22**	.18, .26
Number of stessors (some or more)	.04**	.03, .05	.03**	.02, .04	.09**	.08, .10

¹ b= unstandardized coefficient. 2CI = Confidence Interval. *p <.05. **p < 0.001.