Perceived threat of COVID-19, self-assessment of physical health and mental resilience

ABSTRACT

The coronavirus pandemic is a global health crisis and the biggest challenge of our time. The aim of the study was to compare the perceived threat of COVID-19, self-assessed physical health, and mental resilience among some social categories vulnerable to stress during the COVID-19 pandemic, such as 67 people diagnosed with mental disorders and healthy people (67 healthcare specialists, 67 professionals in the areas of economy, education, law or IT, and 67 athletes). Age advance (r ₍₂₆₆₎ = −227, p < 001) and perception of COVID-19 as a bigger threat (r ₍₂₆₆₎ = −270, p < 001) were related to worsened self-assessed physical health. Higher mental resilience was accompanied by better physical health (r ₍₂₆₆₎ = .190, p = 002). The people with mental disabilities had the lowest level of mental resilience (p = 034) and self-assessed their physical health as the poorest (p = 040). The healthcare specialists perceived COVID-19 as a threat in the highest degree (p = 011). The results revealed some coping resources that may strengthen mental resilience and improve health status among different sub-groups of population.

KEYWORDS:

• COVID-19 pandemic
• mental resilience
• mental disorders
• physical health
• sport and healthcare

SUBJECT CLASSIFICATION CODES:

• 2226 Health Psychology Testing
• 3040 Social Perception & Cognition
• 3210 Psychological Disorders

Acknowledgments

The authors thank Prof. Jonathan Davidson for permitting to use The Connor-Davidson Resilience scale (CD-RISC2).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Stanislava Stoyanova

Stanislava Stoyanova, Ph.D., is a lecturer in Psychological measurements and Experimental Psychology at South-West University “Neofit Rilski”. She holds a Ph.D. degree in Social Psychology.

Silviya Miteva

Silviya Miteva, Ph.D., is a lecturer in Psychoterapy and Clinical Psychology at South-West University “Neofit Rilski”.

Nikolay Ivantchev

Nikolay Ivantchev, Ph.D., is a lecturer in Sport Psychology at South-West University “Neofit Rilski”. He holds a PhD degree in Developmental and Educational Psychology.