Mediation effect of coping strategies on general psychological health among middle-aged and older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Objective

In this study, we aim to assess general psychological health, associated factors, and the potential of coping strategies as a mediator for middle-aged and older Malaysian adults during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

A total of 535 individuals aged 52 years and above from the previous cohort and interventional studies in Peninsular Malaysia were contacted during the Movement Control Order (MCO) issued during the COVID-19 pandemic. Telephonic interviews were conducted to obtain participant information concerning socio-demography, physical activity, subjective well-being (SWB) as assessed using flourishing scale, coping strategies, and general psychological health (GHQ-12). Simple linear regression (SLR) and multiple linear regression (MLR) analyses were performed to identify the factors associated with GHQ-12. The associated factors were further analysed using mediation analysis to determine the potential of coping strategies as a mediator.

Results

It was observed that participants had a low mean GHQ-12 score (M = 0.80, SD = 2.19), indicating good psychological health. Living arrangement, physical activity, and flourishing scale were associated with psychological health (R² = 0.412, p < 0.05) in MLR. Positive reinterpretation, emotional support, instrumental support, humour, denial, and self-blame appear to partially mediate the relationship between socio-demography, physical activity, flourishing scale and GHQ-12, with lower coefficient values.

Conclusion

Middle-aged and older adults in Malaysia had good psychological health during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially when living with family, physically active, and having good subjective well-being. These findings provide the initial evidence to help promote the ageing population’s general well-being and mental health and enable them to cope with change during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Keywords:

• Psychological health
• COVID-19
• flourishing
• living alone
• physical activity
• coping

Acknowledgements

The authors express gratitude to all co-researchers, enumerators, staff, and participants for their willingness to cooperate and make this study successful.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Funding

This work was supported by the Grand Challenge Grant Project 1 and Project 2 (DCP-2017-002/1, DCP-2017-002/2) funded by the Research University Grant.