The Coronavirus Anxiety in the Elderly: The Role of Coping Styles with Stress and Meta-Worry

Coronavirus symptoms have more severe physical and psychological clinical manifestations in the elderly. Accordingly, the elderly seem to be one of the main groups at risk for Coronavirus disease. The aim of this study was to predict Coronavirus anxiety based on coping styles with stress and meta-worry. The research design was correlational. The statistical population included all the elderly living in Ahvaz, among whom 300 were selected as the study sample using online convenience sampling method. The research instruments included Alizadeh et al.'s Corona Anxiety, Lazarus and Falkman's Coping Styles, and Wells's meta-worry Inventory. Used to analyze the data was a multiple regression method. The results indicated that problem-oriented coping style (r-=0.401) had a negative and significant relationship with corona anxiety in the elderly and emotion-centered coping style (r=0.281) and meta-worry (r=0.429) have a positive and significant relationship with corona anxiety (p < 0.01). Besides, the variables of problem-oriented coping style, emotion-centered coping style and meta-worry were able to predict 31.5% of the changes in corona anxiety in the elderly, which the share of meta-worry was more than other variables (p < 0.01). Considering the capability of coping style and meta-worry in predicting Coronavirus anxiety in the elderly, training programs can be designed and represented through virtual workshops to increase problem-oriented coping style and to decrease emotion-centered coping style and meta-worry, in order to reduce Coronavirus anxiety.