Causal relationship between coping strategies and corona anxiety with the mediating role of resilience

Despite the emphasis on social distance and personal hygiene and warnings about the COVID-19, little attention has paid to its psychological aspects, which can affect adherence to self-care behaviours. Therefore, paying attention to the psychological effects of the COVID-19, such as fear and anxiety is of high importance. It is also useful to examine psychological mechanisms, such as resilience, which can have a variety of effects. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the mediatory role of the resilience in relationship between coping strategies with corona anxiety.

The present study is a descriptive-correlational study using causal relationship modeling methods. The population of this study included all undergraduate students single-gender poldokhtar higher education center (boys) who were studying in the academic year 2020-2021. The statistical sample size was determined based on the rules of thumb Kline equal to 210 people, which was done by available sampling method and online questionnaire (Corona Disease Anxiety Scale (CDAS; Alipour & et al., 2020), Ways of Coping Questionnaire (WCQ; Folkman & Lazarus, 1988), and Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC, 2003)). Due to the need to reduce social contact in order to prevent the spread of Covid-19, the available sampling method and Internet implementation were used. The method is that the questionnaire link was made available to users

The results showed that the model fit indices, ie x2/df= 1.32 less than 3, IFI= 0.99, TLI= 0.98, GFI= 0.99, AGFI= 0.97, CFI= 0.99, more than 0.9 indicate the appropriate fit of the model, as well as NFI= 0.98 more than 0. 8 and RMSEA= 0.04 less than 0.1. The emotional- focused coping strategy had a direct effect on corona anxiety (p < 0.01); but problem- focused coping strategies did not have a direct effect on corona anxiety (p > 0.05). Problem- focused coping strategy had a direct effect on resilience (p < 0.01); but emotional - focused coping strategies did not have a direct effect on resilience (p > 0.05). Also, resilience had an indirect effect on corona anxiety (p < 0.01). Indirect pathway results showed that only problem-focused coping strategies mediated by resilience could reduce corona anxiety (p < 0.01).

The results showed that resilience played a mediating role in the relationship between problem- focused coping strategies and corona anxiety; Researchers such as Fife & et al (2008) found that resilient people are more likely to use problem-solving coping strategies, and that using these coping styles reduces the likelihood of acquiring diseases and increases people's desire to receive health services. Problem-oriented coping styles create cognitive and behavioral efforts to prevent, manage, and reduce stress that can reduce the impact of stress on mental health and increase mental health and resilience (Nilsson, Carlsson, Lindqvist & Kristofferzon, 2017). Resilient people reduce their adverse effects and maintain their mental health despite being exposed to chronic stress and tension caused by corona heart disease. By promoting resilience, individuals can resist and overcome stressors, anxieties as well as factors that cause many of their psychological problems.