Biting the bullet: When self-efficacy mediates the stressful effects of COVID-19 beliefs

Abstract

The impact that COVID-19 had on individuals globally has been immense. Our study aims to determine if the various COVID-19 related beliefs (information seeking; invulnerability; disruption; health importance and response effectiveness) are predictors of perceived stress and if self-efficacy acts as a mediator in reducing perceived COVID-19 related stress. From a large sample of 23,629, data were assessed using validated multi-item measures for seven COVID-19 related beliefs, self-efficacy and perceived stress. After conducting a series of tests and checks via Confirmatory Factor Analyses, linear modelling and mediation analyses with bootstrapping were applied to test direct and mediation hypotheses. It is found that stress perception is most strongly affected by self-efficacy and perceived disruption. Except for information seeking, which positively affected perceived stress, self-efficacy partially mediates all other COVID-19 related beliefs (perceptions of disruption, health importance and response effectiveness) in conjunction with their direct effects. Only perceived invulnerability elicited opposite effects on stress, increasing stress directly but decreasing stress indirectly by increasing self-efficacy. This finding gives reason to believe that individuals may disclose that they are less vulnerable to COVID-19, fostering their self-efficacy, but still accept that stressing factors such as economic and social consequences apply. Overall, reinforcing self-efficacy was carved out as the most important resilience factor against perceiving high levels of stress. On this basis, implications for research and practice are provided.

Fantastic Beasts and Why It Is Necessary to Understand Our Relationship—Animal Companionship under Challenging Circumstances Using the Example of Long-Covid

“…Therefore, it might be assumed that the confrontation with a stressor such as a little researched chronical disease like Long-Covid would make a person less likely to believe in performing behaviors necessary to cope with the disease. This is also supported by the latest studies that have determined significant correlations between self-efficacy and the perception of disruption in the context of a COVID-19 infection [ 33 ]. Furthermore, the findings indicate that the confrontation with one’s own vulnerability leads to a higher perception of stress influenced by a decrease in self-efficacy [ 33 ].…”

“…This is also supported by the latest studies that have determined significant correlations between self-efficacy and the perception of disruption in the context of a COVID-19 infection [ 33 ]. Furthermore, the findings indicate that the confrontation with one’s own vulnerability leads to a higher perception of stress influenced by a decrease in self-efficacy [ 33 ]. In terms of social psychology, these results provide evidence that an infection with COVID-19 and its associated long-term effects can be seen as existential stressors or critical life events that might lead to a shock in the basic assumption that the world is benevolent, meaningful, and that the self is worthy (= shattered assumptions theory) [ 34 ].…”

The impact of dynamic capabilities on SME performance during COVID-19

“…This ambidextrous approach contains the scope for producing synergies, thereby methodically transforming them into a magic formula that grants frugal organisations some advantages. Such advantages may help organisations not only coping with the COVID-19 crisis but also with building a COVID-19 legacy deeply sustained by the dynamic resources based on internal knowledge (Eggers, 2020 ; Meyer et al, 2022 ).…”

Konseling Kelompok Untuk Meningkatkan Efikasi Diri Penyintas Covid-19

“…Bandura (Meyer et al, 2022) mendefinisikan efikasi diri sebagai evaluasi diri kompetensi seseorang untuk secara efektif melakukan tindakan tertentu yang diperlukan untuk mencapai keadaan atau hasil yang diinginkan. Efikasi diri akan berkaitan erat dengan bagaimana penderita atau penyintas Covid-19 mengevaluasi dirinya apakah mereka mampu bertahan pada keadaan terinfeksi atau tidak.…”

“…Efikasi diri akan berkaitan erat dengan bagaimana penderita atau penyintas Covid-19 mengevaluasi dirinya apakah mereka mampu bertahan pada keadaan terinfeksi atau tidak. Melalui hasil penelitian diperoleh hasil bahwa efikasi diri berhubungan negatif dengan ketidakpastian dalam menghadapi Covid-19 (Sarry et al, 2021), memiliki keterkaitan negatif dengan kecemasan (Sanger et al, 2022), mampu meningkatkan perilaku pencegahan Covid-19 (Baringbing & Purba, 2020), serta berhubungan erat dengan tingkat stres dalam menghadapi Covid-19 (Meyer et al, 2022).…”