Psychological Resilience, Hope, and Adaptability as Protective Factors in Times of Crisis: A Study in Greek and Cypriot Society During the Covid-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Various studies have assessed resilience in relation to risk and protective factors during periods of crisis, and have shown that values such as hope and optimism are significantly related to peoples' level of quality of life in times of crisis. The Covid-19 pandemic has proven to be a great challenge as it is an unprecedented global health crisis. Our study aims to explore the effects of psychological resilience, hope, and adaptability when people experience real or perceived possible danger. The present study was quantitative, and it applied three different self-report questionnaires, namely the CD RISK to assess psychological resiliency (Connor & Davidson, 2003), the AHS (Adult-Hope-Scale) (Snyder, 1994) to assess hope, and a third questionnaire, the CAQ (Covid-19-Adaptation-Questionnaire), to explore perceived ability to adapt to changes in daily life due to the imposed quarantine as well as trust in state policies and the media during the peak of the pandemic in Greece and Cyprus. Demographic data such as age, gender, place of residence, and level of education were collected by using a Personal Information Form. We administered the instruments to 205 Greek and Cypriot men and women in age groups of 18 years or older. Our findings showed that high scores in hope could predict higher levels of psychological resilience and the ability to adapt in the face of adversity. We have also found a significant positive relationship between age and level of education with psychological resiliency. Older participants and participants with higher levels of education showed higher levels of psychological resiliency and adaptation in comparison with the younger and less educated subjects. At the same time, findings indicated that although people adapted and complied with extreme social isolation measures, neither did they actually trust the relevant state policies, nor did they rely on mass media for information regarding the pandemic.

Prevalence of anxiety, depression, stress, and perceived stress and their relation with resilience during the COVID‐19 pandemic, a cross‐sectional study

“…Demetriou et al also concluded that resilience has a positive relation with age; as age advances, resilience appears to increase. 66 Contrary to our results, Klein et al exhibited that the perceived stress was higher in younger age groups, correlated with another study carried out in India. 67 , 68 A study conducted in the Philippines discovered that young generations are dealt with higher psychological aftermath from the ongoing pandemic than men, respectively.…”

Exploring the quality of life and psychological symptoms of university students in Cyprus during the Covid-19 pandemic

“…Similar results by showed that young participants were more affected psychologically than older ones during the Covid19 pandemic crisis. Demetriou et al (2020) suggested that older people showed higher levels of psychological resiliency and adaptation than the younger participants.…”

“…It seems that younger adults are more vulnerable to higher levels of distress due to more exposure to a large amount of information from social media that can easily trigger stress (Cheng et al, 2014). Moreover, the younger adult group is prone to more unstable relationships, lack of economic independence, and less adaptive coping strategies (Jackson, 2002) compared to those who have had years of experience behind them (Demetriou, 2020). These factors may also contribute to the higher level of distress young adults face when confronted with harsh life situations.…”

Exploring the Role of Resilience and Optimism during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Older European Adults

“…Several studies have suggested a potential correlation between resilience and optimism. Demetriou et al (2021) found that hopefulness, together with age and educational attainment, significantly predicted psychological resilience and willingness and capacity to adapt to COVID-19 measures during the early stages of the pandemic in a sample of Greek and Cypriot adults. Zayas et al (2021) found that dispositional optimism was significantly associated with the psychological well-being of Spanish adults, and this association was mediated by resilience.…”