Scanning the VIRUS: A study of dimensions of stress and coping with COVID-19

Abstract

The current research examines the psychosocial stressors that Indians are facing as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, using a self-constructed COVID-19 Stress Scale (CSS). It also assesses the coping strategies being used currently. The sample comprised of 1009 Indians ranging between 17 and 83 years. The items of the CSS were constructed based on a review of existing scales, expert evaluations, and participant interviews. The factor structure of COVID-19 Stress Scale (CSS) was examined through the use of an exploratory factor analysis. Several psychometric tests were conducted to ascertain its reliability and validity properties. Results suggest a five-factor structure: Vexation with Others, Immediate Concerns, Routine Disruption, Uncertainty about the Future, and Systemic stressors (abbreviated as VIRUS) explaining 55.269% of the total variance in COVID-19 stress. Coefficient alphas for the entire scale (0.90) and for each of the five factors, ranging from 0.69-0.85, indicate satisfactory internal consistency. One-way analysis of variance was done to assess the differences among emotion-focused, problem-solving, and seeking social support coping strategy. Correlations were calculated between various coping strategies and COVID-19 Stress. Results suggested that seeking social support was the most used coping strategy. No significant correlation was found between the use of any coping strategy and COVID-19 stress. The proposed VIRUS model adequately captures the stressful experience of COVID-19. COVID-19 Stress Scale (CSS), a 21-item scale has robust psychometric properties.Keywords COVID-19 stressor scale (CSS) . Stress . Coping . India . VIRUS model COVID-19, a "public health emergency of International Concern", as declared by the WHO, has affected nearly every country irreversibly, sparking global panic. Beyond the obvious medical concerns, this pandemic has resulted in huge global psychosocial and politico-economic effects. Pandemics are not just about a potent infectious virus affecting people, but also about how people behave and think in such times. The mental health of people is at stake and their mindset in this crisis is critical. Consequences of safety measures such as lockdowns, social isolation, home confinement etc. lead to fear, panic, loneliness, boredom, and anger, all of which are risk factors for psychiatric disorders. This pervasive fear also results in health anxiety, xenophobia (Ahuja, Banerjee, Chaudhary, & Gidwani, 2020), unnecessary hoarding of medical equipment, self-medication and mass hysteria, all of which have adverse health consequences. For instance,

Stress, internet use, substance use and coping among adolescents, young-adults and middle-age adults amid the ‘new normal’ pandemic era

“…The gender affected the stress where females experienced higher stress than men. 7 Moreover, amid the pandemic, 'habit forming' behaviours like internet use and substance use have been reported to increase in adolescents and adults. 8 Owing to social restrictions laid out by the government to prevent the spread of infection, there has been a surge in internet use, both during and after the lockdown.…”

“…Individuals who actively delay or evade responses to stress may merely offer momentary diversion from the stress but do not provide long-term relief. 7,18 It was also noted that such an avoidant coping style affected individuals' psychological distress more than an active coping style during the lockdown period. 18,19 A study revealed that a positive attitude and trust in God were the most used adaptive coping strategies during the pandemic.…”

Coping with COVID-19 stress: Associations with depression and anxiety in a diverse sample of U.S. adults

“…In addition to needing effective methods to prevent and treat COVID-19, the pandemic has brought unprecedented stress to individuals in the U.S. and throughout the world. Stressors related to the pandemic include direct effects of the virus, such as being diagnosed with and treated for the disease; and indirect effects such as job loss or income disruptions, closures of schools and agencies that provide essential care and support to families, and social isolation, interpersonal conflict, and loneliness as a result of complying with social distancing guidelines (e.g., Ahuja, 2021;Kujawa et al, 2020;Taylor et al, 2020). These COVID-19-related stressors place individuals at risk for symptoms of depression, anxiety, and other psychiatric disorders.…”

The Pandemic Stressor Scale – Factorial Validity and Reliability of a Measure of Stressors During a Pandemic

“…Psychometric information most often concerned internal consistency assessed with Cronbach's α [e.g., 22]. Two studies performed an EFA [26,31], but no CFA has been conducted on any of the identi ed measures to con rm the dimensional structure. Overall, no measure has been psychometrically evaluated in more than one study.…”