The Relationship Between Stress Hormones and Students’ Coping Strategies in the Context of the Dynamically Changing Situation of the Covid-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Objective: to identify the relationship between stress hormones and coping strategies in students in the context of the dynamically changing situation of the COVID-19 pandemic.
 Materials and Methods. The students of the pedagogical university aged 20–21 years (n=10), randomized sampling from the general population, took part in the study. The repertoire of coping strategies was studied using standardized questionnaire methods COPE and “Proactive Coping”. Catecholamines were determined in plasma by high-performance liquid chromatography, Glucocorticoids – by chemiluminescence immunoassay on microparticles. Dynamics of indicators and their correlation were considered on the example of two periods of change of the COVID-19 pandemic situation.
 Results. Analysis of stress hormone indicators at two stages of the study suggests that students adapted to the dynamically changing situation of the second year of the pandemic. Restrictive measures lead to a decrease in dopamine (p<0,05), which correlates with the strategies of coping with stress chosen by students. Study of the relationship in different ways allowed to identify the correlation of stress hormones with emotion-oriented coping and avoidance of a stressful situation.
 Conclusion. The results confirm the mediating role of stress hormones in students’ choice of coping strategies in the dynamically changing situation of the COVID-19 pandemic.