What makes one feel eustress or distress in quarantine? An analysis from conservation of resources (COR) theory

Abstract

Objective. Health quarantines produce serious deterioration in psychological health, which becomes more affected the longer the quarantine lasts. According to the Conservation of Resources theory from Hobfoll (1989, American Psychologist, 44, 513), those people who have a good supply of resources will be able to cope better with the adversities and will show less distress. The objective of this research is to identify what are the resources that, in a situation of confinement under the threat of COVID-19, predict eustress or well-being, and the loss or lack of which resources predict distress or discomfort.Design and Method. A total of 839 people complete an online questionnaire during the first week of COVID-19 confinement in Spain. The sample is weighted to obtain a distribution that is similar to the Spanish population. Using multiple linear regression analysis, factors are identified that are associated with eustress and distress based on the Conservation of Resources theory. Results.A model is identified that explains 55% of the variance of eustress consisting mostly of personal resources, with vitality as the recourse having the most weight. The factors that explain distress (18.9% of the variance) are those related to work (employment situation, work satisfaction, and time devoted to work) and conditions in the home (space).Conclusions. The models that predict eustress and distress are completely different. Based on these results, a series of recommendations are proposed aimed at increasing eustress and reducing distress in a situation of confinement. Additionally, proposals are offered for future research.

Sickness Presenteeism in the Aftermath of COVID-19: Is Presenteeism Remote-Work Behavior the New (Ab)normal?

“…According to the Conservation of Resources theory (Hobfoll, 1989), employees who perceive a good supply of resources will identify better strategies to cope with the adversities of working from home and have less stress. A study developed by Merino et al (2021) revealed that the level of stress is dependent upon variables of employment situation, work satisfaction, and the time employees devote to work, as well as the amount of space available in the home and interference from children or other persons there.…”

Does COVID-19 Induced Occupational Stress Moderates the Relationship of Spiritual Motivation and Academicians’ Tacit Knowledge Sharing Behaviour Among South Asian Higher Education Institutions?

“…However, acquisition and conservation of resources and linked with eustress. It is, therefore, pertinent to identify and retain employees' resources so that they cope up with catastrophic or any other kind of occupational stress in a healthier way(M. D. Merino et al, 2021). Knowledge Sharing Behaviour (KSB) is "a set of individual behaviours concerning sharing one's job-related knowledge and expertise with colleagues" (Yi, 2009).…”

“…Therefore, this study focuses on the personal, condition, and energy resources and their impact on Tacit Knowledge Sharing Behaviour (TKSB), with COVID-Induced Occupational Stress (CIOS) moderation. M. D. Merino, Vallellano, Oliver, and Mateo (2021) claimed that researchers earlier studied COR theory in the Turkey earthquake, hurricane Katrina, Taiwan towers attack, but no one applied it in the COVID-19 context. They further found that when there is fear of loss of resources or lack of gain, there will be a lack of adaptation to the changing environment, which results in distress.…”

Development and Validation of a Short Measure of Emotional, Physical, and Behavioral Markers of Eustress and Distress (MEDS)

“…Although there are numerous scales for the assessment of distress (amongst others, the widely used Perceived Stress Scale by Cohen et al [ 17 ]), eustress has not received enough attention in terms of operationalization and measurement. In a recent paper, Merino et al [ 18 ] used positive and negative affect experienced in relation to COVID-19 quarantine as indicators of eustress and distress, respectively. The COVID-19 pandemic is indeed a global stressor [ 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 ] that can trigger either eustress or distress in the population [ 20 , 23 ].…”