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Counseling Psychology and Psychotherapy
2021. Vol. 29, no. 1, 9–27
doi:10.17759/cpp.2021290102
ISSN: 2075-3470 / 2311-9446 (online)

Psychological Response and Mechanisms of Adaptation to Stress Caused by Covid-19 Pandemic

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I.S. Korotkova, M.V. Iakovleva, O.Y. Shchelkova, D.A. Eremina

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Abstract

The article presents the results of a study aimed at analyzing the emotional state of participants (levels of anxiety and depression), their psychological strategies for coping with stress, and their level of perceived stress during the COVID-19 pandemic. The online study, conducted in March-May 2020, involved 629 people aged 18—67 (М=33.27, SD=10.6). Demographic and psychosocial data of the respondents were obtained by means of a structured interview. The methods also included the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), the Spielberger’s Test Anxiety Inventory (STAI), the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and the Ways of Coping Questionnaire (WCQ). It was found that 30.3% of the interviewed respondents had anxiety, and 4.7% had depressive symptoms that required psychological intervention. The results revealed that healthcare providers who were not directly involved in working with COVID-19 patients were less prone to depression (p<0,05) than respondents with other professions; they had a tendency to use problem-focused coping strategies and were more inclined to follow WHO guidelines for preventing the spread of COVID-19.

General Information

Keywords: COVID-19 pandemic, adaptation, stress, anxiety, stress coping, health¬care providers

Journal rubric: Empirical Researches

DOI: https://doi.org/10.17759/cpp.2021290102

For citation: Korotkova I.S., Iakovleva M.V., Shchelkova O.Y., Eremina D.A. Psychological Response and Mechanisms of Adaptation to Stress Caused by Covid-19 Pandemic. Konsul'tativnaya psikhologiya i psikhoterapiya = Counseling Psychology and Psychotherapy, 2021. Vol. 29, no. 1, pp. 9–27. DOI: 10.17759/cpp.2021290102. (In Russ., аbstr. in Engl.)

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Information About the Authors

Inga S. Korotkova, PhD in Psychology, Senior Lecturer, Department of Medical Psychology and Psychophysiology, Saint Petersburg State University, St.Petersburg, Russia, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9614-4329, e-mail: pemphix@mail.ru

Maria V. Iakovleva, PhD in Psychology, Associate Professor of the Department of Medical Psychology and Psychophysiology, Saint-Petersburg State University, St.Petersburg, Russia, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5035-4382, e-mail: m.v.yakovleva@spbu.ru

Olga Y. Shchelkova, Doctor of Psychology, Head of the Chair of Clinical Psychology & Psychophysiology, St. Petersburg State University, St.Petersburg, Russia, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9444-4742, e-mail: olga.psy.pu@mail.ru

Daria A. Eremina, PhD in Psychology, Senior Lecturer, Department of Medical Psychology and Psychophysiology, St. Petersburg State University, St.Petersburg, Russia, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0076-0347, e-mail: daria.a.eremina@gmail.com

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