Stress and Coping in a Self-Isolated Family during COVID-19 Pandemic

Objective. To find out the level of stressfulness of inside family isolation in Russia; coping with the negative effects of a pandemic, fear and isolation. Background. The situation of a health threat causes unexpected stress enhancing the fear of getting infected, uncertainty, anxiety. The coronavirus disease outbreak has introduced special demands: to lockdown not to get infected. But it also “triggers” adaptive coping behavior. It`s suggested that situation-adequate coping, as well as close relationships based on support, reduce the effects of coronavirus threat. Domestic violence and its effects (physical abuse, mental illness, PTSD) negatively affect family relationships, maybe as deadly as the coronavirus, require immediate prevention. Study design. A mini-longitudinal empirical study was conducted online at the beginning (27.03.2020—12.04.2020) (N1=248) and in the second half of lockdown (28.04.2020—03.05.2020) (N2=310). The role of stressors in changing family relationships has been correlated with the impact of catching COVID-19 threat and self-isolation on the psychological state of family members. Participants. 558 volunteers aged 18—87, including 425 women and 117 men; the majority of them (66%) have their own family — 369 are married/in a relationship; work. Measurements. A questionnaire created by the authors on the basis of international projects assessing impact of stress and self-isolation on family relationships, standardized anxiety and depression scales; coping scales. Results. Negative outcomes of the threat of infection and isolation are reduced if coping is adequate, emotional support from family members, and their views on the necessary daily changes are consistent. Stress levels are higher in single people. Having a partner is important for ways of coping choice. Conclusions. Stress generating from the threat of catching virus/COVID-19 experienced by people during lockdown in close/family relationships is normative as long as they use coping strategies, adequate to the situation (acceptance, positive reappraisal) with a low frequency of choosing less adequate strategies.

 

1.        Bonkalo T.I., Marinova T.Y., Feoktistova S.V., Shmeleva S.V. Diadicheskie koping-strategii suprugov kak factor latentnykh disfunktsional’nykh otnoshenii v sem’e: opyt empiricheskogo issledovaniya v usloviyakh pandemii [Dyadic Coping Strategies of Spouses as a Factor in Latent Dysfunctional Relationships in the Family: an Empirical Study in a Pandemic]. Sotsial’naya psikhologiya i obshchestvo = Social Psychology and Society, 2020. Vol. 11, no. 3, pp. 35—50. DOI:10.17759/sps.2020110303 (In Russ.)

2.        Enikolopov S.N., Boyko O.M., Medvedeva T.I., Vorontsova O.U., Kazmina O.Yu. Dinamika psihologicheskih reakcij na nachal’nom etape pandemii COVID-19 [Elektronnyi resurs] [Dynamics of Psychological Reactions at the Start of the Pandemic of COVID-19]. Psikhologo-pedagogicheskie issledovaniya = Psychological-Educational Studies, 2020. Vol. 12, no. 2, pp. 108—126. DOI:10.17759/ psyedu.2020120207 (In Russ.).

3.        Kryukova T.L., Ekimchik O.A., Opekina T.P. Psixologiya sovladaniya s trudnostyami v blizkix (mezhlichnostny`x) otnosheniyax [Psychology of coping with difficulties in close (interpersonal) relationships]. Kostroma: Publ. Kostrom. gos. un-ta, 2019. 340 p. (In Russ.).

4.        Xarlamenkova N.E., By`xovecz Yu.V., Dan M.V., Nikitina D.A. Perezhivanie neopredelennosti, trevogi, bespokojstva v usloviyax COVID-19 [Elektronnyi resurs] [The experience of uncertainty, anxiety, anxiety in the conditions of COVID-19]. Available at: http://ipras.ru/cntnt/rus/ institut_p/covid-19/kommentarii-eksp/har-1.html?fbclid=IwAR3LKNuqYkAeIvGr5JlQaptP7w Sz8k6E7ZaJQXdqn6q5-9JtGF16-yjlcHs (Accessed: 30.05.2020). (In Russ.).

5.        Brooks S.K., Webster R.K., Smith L.E., Woodland L., Wessely S., Greenberg N., Rubin G.J. The psychological impact of quarantine and how to reduce it: rapid review of the evidence [Elektronnyi resurs]. Lancet, 2020. Vol. 395, pp. 912—20. DOI:10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30460-8

6.        Everett J.A.C., Colombatto C., Chituc V., Brady W.J., Crockett M. The effectiveness of moral messages on public health behavioral intentions during the COVID-19 pandemic [Elektronnyi resurs]. DOI:10.31234/osf.io/9yqs8

7.        Fancourt D., Feifei Bu F., WanMak H., Steptoe A. Covid-19 Social Study [Elektronnyi resurs]. Available at: www.marchnetwork.org/covid19study (Accessed 27.03.2020-10.05.2020).

8.        Jachimowicz J., Haushofer J. Measuring Worldwide COVID-19 Attitudes and Beliefs [Elektronnyi resurs]. Available at: https://osf.io/3sn2k/ (Accessed 20.04.2020).

9.        Laughon K. When staying home is dangerous: domestic violence during quarantine [Elektronnyi resurs]. Available at: https://research.virginia.edu/when-staying-home-dangerous-domestic-violence-during-quarantine. (Accessed 10.08.2020).

10.    McWilliams N. Psychotherapy in a Pandemic [Elektronnyi resurs]. Frenis Zero Psychoanalytic Journal. April 5, 2020. Available at: http://web.tiscali.it/cispp/mcwilliamsPANDEMIC.htm (Accessed 07.05.2020).

11.    Qiu J., Shen B., Zhao M., Wang Z., Xie B., Xu Y. A nationwide survey of psychological distress among Chinese people in the COVID-19 epidemic: implications and policy recommendations [Elektronnyi resurs]. General Psychiatry, 2020. Vol. 33, no.2. DOI:10.1136/gpsych-2020-100213

12.    Snaith R.P. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale [Elektronnyi resurs]. Health Qual Life Outcomes, 2003. Vol. 1: 29. DOI:10.1186/1477-7525-1-29

13.    SweenyK., et al. Flow in the Time of COVID[Elektronnyi resurs]. PsyArXiv, 2020. DOI:10.31234/osf.io/e3kcw

14.    WHO. COVID-19 and violence against women [Elektronnyi resurs]. Available at: https://apps. who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/331699/WHO-SRH-20.04-eng.pdf. (Accessed 28.08.2020).

15.    Yip P.S.F., Chau P.H. Physical Distancing and Emotional Closeness amidst COVID-19 [Elektronnyi resurs]. Crisis, 2020. Vol. 41, pp. 153—155. DOI:10.1027/0227-5910/a000710