Self-initiated coping strategies of adults during COVID-19, and their association with psychosocial outcomes

This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the practices of mindfulness and physical exercise as coping strategies adopted by adults during the Covid-19 pandemic and their associations with resilience and post-traumatic growth (PTG). A quantitative online survey composed of several questionnaires and delivered through the Qualtrics platform collected data for further investigation of the relationship between the impact of Covid-19, coping, physical exercise, mindfulness, health and well-being, resilience, and post-traumatic growth. The sample of 119 participants is mainly composed of females, white British nationals and UK residents, with a mean age of 44.5 years old. Multiple regression results showed that physical exercise was non-significant regarding its contribution to either of the outcome variables, despite most of the sample engaging in physical exercise during Covid- 19. Mindfulness practice, health and well-being before Covid-19 and avoidance coping were contributors to health and well-being at data collection. Dispositional mindfulness was found to be the sole contributor to resilience in this sample. Whereas mindfulness practice, dispositional mindfulness, the impact of Covid-19, avoidance and approach coping and death from Covid-19 were shown to be significantly associated with PTG. Conclusions: Physical exercise, despite being highly engaged with by the sample did not yield the expected contribution towards the outcome variables, with mindfulness practice being more relevant in contributing to health and well-being and post-traumatic growth and dispositional mindfulness, an important contributor to both resilience and PTG. Alternative factors and strategies of coping may play a more relevant role in those relationships. More complex relationships between predictors and outcome variables may be occurring that are beyond the scope of the present study. The findings demonstrate that physical exercise and mindfulness practice differ in the impact of their contribution to the outcome variables. Future research may need to focus on investigating further those relationships.

Citation

Bevilacqua Faulkner, B.C. (2025) Self-initiated coping strategies of adults during COVID-19, and their association with psychosocial outcomes. University of Wolverhampton. https://wlv.openrepository.com/handle/2436/625954

Publisher

University of Wolverhampton

URI

https://wlv.openrepository.com/handle/2436/625954

Type

Thesis or dissertation

Language

en

Description

A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the University of Wolverhampton for the award of Professional Doctorate in Counselling Psychology.

Collections

Theses and Dissertations