Perceived Stress and Coping Strategies of Healthcare Workers in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic

In 2020, the world faced the COVID-19 pandemic. Medical workers who are fighting for the lives and health of patients in the "red zones" were on the front line in this struggle. The huge level of responsibility, the increasing duration of shifts, difficult working conditions, fears for the...

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Main Authors: Doronina T.V., Okulova A.E., Arcishevskaya E.V.
Format: Article
Language:Russian
Published: Moscow State University of Psychology and Education 2021-10-01
Series:Клиническая и специальная психология
Subjects:
Online Access:https://psyjournals.ru/files/123727/cpse_2021_n3_Doronina_et_al.pdf
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author Doronina T.V.
Okulova A.E.
Arcishevskaya E.V.
author_facet Doronina T.V.
Okulova A.E.
Arcishevskaya E.V.
author_sort Doronina T.V.
collection DOAJ
description In 2020, the world faced the COVID-19 pandemic. Medical workers who are fighting for the lives and health of patients in the "red zones" were on the front line in this struggle. The huge level of responsibility, the increasing duration of shifts, difficult working conditions, fears for their health and the health of their loved ones, and many other factors determined the fact that doctors themselves began to need support for their physical and psychological well-being. The purpose of our work was to study the level of perceived stress in the context of the features of coping strategies in medical professionals with different practical experience (students, practicing doctors) in the conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic. The total number of study participants was 59 people, including 35 experienced medical workers aged 33 to 72 years (M=47,88; SD=9,44) and 24 medical students aged 20 to 29 years (M=24,16; SD=3,21) without professional experience, but who voluntarily went to work in the "red zones" during the pandemic. As a result of the study, data were obtained on high levels of perceived stress and overstrain by medical professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic, which is especially pronounced in students. The differences between experienced doctors and medical students were revealed according to the criterion of their preference for certain coping strategies, namely, the predominance of "Escape–avoidance" coping among students. The connection of dominant coping behavior strategies with the level of perceived stress is also established: students who resort to confrontational coping experience a higher level of perceived stress, and a decrease in their level of overexertion is associated with a greater degree of self-control strategy. Experienced doctors do not have both of these connections.
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spelling doaj.art-8038d8c55b2f4ff79fcbc1aaa685d47e2022-12-21T18:22:23ZrusMoscow State University of Psychology and EducationКлиническая и специальная психология2304-03942021-10-01103648310.17759/cpse.2021100305Perceived Stress and Coping Strategies of Healthcare Workers in the Context of the COVID-19 PandemicDoronina T.V.0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4680-4461Okulova A.E.1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2178-1403Arcishevskaya E.V.2https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3825-0227PhD in Psychology, Associate Professor, Department of General Psychology, Institute of Experimental Psychology, Moscow State University of Psychology and Education, Moscow, Russiastudent, Moscow State University of Psychology & Education, Moscow, RussiaPhD in Psychology, Associate Professor, Department of General Psychology, Institute of Experimental Psychology, Moscow State University of Psychology & Education, Moscow, RussiaIn 2020, the world faced the COVID-19 pandemic. Medical workers who are fighting for the lives and health of patients in the "red zones" were on the front line in this struggle. The huge level of responsibility, the increasing duration of shifts, difficult working conditions, fears for their health and the health of their loved ones, and many other factors determined the fact that doctors themselves began to need support for their physical and psychological well-being. The purpose of our work was to study the level of perceived stress in the context of the features of coping strategies in medical professionals with different practical experience (students, practicing doctors) in the conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic. The total number of study participants was 59 people, including 35 experienced medical workers aged 33 to 72 years (M=47,88; SD=9,44) and 24 medical students aged 20 to 29 years (M=24,16; SD=3,21) without professional experience, but who voluntarily went to work in the "red zones" during the pandemic. As a result of the study, data were obtained on high levels of perceived stress and overstrain by medical professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic, which is especially pronounced in students. The differences between experienced doctors and medical students were revealed according to the criterion of their preference for certain coping strategies, namely, the predominance of "Escape–avoidance" coping among students. The connection of dominant coping behavior strategies with the level of perceived stress is also established: students who resort to confrontational coping experience a higher level of perceived stress, and a decrease in their level of overexertion is associated with a greater degree of self-control strategy. Experienced doctors do not have both of these connections.https://psyjournals.ru/files/123727/cpse_2021_n3_Doronina_et_al.pdfpsychological characteristics of healthcare workerscovid-19 pandemicstress levelscoping strategiescoping behavior
spellingShingle Doronina T.V.
Okulova A.E.
Arcishevskaya E.V.
Perceived Stress and Coping Strategies of Healthcare Workers in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic
Клиническая и специальная психология
psychological characteristics of healthcare workers
covid-19 pandemic
stress levels
coping strategies
coping behavior
title Perceived Stress and Coping Strategies of Healthcare Workers in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic
title_full Perceived Stress and Coping Strategies of Healthcare Workers in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic
title_fullStr Perceived Stress and Coping Strategies of Healthcare Workers in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic
title_full_unstemmed Perceived Stress and Coping Strategies of Healthcare Workers in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic
title_short Perceived Stress and Coping Strategies of Healthcare Workers in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic
title_sort perceived stress and coping strategies of healthcare workers in the context of the covid 19 pandemic
topic psychological characteristics of healthcare workers
covid-19 pandemic
stress levels
coping strategies
coping behavior
url https://psyjournals.ru/files/123727/cpse_2021_n3_Doronina_et_al.pdf
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AT arcishevskayaev perceivedstressandcopingstrategiesofhealthcareworkersinthecontextofthecovid19pandemic