Award Date
5-1-2024
Degree Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Social and Behavioral Health
First Committee Member
Melva Thompson-Robinson
Second Committee Member
Sheniz Moonie
Third Committee Member
Gabriela Buccini
Fourth Committee Member
Reimund Serafica
Number of Pages
153
Abstract
Since the COVID-19 pandemic started, individuals in the United States (U.S.) and across the globe have experienced unprecedented levels of stress. The purpose of this study is to understand the stress experienced among adults in the U.S. and which coping processes affect their overall emotional well-being. Guided by Lazarus and Folkman’s (1987) Transactional Model of Stress and Coping (TMSC), this study conducted a secondary data analysis (n=404) of adults across the U.S who completed an online survey examining their experiences with stress and coping. A Pearson correlation was utilized to explore the relationship between stress and depressive symptoms. Paired samples t-tests were conducted to evaluate stress, resilience, and depressive symptoms before and since COVID-19. Multiple regressions were calculated to understand the impact of cognitive appraisal on the eight types of coping. Participants primarily self-identified as White (40.3%), female (77.6%), with a mean age of 30.61 (13.76%), and Christian (43.1%). Results revealed gender, age, and racial differences in how adults cope with the stress of COVID-19. Male adults primarily utilized planful problem-solving (M = 5.6, SD = 3.5), while female adults primarily employed escape avoidance (M = 4.54, SD = 3.0). Adults aged 36–55 years old (M = 4.3, SD = 2.5) as well as 55 and older (M = 4.0, SD = 3.0) predominantly used planful problem solving compared to younger adults (18–35) who utilized escape avoidance (M = 5.0, SD = 2.9). Whites (M = 4.4, SD = 3.0), American Indians/Alaska Natives (M = 5.9 SD = 3.0), Asians (M = 5.1, SD = 2.9), Other (M = 4.3, SD = 3.4), and Multiracial groups (M = 4.6, SD = 3.1) predominantly used escape avoidance, while Black/African Americans (M = 4.9, SD = 2.5) and Pacific Islanders (M = 5.4, SD = 2.5) primarily used planful problem-solving. A small, positive correlation between COVID-19 stressors and depression symptoms (r = 0.251, n = 397, p
Keywords
adults; Coping; COVID-19; Depressive symptoms; Stress; Transactional Model of Stress and Coping
Disciplines
Environmental Health | Environmental Health and Protection
File Format
File Size
1808 KB
Degree Grantor
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Language
English
Repository Citation
Chevalier, Jocy-Anna, "Understanding Stress and Coping Among Adults in the United States During the COVID-19 Pandemic" (2024). UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones. 4971.
https://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/thesesdissertations/4971
Rights
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