Exploring Relationships Between Coping Styles and Wellbeing Among Girls and Boys During the COVID-19 Crisis in the UK

Abstract

This study explores the associations between children’s different coping styles and wellbeing outcomes across the UK during the COVID-19 pandemic. By employing the Profile of Coping Dimensions in Children (PCDC), this study categorises coping strategies into adaptive and maladaptive coping and focuses on patterns of these two coping styles among children aged 7-11. Results suggest that with the crisis of COVID-19, adaptive coping is still a significant protective factor for children wellbeing in terms of anxiety, life satisfaction and childhood happiness. On the other hand, maladaptive coping leads to significantly higher anxiety, lower life satisfaction and lower childhood happiness. Additionally, this study differs from previous literature and indicates that there are no significant gender differences found in terms of children’s wellbeing. Although girls still report to be significantly more likely to adopt maladaptive coping strategies than boys, there are no significant gender differences found regarding the endorsement of adaptive coping strategies.