MENTAL HEALTH AND WAYS OF COPING DURING THE TIME OF COVID-19 OUTBREAK

Abstract

Objectives: The study was conducted to find out the relationship between mental health and ways of coping of university students during the outbreak of COVID-19.
 Methodology: The study design was cross-sectional and the data was analyzed using correlation method. Data for the study was collected via online Google Forms. The online questionnaire was based on two scales, the Mental Health Inventory in which the mental health characteristics were anxiety, depression, behavior control, positive affect, and the ways of coping (revised) scale.
 Findings: The sample size of this study consisted of 400 university students of which 206were male and 194 were female. The outcomes of this study showed that during the outbreak of COVID-19, a significant relationship was found between mental health and ways of coping in university students. The relationship of overall mental health scores with Painful problem-solving, seeking social support, and Positive reappraisal was significant but no significant relationship was found with other subscales of ways of coping.
 Applications of the study: From the student viewpoint, universities should be aware of the students' changing emotional responses from positive to negative during the COVID-19 pandemic. Given that the impact of COVID-19 would probably induce more negative emotional states, universities should offer more support for emotional management and coping. This should encourage students to talk about their concerns, worries, and anxiety toward COVID-19 and to help them de stigmatize the fear of COVID-19 on their studies and future. This support should not be a one-time-event, but ongoing. With positive emotions and coping, students are more capable to counterbalance the perceived negative impact of COVID-19 on their degree completion and job prospects by effectively using different resources to reduce resource loss.
 Novelty/Originality of the study: It is necessary for university institutions to focus their efforts on quality attention to students, in order to establish fluid communication with them and to adapt to their better well-being with good way of coping and fulfill their academic and personal needs.