Self-Perceived Stress and Coping Strategies during COVID-19 Pandemic among the Students of Kathmandu Metropolitan City

Abstract

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic emerged as a global threat. Various factors such as social isolation, perception of disease severity and susceptibility, and frequent exposure to the news have been previously associated with increased levels of perceived stress regarding COVID-19. The choice of coping strategies plays a crucial role in mitigating these effects. Thus, this study aims to assess the perceived stress level and coping strategies among 19-24 age group students during COVID-19. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at the 5 colleges of Kathmandu Metropolitan City, Nepal with 256 students between May 22 to 24, 2022. The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) and BRIEF-COPE were used to measure stress and coping behavior. Significant variable differences in stress scores were assessed via t-tests and ANOVA, while the coping-stress relationship was analyzed using Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient. Results: The majority (69.1%, n=177) of participants were aged 19 to 24, with a mean age of 21.35 (±1.49). Among the total sample, all respondents experienced stress, with 26.2% reporting severe stress and only 1.5% reporting low stress. The mean score for approach coping strategies (2.55) was found to be higher than that for avoidant coping strategies (1.89). Coping strategies such as denial (r = -0.191, p = 0.002), positive reframing (r = -0.147, p =.019), and religion (r = -0.175, p = 0.005) showed a negative correlation with perceived stress, implying that if these strategies increase perceived stress decreases and vice-versa. Conclusion: Based on our data, the majority of participants experienced stress. The negative correlation between coping behavior and stress suggests that effective coping strategies can help reduce stress level and improve well-being.