Exposure to COVID-19, related stressors, and their emotional impact: associations with dimensions of coping among a diverse sample of adults

ObjectiveThe COVID-19 pandemic caused widespread distress and disruptions in access to mental healthcare. Coping behaviors influence mental well-being, but there is a gap in our understanding of what factors were associated with coping behaviors during the pandemic. We aimed to (1) identify coping styles of a diverse sample of adults during the COVID-19 pandemic and (2) understand how pandemic emotional impact was associated with each coping style, and how socioeconomic factors and exposure to pandemic-related distress moderated these associations.MethodsWe surveyed a community sample of 109 adults and conducted confirmatory factor analyses of the Brief COPE (aim 1) and moderated multiple regressions (aim 2) to test our hypotheses.ResultsThe best-fitting model was a novel, three-factor structure containing engaged, disengaged, and social support coping. Higher exposure was associated with more engaged coping; male sex and greater emotional impact were associated with more disengaged coping; and as exposure increased, the slope of the association between emotional impact and social support decreased. Neither income nor food insecurity were associated with coping behaviors.DiscussionOur findings demonstrate a need for innovative, universally accessible, evidence-based interventions to combat distress and social isolation caused by such catastrophes as the pandemic.