Understanding Coping Mechanisms during the COVID-19 Pandemic: a Case Study of Stakeholders of the African Sisters Education Collaborative

Background The African Sisters Education Collaborative (ASEC) operates education programs for women religious in ten countries of Africa south of the Sahara. As ASEC prioritizes strong relationships with partner institutions, understanding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on these stakeholders is central to providing effective interventions that will ensure continuation of its programs. Purpose The purpose of this study was to obtain an organizational understanding of stakeholders' ministry/work stress and coping mechanisms during the initial phase of the pandemic. ASEC surveyed its more than 3,500 stakeholders to assess their ministry/work stress, sources of emotional well-being, and coping skills during the early months of the pandemic. The study was designed to provide information to help ASEC initiate a proactive response to the pandemic at an organizational level. Methods ASEC prepared a brief online survey that was distributed from late April through mid-May 2020. Scales to measure emotional well-being, coping skills, ministry/work stress, and sources of pandemic support were researcher-designed. Lockdown status of the country at the time of the survey was used as a proxy measure of severity of the pandemic. Results Religious sisters who have participated in ASEC's education programs experienced increased stress in their ministry/work settings, particularly in countries that were under lockdown at the time of the survey. Ministry/work stress was lessened by individual coping skills and sense of emotional well-being, as predicted by the balanced affect literature on ministry stress among religious workers. Working under lockdown, lower levels of ministry/work stress, and confidence in one's coping skills all positively impacted emotional well-being. In turn, emotional well-being was significantly related to greater coping skills, which was also impacted by lower levels of ministry/work stress and greater sources of pandemic support. Conclusions and Implications The pandemic has negatively impacted the ministries and work settings of these stakeholders, which has influenced their personal emotional well-being as well as their assessment of their coping skills. Positive attitudes about their ability to cope and their emotional well-being reduced their levels of ministry/work stress.