The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on perceived stress among Romanian young adults: negative affect and avoidant coping as mediators

Abstract

Background and objectives: Although young adults were considered to face a lower risk of severe coronavirus infection, they were at higher risk for adverse psychosocial effects. The aim of this study was to test the mediating roles of negative affect and avoidant coping, firstly in the relationship between COVID-19 impact and perceived stress, and then in the relationship between perceived coronavirus threat and perceived stress. Design: Cross-sectional design. Methods: We conducted the study on a sample of 669 university students (aged between 18-28), during the critical fourth wave, when the delta variant was the dominant strain. Results: The results indicate significant positive associations between the impact of COVID-19 and perceived stress (r = .485; p < .001), and between perceived coronavirus threat and perceived stress (r = .283; p< .001). Our findings demonstrate that negative affect and avoidant coping serially mediate these relationships (total indirect effect = .3349, 95% CI, [.2858; .3852] / (total indirect effect = .2072, 95% CI, [.1515; .2624]). Thus, the impact of COVID-19 (β = .137; 95% CI [.0019; .0045]) and perceived coronavirus threat (β = .069; 95% CI [.0007; .0046]) induce an increase in stress not only directly, but also indirectly, through amplified negative affect, which in turn increases the specific-oriented use of avoidant coping strategies. Conclusions: Our results highlighted some new explanatory relationships between variables that affect mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. Antecedentes y objetivos: Aunque se consideraba que los jóvenes estaban menos expuestos a contraer una forma severa de la infección, los efectos que ellos más resintieron fueron los psicosociales. El presente artículo se propone comprobar el papel mediador de los afectos negativos y de las estrategias evasivas, primero en la relación entre el impacto de la pandemia COVID-19 y el estrés percibido, y luego entre la amenaza percibida y el estrés. Diseño: Se utilizó un diseño transversal. Métodos: Se empleó una muestra de 669 estudiantes de grado (18 - 28 años) durante la cuarta oleada de coronavirus, cuando la variante delta era la dominante. Resultados: Se observaron asociaciones positivas entre el impacto de la pandemia COVID-19 y el estrés percibido (r = .485; p<.001), por un lado, y entre la amenaza percibida y el estrés (r = .283; p< .001), por otro lado. Los datos estadísticos demuestran que los afectos negativos y las estrategias evasivas actúan como mediadores seriales (efecto indirecto = .3349, 95% CI, [.2858; .3852] / (efecto indirecto = .2072, 95% CI, [.1515; .2624]). Consecuentemente, el impacto de la pandemia COVID-19 (β = .137; 95% CI [.0019; .0045]) y la amenaza percibida (β = .069; 95% CI [.0007; .0046]) aumentan el estrés no sólo de manera directa, sino también indirecta, intensificando los afectos negativos. Esto genera una propensión hacia el uso específico de estrategias evasivas de afrontamiento. Conclusiones: El estudio subraya algunos mecanismos explicativos en cuanto a las relaciones entre variables que afectan la salud mental durante la pandemia COVID-19.