Stress, coping, and preventing contagion during the SARS-COV2 epidemic in a sample of Mexican adults

Abstract

Given the lack of an effective treatment for COVID-19, it is essential to explore the psychological variables involved in the development and maintenance of preventive behaviors during the current epidemic. In this study, we analyze the predictive value of perceived stress (measured with the Perceived Stress Scale) and coping styles (measured with the Extreme Risks Coping Scale) for adhering to infection prevention behavior in a sample of 1132 Mexican adults aged between 18 and 84. A logistic regression analysis showed that Active Coping and Cognition-Focused Coping, in addition to age and being a student, proved to be predictors of adhering to SARS COV2 preventive behaviors ( R2 = 0.282). The findings from this study can be used to design strategies to promote potentially effective epidemic mitigation behaviors.