Coping Strategies Research Papers - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

The purpose of this study is to examine the psychological reflections on the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic and how individuals coped with the epidemic. This research was carried out using the exploratory sequential mixed method where qualitative and quantitative patterns were used consecutively. In Study 1, phenomenological design was preferred in order to discover and explain how Covid-19 phenomenon is experienced by individuals and its psychological reflections on their daily life. The data of the study were collected through an online focus group interview and open-ended questions sent to the participants via Internet. Study 1 included 30 participants (x ̅ =37,5), 14 females and 16 males. According to the results of the research the Covid-19 epidemic experience and the psychological reflections of the epidemic are explained in the themes of Meeting the Reality of the Coronavirüs-A Different Experience, Changing the Style of Life in Corona Days, Coping with Coronavirus Fear, and Post-Epidemic Growth. Due to the Covid-19 epidemic, social life, close relationships, and economic life of people have been adversely affected, and their life routines have changed. The risk of epidemics triggered individuals' emotions such as fear, anxiety, boredom, and anger. It was revealed that the participants used cognitive, transcendental, relational, and behavioral coping strategies to deal with the fear of pandemic. It has also been observed that the Covid-19 pandemic has led to positive progress in participants' lives such as self-awareness, self-development, positive relationship and a calm/regular life. In Study 2, it is aimed to develop the Coping with the Outbreak Scale and to examine its psychometric properties. Study 2 included 484 participants (x ̅ =27,8). Based on the literature searches and the Pandemic Coping theme emerged in Study 1, the scale items were written, and validity and reliability were started by getting expert viewpoints. As a result of the analysis, it was seen that the Coping with the Outbreak Scale was a valid and reliable measurement tool. When findings of the study were analyzed in terms of gender variable, the cognitive coping and transcendental coping sub-dimensions and Fear of Covid-19 Scale scores of women were found to be significantly higher compared to men. In addition, it was observed that the participants with higher Covid-19 fear had higher cognitive, transcendental, and relational