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Background The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic represents an unprecedented situation in the most recent history. It has had a number of negative consequences for individuals and for whole societies. Individual effects of the pandemic include not only loss of life and of physical health, but also deteriorated quality of life. Objective This study examines the effect of core self-evaluations (CSE), social support and fear of COVID-19 on the well-being of university students in Poland during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods We conducted an online survey on a nationwide group of 1,000 students of Polish universities. The survey was carried out between 1 and 15 March 2021. The respondents filled out the following set of tools: World Health Organization Quality of Life Scale, Core Self-Evaluations Scale, Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support and The Fear of COVID-19 Scale. Results The findings showed that core self-evaluations (CSE) were significantly positively associated with well-being in each of the four domains studied: physical health (r = 0.519), psychological (r = 0.763), social relationships (r = 0.465) and environment (r = 0.496). Similarly, social support correlated positively with physical health (r = 0.277), psychological health (r = 0.306), social relationships (r = 0.552) and environment (r = 0.496). Fear of COVID-19 correlated negatively with well-being in the domain of physical health (r = 0.188), in social relationships (r = 0.042) and with regard to the environment (r = 0.071), the correlations were weak. However, the relationship between fear of COVID-19 and well-being in the psychological domain was not confirmed. Conclusion The findings point to the significant role of CSE and the role of social support in the perceived quality of life of young people during the pandemic. They provide valuable data concerning individuals who are particularly vulnerable to the adverse psychological effects at the time of the pandemic. They also prove that research conducted to explore other factors protecting individual well-being in difficult situations, including that of the pandemic, should be continued.

StreszczenieWstęp: Z wykonywaniem pracy w zawodach wysokiego ryzyka związane są poczucie zagrożenia i stres. Celem badań prowadzonych w grupie ratowników górniczych od grudnia 2016 r. do maja 2017 r. było określenie związku między tymi zmiennymi. Przyjęto, że jakość więzi społecznych ze współpracownikami pełni rolę mediatora zakładanego związku. Materiał i metody: Próba liczyła 232 ratowników górniczych zatrudnionych w stacjach ratowniczych na terenie Polski. Zagrożenie w pracy określono za pomocą Kwestionariusza poczucia zagrożenia w pracy Mamcarza, do badania poczucia stresu zastosowano Kwestionariusz poczucia stresu Plopy i Makarowskiego, a pomiar jakości więzi społecznych przeprowadzono za pomocą Skali więzi społecznych Skarżyńskiej. Wyniki: Zaobserwowano ujemny związek pomiędzy poczuciem zagrożenia a poziomem odczuwanego stresu. Poczucie więzi społecznych ze współpracownikami pełni rolę mediatora w relacji pomiędzy tymi zmiennymi. Wnioski: Więzi społeczne redukują stres wywołany poczuciem zagrożenia i stanowią ważny czynnik wspierający radzenie sobie z negatywnymi emocjami. Uzyskane wyniki pozwalają przedstawić praktyczne wytyczne dotyczące przede wszystkim wzmacniania działań adaptacyjnych i integracyjnych w zespołach realizujących zadania w warunkach zagrożenia. Autorki badań zwracają uwagę, że działania te powinny dotyczyć 3 obszarów: adaptacji nowych członków grupy, wzmacniania pozytywnych relacji w zespołach i wsparcia w sytuacji traumatycznej w okresie rekonwalescencji. Med. Pr. 2019;70(3):295-304 Słowa kluczowe: ryzyko, stres, poczucie zagrożenia, zawody wysokiego ryzyka, więzi społeczne, ratownictwo górnicze Abstract Background: Working in high-risk occupations is associated with the feeling of threat and stress. The aim of the research conducted from December 2016 to May 2017 was to examine the relationship between these variables in the group of mine rescuers. It was assumed that the quality of social ties with co-workers would act as a mediator of the assumed relationship. Material and Methods: The sample consisted of 232 mine rescuers employed in emergency stations in Poland. The risk assessment at work was determined using Kwestionariusz poczucia zagrożenia w pracy (The Feeling of Threat at Work Questionnaire) by Mamcarz; Kwestionariusz poczucia stresu (The Feeling of Stress Questionnaire) by Plopa and Makarowski was used to study the feeling of stress, and the quality of social ties was measured using Skala więzi społecznych (The Social Ties Scale) by Skarżyńska. Results: A negative relationship was observed between the feeling of threat and the level of the experienced stress. The sense of social ties with co-workers acts as a mediator in the relationship between these variables. Conclusions: Social ties reduce stress caused by the feeling of threat, and they are also an important factor supporting the coping with negative emotions. The obtained results make it possible to present practical recommendations, aimed mainly at strengthening the adaptation and integration activities in teams carryi...