Deriving Meaning from Chaos: The Mediating Role of the Sense of Coherence in the Serial Relationships among Fear of COVID-19, Indices of Psychological Distress, and Life Satisfaction

Pretorius, Tyrone B.; Padmanabhanunni, Anita

doi:10.3390/healthcare10112276

Cited by 3 publications

(1 citation statement)

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“…Existing studies have identified fortitude, ego-resilience, a sense of coherence, and social support as protective factors or resilience resources in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic (Grey et al, 2020; Padmanabhanunni & Pretorius, 2021a, 2021b; Pretorius & Padmanabhanunni, 2022a; van der Velden et al, 2020). The current study aimed to extend this work by investigating whether adaptive cognitive appraisals – specifically appraisals of problem-solving ability and appraisals of support received from others – serve as protective resources for mental health.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Leveraging adversity during pandemics: the role of adaptive cognitive appraisals of self and others in mental health outcomes among students

Padmanabhanunni,

Pretorius,

Isaacs

2024

South African Journal of Psychology

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Researchers have paid limited attention to the role of adaptive cognitive appraisals in conferring resilience. In this study, we demonstrate the influence of positive appraisals of problem-solving ability and social support on mental health outcomes. A random sample of students at a university in South Africa ( n = 322) participated in the study. They completed the Perceived Stress Scale, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, the Problem-Solving Inventory, the Beck Hopelessness Scale, and the Satisfaction with Life Scale. Mediation analysis found that problem-solving appraisal and social support jointly and separately mediated the effects of perceived stress on hopelessness. The combined effect of social support and problem-solving appraisal on life satisfaction was significant; however, only social support was found to mediate the relationship between perceived stress and life satisfaction. The findings indicate that adaptive appraisals of self and others are potential sources of resilience that can buffer individuals from the adverse impact of stressful life events.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Leveraging adversity during pandemics: the role of adaptive cognitive appraisals of self and others in mental health outcomes among students

Padmanabhanunni,

Pretorius,

Isaacs

2024

South African Journal of Psychology

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Sense of coherence, social support, satisfaction with life and resilience as mediators between fear of COVID-19, perceived vulnerability to disease and depression

Kagee,

Padmabhanunni,

Coetzee

et al. 2024

South African Journal of Psychology

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We tested the role of sense of coherence, social support, satisfaction with life, and resilience, as resources in the association between fear of COVID-19, perceived vulnerability to disease, and depression. Data from 804 students were collected at three South African universities in 2022 and 2023 by means of an electronic survey and analysed using structural equation modelling. We found that higher levels of fear of COVID-19 and hopelessness were associated with depression among the sample. Satisfaction with life, sense of coherence, and perceived social support had significant negative relationships with depression, indicating that these represent potential protective resources. Perceived vulnerability to disease had a positive relationship with perceived social support. While fear of COVID-19 significantly impacted depression, it did not show a significant relationship with other mental well-being measures, such as satisfaction with life, sense of coherence, resilience, or social support. Hopelessness showed a strong negative correlation, not only with resilience but also with satisfaction with life, sense of coherence, and perceived social support, making it a critical factor in mental well-being. Perceived social support acted as a mediator between both hopelessness and perceived vulnerability to disease and depression. Satisfaction with life mediated the relationship between hopelessness and depression, and sense of coherence mediated the relationship between perceived vulnerability to disease and depression. While higher levels of fear related to COVID-19 and pervasive feelings of hopelessness were robust predictors of depressive symptoms, factors such as satisfaction with life, sense of coherence, and perceived social support emerged as protective resources.

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Toward a Positive Life beyond COVID-19: Problem-Solving Appraisal as a Resistance Resource in the Relationship between Stress and Well-Being in Students

Pretorius

Padmanabhanunni

2023

Healthcare

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The COVID-19 pandemic is a major global stressor that has been associated with elevated risk of negative mental health symptoms. As a helping profession, our main task should be identifying factors that may shield individuals from the negative consequences of stress, rather than only focusing on the causes and symptoms of stress. One such factor, identified in the literature, is an individual’s perception of their problem-solving skills. In this study we investigate the role of problem-solving appraisal in the association between perceived stress and psychological well-being. Participants were students (n = 322) who completed the Problem Solving Inventory, the Perceived Stress Scale, the short forms of the trait scale of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and the Beck Hopelessness Scale. The results demonstrate the health-sustaining benefits of problem-solving appraisal, as all dimensions of problem-solving appraisal (problem-solving confidence, approach-avoidance style, and problem-solving control) were directly associated with hopelessness and anxiety. The stress-buffering role of problem-solving appraisal with respect to hopelessness was demonstrated through the interaction between perceived stress and problem-solving appraisal. However, problem-solving appraisal did not buffer the effects of stress on anxiety. The findings indicate that problem-solving appraisal may be an important protective resource that could be beneficial for coping with other negative events and experiences beyond COVID-19. The implications of these findings for interventions are discussed.

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Deriving Meaning from Chaos: The Mediating Role of the Sense of Coherence in the Serial Relationships among Fear of COVID-19, Indices of Psychological Distress, and Life Satisfaction

Cited by 3 publications

References 42 publications

Leveraging adversity during pandemics: the role of adaptive cognitive appraisals of self and others in mental health outcomes among students

Leveraging adversity during pandemics: the role of adaptive cognitive appraisals of self and others in mental health outcomes among students

Sense of coherence, social support, satisfaction with life and resilience as mediators between fear of COVID-19, perceived vulnerability to disease and depression

Toward a Positive Life beyond COVID-19: Problem-Solving Appraisal as a Resistance Resource in the Relationship between Stress and Well-Being in Students

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