Coping strategies patterns to buffer the psychological impact of the State of Emergency in Spain during the COVID-19 pandemic’s early months

• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-03749-z
• Publication Date: 2021-12-22T11:08:57Z
• Authors: Sarah Muñoz-Violant; Verónica Violant-...; M. Gloria Gallego...; M. Teresa Anguera; Manuel J. Rodríguez
• Keywords: Pandemic; Avoidance coping

Abstract Coping style represents the cognitive and behavioral patterns to manage particular demands appraised as taxing resources of individuals. Studies report associations between certain coping styles levels adjustment anxious symptomatology emotional distress. The main objective this study was analyze co-occurrent relationships in strategies used deal with psychological distress displayed by Spanish adult population during first State Emergency lockdown COVID-19 pandemic. This is a cross-sectional that uses selective methodology complemented an indirect observational methodology, nomothetic/punctual/unidimensional design. We collected 996 surveys from 19 out 22 autonomous regions Spain. focused analysis on sociodemographic variables, cumulative incidence disease variables. performed two different inferential analyses: Lag sequential define participant patterns, polar coordinate interrelationship focal behavior conditioned behaviors. found problem avoidance being strategy most frequently engaged participants. Interestingly, not associated lower symptomatology. By contrast, emotion-focused such express emotions social support were higher Our findings underscore importance furthering our understanding way aid global public health emergencies.