Anxiety and coping strategies during the Covid-19 pandemic: The mediating role of positive attitudes at work

Abstract

The world has been monitoring the emergence and advancement of COVID-19, which has mobilized the scientific community with the purpose of expanding our understanding about the disease. With regard to workers, the concern with their mental health during and after the pandemic stands out. In this connection, this investigation aimed to understand the direct effects of anxiety on stress-coping strategies in Brazilian workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the mediating role of general attitudes about work in such a relationship. The study included 339 workers of both genders (73% female) and from different professions. The results indicated that general positive attitudes about work mediated the relationship between anxiety and stress-coping strategies focused on the issue. The implications for carrying out interventions with workers in times of pandemic are discussed.