Coping with the COVID-19 pandemic: Strategies employed by different sociodemographic groups and their role on quality of life

Abstract

The ways people cope with stressful and crisis-inducing episodes, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, have implications for quality of life. The current study aimed to analyse how coping strategies used by individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic varied according to sociodemographic characteristics. It also aimed to analyse how such strategies influence quality of life. Through an online survey, 505 adults living in Portugal reported on their sociodemographic characteristics, coping strategies, and perceptions of quality of life during the COVID-19 pandemic period. A sociodemographic questionnaire and the Portuguese versions of the Brief COPE and WHOQOL-BREF were used to assess the variables of interest. The main results suggest that middle-aged and more educated individuals, who were exposed to more risks at work, used more effective coping strategies. Men used more self-blaming coping strategies while women used more emotional support, religion, distraction, self-distraction, and behavioural withdrawal. Active coping was the strongest predictor of physical, psychological, and social domains of quality of life. Further studies are needed to examine the growth trajectory after the mitigation phase and the coping strategies used to promote mental health. Overall, advocating for active coping with current challenges promotes positive perceptions of quality of life amid the pandemic COVID-19.