The role of the social context in the experience of stress and fear during periods of increased health risk

Abstract

In times of crises caused by natural disasters (earthquakes, floods, pandemics), individuals experience different levels of stress and fear – making some of them vulnerable and leading to a greater need for (professional) help and support. The aim of this research was to examine the determinants of the coronavirus-related stress and fear, with focus on examining the role of the individual's social context. A total of N=240 participants (22.1% male and 77.1% female) of an average age of 27 years (SD=8.4) completed an online questionnaire at the end of the fifth wave of coronavirus infection. Hierarchical regression analysis showed that the fear of losing a loved one accounts for 44% of the variance in experienced stress, while gender and the internal working model of self explains 8% of the variance in the fear of losing a loved one. We observed that the internal working model of self had a mediating effect on the relationship between the individual's demographics and their experience of stress and fear, while the working model of others and the perceived social support of friends and family did not prove to be relevant. The authors discuss possible explanations of the obtained results and the practical implications of this research.