Personal Resilience and its Influence on COVID-19 Stress, Anxiety and Fear among Graduate Students

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic is putting new and unforeseen pressures and has resulted in substantial disruption in the lives of the people across the globe. Although there is a budding body of literature on the impact of COVID-19 on mental health and psychological well-being, little research has been published among Filipino Graduate students in the context of a pandemic. This descriptive-correlational, cross-sectional research examined the relationship of resilience on COVID-19 perceived stress, anxiety, and fear. Two-hundred and three (n=203) Graduate students participated in the online survey conducted in the last week of August 2020. Four self-reported questionnaires were used to gather the data. Descriptive statistics and correlational analysis were performed. Results indicated that the composite scores of the COVID-19 stress, anxiety, and fear were 2.81 (SD=.605), 3.94 (SD=.686), and 3.03 (SD=1.004) respectively. The composite score on the resilience scale was 3.33 (SD=.496). COVID-19 stress (r=-0.234) and fear (r=-0.384) had significant inverse correlation with resilience (p<0.05). Resilience has a protective influence on COVID-19 fear and is pivotal to cope with COVID-19 stress. Educational institutions may need to cultivate and harness the resilient trait of Graduate students in the midst of pandemic and other stressful events to help combat negative mental states and undesirable psychological consequences.

Keywords: anxiety, COVID-19, fear, mental health, Philippines, resilience, stress, students