Abstract
Background and Objectives
The Coronavirus Disease–2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is experienced differently across individuals, and older adults’ different life experiences lead to a variety of ways of coping. The present study explores older adults’ reports of what about the pandemic is stressful, and what brings joy and comfort in the midst of stress
Research Design and Methods
An online survey asked 825 U.S. adults aged 60 and older to complete questionnaires assessing three psychological well-being indicators: perceived stress, negative affect, and positive affect. Participants also responded to open-ended questions about what was stressful and what brought joy or comfort at the time of the survey. A mixed-method approach first qualitatively analyzed the open-ended responses, content analysis identified themes most frequently reported, and quantitative analysis examined the associations between various stressors and joys and the psychological well-being indicators
Results
Qualitative analysis revealed 20 stress categories and 21 joy/comfort categories. The most commonly reported stressors were confinement/restrictions, concern for others, and isolation/loneliness; the most commonly reported sources of joy/comfort were family/friend relationships, digital social contact, and hobbies. Demographic comparisons revealed variations in experience. Independent t-tests revealed stress from concern for others, the unknown future, and contracting the virus to be significantly associated with poorer psychological well-being; faith, exercise/self-care, and nature were associated with more positive psychological well-being
Discussion and Implications
Results are discussed in the context of stress and coping theory, highlighting the importance of understanding the unique stress experience of each individual for effective distress intervention
Keywords: stress, coping, qualitative, virus, social support