http://dx.doi.org/10.24016/2022.v8.249
ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Knowledge about COVID-19, coping and resilience in
Mexican women: comparison by stress levels
Conocimiento de la COVID- 19, afrontamiento
y resiliencia en mujeres mexicanas: comparación por niveles de estrés
Ana Leticia Becerra Gálvez 1*, Alejandro
Pérez Ortiz 2, Yuma Yoali Pérez Bautista 3, Isaías
Vicente Lugo González 4, América Genevra Franco Moreno 5, Erick Alberto Medina
Jiménez 2
1 Facultad de
Estudios Superiores Zaragoza, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico.
2 Programa de
Maestría y Doctorado en Psicología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico.
3 Carrera de Psicología de la Facultad de
Estudios Superiores Iztacala, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México,
Tlalnepantla de Baz, Mexico.
4 Residencia en
Medicina Conductual, Facultad de Estudios Superiores Iztacala, Universidad
Nacional Autónoma de México, Tlalnepantla de Baz, Mexico.
5 Carrera de Psicología de la Facultad de
Estudios Superiores Zaragoza, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico.
* Correspondence: Ana Leticia Becerra Gálvez. Facultad de Estudios
Superiores Zaragoza, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. Avenida Guelatao,
Av. Exploradores Ejercito de Ote. 66, Ejército de
Oriente Indeco II ISSSTE Iztapalapa, 09230 Ciudad de
México. Phone: 55 5194-6023 E-mail: bega@comunidad.unam.mx.
Received: December 02,
2021 | Revised: January 10, 2022
| Accepted: March 02, 2022 | Published Online: March 02, 2022.
Becerra Gálvez, A., Pérez Ortiz, A., Pérez
Bautista, Y. Lugo González, I., Franco Moreno, A., & Medina Jiménez, E. (2022).
Knowledge
about COVID-19, coping and resilience in Mexican women: comparison by stress
levels. Interacciones, 8, e249. http://dx.doi.org/10.24016/2022.v8.249
ABSTRACT
Background: The psychosocial effects derived from the
COVID-19 pandemic have represented a challenge for the population worldwide.
Stress is a frequent problem reported by women, impacting the strategies they
use to deal with problems in daily life and their ability to recover from this
critical phenomenon. Objective: The objective of this study was to
evaluate the relationship between stress levels, knowledge about COVID -19,
ways of coping, and resilience in women. Method:
A non-experimental, cross-sectional, and correlational study was carried out in
a group of 386 Mexican women through a format that was distributed on social
networks. Results:
The data suggest that the higher the level of knowledge about COVID-19, the
greater the perceived stress. High stress is positively and statistically
significantly related to coping style, denial
(r = .245; q = .20) and cognitive-reflective
analysis (r = .303; q= .21). Low levels of stress are
negatively and statistically significantly associated with a weak effect size
with factors like social competence (r= -.198; q= .11) and family support
(r = -. 227; q = .16). Conclusion:
Stress affects women considerably due to work overload and interpersonal
factors. This study offers the possibility of knowing the emotional state of
women in times of COVID-19.
Keywords: COVID-19, coping, resilience, stress, women.
RESUMEN
Introducción: Las afectaciones
psicosociales derivadas de la pandemia por COVID-19 han representado un reto
para la población a nivel mundial. El estrés es uno de los problemas
emocionales mayormente reportados en las mujeres, impactando en las estrategias
que emplean para enfrentar los problemas de la vida cotidiana y su capacidad de
recuperarse ante este fenómeno crítico. Objetivo: El objetivo de este
estudio fue evaluar la relación entre los niveles de estrés, el conocimiento
sobre la COVID -19, los estilos de afrontamiento y la resiliencia en mujeres. Método: Se realizó un estudio no
experimental, transversal y correlacional en el que participaron 386 mujeres
mexicanas las cuales respondieron un formato que se diseminó en redes sociales.
Resultados: Los datos sugieren que a
mayor nivel de conocimientos sobre la COVID-19 mayor estrés percibido. El
estrés elevado se relaciona de manera positiva y estadísticamente significativa
con el estilo de afrontamiento, negación
(r=.245; q=.20) y análisis
cognitivo-reflexivo (r=.303;
q=.21). Niveles bajos de estrés se asocian de forma negativa, estadísticamente
significativa y con un tamaño del efecto débil con las variables competencia social (r=-.198; q=.11) y apoyo familiar (r=-.227; q=.16). Conclusiones: El estrés afecta considerablemente a las mujeres
debido a la sobrecarga de trabajo y a factores interpersonales. Este estudio
ofrece la posibilidad de conocer el estado emocional de las mujeres en tiempos
de la COVID-19.
Palabras clave: COVID-19, afrontamiento, resiliencia,
estrés, mujeres.
BACKGROUND
Since 2019 the world has been facing the COVID-19
pandemic, a disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus and its variants (Gobierno de Mexico, 2020). This global phenomenon has
caused changes in lifestyle and types of social interaction, in addition to
producing an increase in mental disorders such as depression, anxiety,
substance abuse, suicide, and stress (Dong & Bouey, 2020; Organización Panamericana de la Salud [PAHO], 2020; Talevi et
al., 2020).
The most representative psychosocial effects of this
pandemic include loss of daily activities, reduced social contact,
unemployment, violence, financial problems, a saturation of hospitals, poor
access to health services, and alterations in mental health, particularly in
vulnerable groups such as children, adolescents, and women (Organización
Mundial de la Salud [OMS], 2021; Entidad
de las Naciones Unidas para
la Igualdad de Género y el Empoderamiento de las Mujeres [ONU Mujeres], 2020a; Parisi et al., 2021; Rajkumar, 2020; Torales
et al., 2020).
According to Barzilay et al.
(2020), stress is a frequent problem in women during this pandemic due to the
overload of domestic, work, or school activities, caring for a family member
with COVID-19, financial debts, or unemployment. These problems increase stress
levels and are related to non-adaptive coping styles and resilient behaviors
(Backhaus et al., 2021; Yildirim & Arslan, 2020). Also, Lai et al. (2020)
suggest that the stress derived from facing the pandemic is usually intense in
those people who are informed of its progress, adhere to health regulations,
and have had a sudden loss of rewarding activities.
These situations can produce unhealthy behaviors in
women, for example, consumption of alcohol and other drugs, smoking, sedentary
lifestyle, reduction in physical activity, and physical violence (Almeida et
al., 2020; Capasso et al., 2021; Czeisler
et al., 2020; Fondo de Población de las Naciones Unidas [UNFPA], 2020a; Pieh et al., 2020; Sediri et al.,
2020; ONU Mujeres, 2020b).
A study carried out by Pérez et al. (2021) revealed
that the most frequent emotional responses in a sample of 174 Mexican women (M
= 37.72 years) were anxiety and stress, 72.4% of the women requested
psychological support to attend to psychosocial needs at the beginning of the
Nueva Normalidad stage due to interpersonal problems
and task overload.
Tharp et al. (2021) found that socioeconomic status
and marital status are not variables that are related to stress, however, the
gender role is due to the activities expected in men and women. Other studies
reveal that perception of less stress is related to greater resilience and the
implementation of adaptive coping styles, in addition to other variables such
as educational level and the professional situation in the case of women
(Abbott et al., 2021; Lindinger-Sternart et al.,
2021). The evaluation of stress responses in women is a problem of public
health interest because during this health emergency they have experienced a
greater number of psychological problems and/or severity of symptoms associated
with mood disorders, compared to men. This situation has led to the idea that
women are a vulnerable group for the development of mental disorders, in
addition to the active role they have played in times of COVID-19 (Almeida et
al., 2020; González-Ramírez et al., 2020; National Institute of Mental Health
[NIMH], 2020; Rodríguez-Bermúdez et al.,2021). The
aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between stress levels,
knowledge about COVID-19, ways of coping, and resilience in a sample of Mexican
women.
METHOD
Design
A
non-experimental, cross-sectional, and correlational study was carried out
(Kerlinger & Lee, 2001).
Participants
Through a non-probabilistic snowball
sampling, 386 women from Mexico City and the metropolitan area participated
voluntarily. The mean age
was 40.69 years (SD = 13.18; Mo = 23.0). The inclusion criteria to
participate in the study were: being a Mexican woman, having an email account,
having a device with internet access (smartphone, tablet, computer, or laptop),
and residing in one of the states of the country. Exclusion criteria: be
a minor (be under 18 years of age), report a psychological and/or psychiatric
diagnosis in the online evaluation, or be under treatment of this nature.
Instruments
Socio-demographic
data card. Set
of five items that collect information on age, marital status, educational
level, occupation, and location.
COVID-19
Knowledge Questionnaire. Prepared for research purposes (ad hoc). Consisting of seven statements
on the forms of transmission, prevention, and identification of symptoms, with
a true and false response format. The correct options were coded with one and
the incorrect ones with zero. For the present study, the discriminative power
and difficulty index of the test were obtained according to Robles and
Díaz-Loving (2011) proposal. The results revealed that item seven (χ2 (1) =
2.766; p = .266) did not discriminate between participants who obtained a low and
high score, so the decision was made to reduce the scale to six items, with
this modification the difficulty index was .294.
Perceived stress
scale (PSS-14). Consisting of 14 items with five response
options on a Likert-type scale (never,
rarely, occasionally, often, and very often) that assesses the level of
perceived stress. Adapted and tested in the Mexican population by González and Landero (2007) showing an acceptable internal consistency (α = .83), which explains 48.02% of the
variance. A confirmatory factor analysis was performed with the data from this
sample and the scale showed a good fit (χ2 (13) = 39.493, p = .000; χ2 / gl = 3.0, RMSEA = .073,
[CI = .047-, 099]; CFI = .971; TLI> .952) by eliminating items 4, 5, 6, 7,
9, 10 and 13, leaving only seven items that explain 43.2% of the variance, with
α = .837 and Ω = .837.
Ways of Coping
Questionnaire (WCQ). Consisting of 20 questions, with four response
options on a Likert-type scale (never,
not at all, to some extent, generally, usually, and always) that assesses
the styles of coping with the stress produced by daily life situations, to
through five factors: evasive
confrontation, positive appraisal, distancing, denial, and reflexive-cognitive analysis. The
instrument was adapted and validated in the Mexican population by Zavala et al.
(2008), with an α = .85. In the
confirmatory factor analysis carried out with the present sample, items 1, 7,
13 and 17 had to be eliminated to achieve an acceptable fit of the scale (χ2
(192) = 199.564, p = .000; χ2 / gl = 2.2, RMSEA = .055, [IC = .045-.066]; CFI = .926; TLI =
.904), with 16 items that explain
34.8% of the variance, with α = .771
and Ω =. 905.
Mexican
Resilience Scale. This scale was created by Palomar and Gómez
(2010) to measure resilience in the Mexican population, it is composed of 43
items grouped into five factors (strength and self-confidence, social
competence, family support, social support, and personal structure) that
according to their authors explain 43.609% and an acceptable internal
consistency coefficient (α = .93).
Which answered on a four-point Likert-type scale (totally disagree, disagree, agree, and totally agree). In the
analysis with the present sample, an acceptable fit of the scale was observed
(χ2 (845) = 1778.186, p = .000; χ2 / gl = 2.1, RMSEA = .054, [IC = .050-.057]; CFI = .915; TLI =
.909), which explains 53.9% of the variance, with α = .963 and Ω = .980.
Procedure
The evaluation was implemented on the Google-Forms Online® platform
(composed of the informed consent form, the sociodemographic data card, the
COVID-19 knowledge questionnaire, and the psychometric scales) and was
disseminated via social networks such as Facebook® and WhatsApp® between June
25 and October 23, 2020, when Mexico found itself in Phase 3 of the pandemic,
half of the national territory was at a red epidemiological traffic light, the
Jornada Nacional de Sana Distancia had concluded
(closure of schools, work centers, and confinement) and had begun with the
return to the Nueva Normalidad, thus determined by
the Secretaria de Salud (SSa, 2020). Mexico was still in the first wave of COVID-19,
where figures of between close to 3,000 and more than 28,000 new accumulated
cases were obtained and between 100 and 900 deaths were registered (SSa, 2020).
Statistical
analysis
The
data were analyzed with the statistical program SPSS® version 24 and AMOS 25
for Windows®. It began with the descriptive analysis of the variables to have a
summary of the characteristics of the participants, in addition to obtaining
the asymmetry indices (<1.5), kurtosis (<1.5), and the critical ratio of
multivariate kurtosis (<7.00; Hong et al., 2020), to determine the normality
in the distribution of the data and with it the type of statistic to use.
A
Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was performed for each instrument used,
given that the factorial structure was already known, the adjustment indices
were considered as criteria using the standardized regression weighting (factor
loadings) and the adjustment indices: chi-square (χ2, p> .05), quotient
resulting from χ2 / gl, (<3), mean square error of
approximation (RMSEA <.08, 90% CI), comparative fit index (CFI> .90) and
Index of Tucker-Lewis (TLI> .90; Pérez et al., 2013). The internal
reliability of the measurements was examined using Cronbach's alpha (α) and the
omega coefficient (Ω).
Subsequently,
the relationship between variables was analyzed with Pearson's r statistic, incorporating the
Bootstrapping and 95% Bias-corrected, accelerated (BCa)
with 1000 samples. This procedure was considered due to the total sample, also,
it was segmented into groups with high and low levels of stress (high and low
quartile), the latter to know its degree of involvement in the general
correlation. Finally, to know the relevance of the differences found, Cohen's q statistic was calculated, under the
procedure proposed by Ventura-León and Caycho (2017).
Ethical
considerations
The participants completed the form after
giving their informed consent, in which reasonable and understandable language
was used. If the participants agreed, they clicked on the “Yes, I accept”
option, displaying a new window with the questionnaire questions. On the other
hand, if they chose the “I do not accept” option, a Window was displayed
thanking them for their time and the form ended.
The form indicated that the processing of
personal data would be confidential, anonymous, and for scientific research purposes.
Unjustified or delayed data collection procedures were always avoided, and
personal data was safeguarded. This research was approved by UN Women and was
part of a specialized consultancy subject to methodological and ethical review
with the number SSA / CI 006-20. Given the increase in scientific research that
collects data with the use of social networks in the context of the pandemic,
the standards of the Code of Ethics for Psychologists (Sociedad Mexicana de Psicología, 2014) and the suggestions of the Guide for the
Practice of Psychology were used. Telepsychology (American Psychological
Association, 2013).
RESULTS
The
sociodemographic characteristics of the participants are shown in table 1. Most
of the participants were single (41.5%), married (30.8%), and 53.1% had
superior studies and at the time of this research they were engaged in
professional activity (24.4%), were employees of an institution (20.5%) or
students (20.2%).
Table 1. Demographic characteristics of the study participants.
Characteristics |
|
n (%) |
Marital Status |
Single |
160 (41.5) |
Married |
119 (30.8) |
|
Widowed |
13 (3.4) |
|
In a consensual union |
44 (11.4) |
|
Separated |
31 (8) |
|
|
Divorced |
19 (4.9) |
Educational
level |
No schooling |
2 (0.5) |
Primary
School |
2 (0.5) |
|
Secondary
School |
34 (8.9) |
|
High School |
88 (22.8) |
|
University
Level |
205 (53.1) |
|
|
Postgraduate |
55 (14.2) |
Occupation |
Unemployed |
47 (12.2) |
Housewife |
14 (3.6) |
|
Student |
78 (20.3) |
|
Professional Activity |
95 (24.5) |
|
Employee |
80 (20.6) |
|
Self-employment |
60 (15.6) |
|
|
Pensioner |
12 (3.1) |
Location |
Mexico
City |
221 (57.3) |
State
of Mexico |
98 (25.4) |
|
Oaxaca |
31 (8) |
|
Yucatán |
10 (2.3) |
|
Jalisco |
5 (1.3) |
|
Guerrero |
3 (0.8) |
|
Hidalgo |
3 (0.8) |
|
Chihuahua |
2 (0.5) |
|
Michoacán |
2 (0.5) |
|
San Luis Potosí |
2 (0.5) |
|
Tlaxcala |
2 (0.5) |
|
Baja California |
1 (0.3) |
|
Coahuila |
1 (0.3) |
|
Colima |
1 (0.3) |
|
Puebla |
1 (0.3) |
|
Querétaro |
1 (0.3) |
|
Tabasco |
1 (0.3) |
|
|
Zacatecas |
1 (0.3) |
The
participants demonstrated having information related to COVID-19, associated
risk factors, and preventive measures, they answered correctly almost all the
questions evaluated in the COVID-19 Knowledge Questionnaire. They reported
having moderate levels of stress (M =
15.54; Theoretical M = 14) and in
terms of coping, they scored below the mean in all factors including positive
appraisal as observe in table 2.
Finally, in the resilience variable, scores above the mean were obtained in all
subscales, strength and self-confidence
being the subdimension with the most distant data (M = 60.67, SD = 8.98, Theoretical M = 47.5). These results
show a high resilient self-perception for each area.
Table 2. Analysis of the scores obtained on the scales:
COVID-19 Knowledge Questionnaire, Perceived stress scale (PSS-14), Ways of
Coping Questionnaire (WCQ), and Mexican Resilience Scale.
|
M |
SD |
Mdn |
Mo |
Rank |
Theoretical
|
COVID-19 Knowledge Questionnaire |
5.25 |
0.77 |
5 |
6 |
3-6 |
3 |
Perceived
stress scale (PSS-14), |
15.54 |
4.73 |
15 |
15-17 |
4-28 |
14 |
Ways of Coping
Questionnaire (WCQ) |
||||||
Evasive
confrontation |
4.29 |
2.14 |
4 |
4 |
0-9 |
7.5 |
Positive
appraisal |
7.24 |
2.62 |
7 |
8 |
1-12 |
10 |
Distancing |
2.8 |
1.89 |
2.5 |
2 |
0-9 |
7.5 |
Denial |
2.3 |
1.87 |
2 |
2 |
0-9 |
7.5 |
Reflexive-cognitive
analysis |
2.7 |
2 |
3 |
3 |
0-9 |
7.5 |
Mexican
Resilience Scale |
||||||
Strength and self-confidence |
60.67 |
8.98 |
60 |
57 |
32-76 |
47.5 |
Social
competence |
24.44 |
4.46 |
24 |
24 |
8-32 |
20 |
Family support |
18.96 |
3.88 |
19 |
18 |
6-24 |
15 |
Social
support |
17.02 |
2.82 |
17 |
20 |
5-20 |
12.5 |
Personal
structure |
14.95 |
2.65 |
15 |
14 |
5-20 |
12.5 |
The
results obtained in the segmented correlation analysis indicate that the forms
of coping are related in a different way between women who live with a low
level of stress versus those who live with a high level. Elevated stress levels
are positively and significantly related to the factor denial (r = .245; p = <. 05) and reflexive-cognitive analysis (r
= .303; p = <. 01) as shown in
table 3. The higher the level of knowledge about COVID-19, the greater the
stress (r = .228; p <.05). Despite the statistically
significant association, the effect size for the three variables was small as
reported by Cohen's q = .20, .21, and
.17 respectively.
Table 3. Pearson correlation segmented by groups with high and
low-stress levels.
|
Low level of stress (n=108) |
CI (95%) |
High level of stress (n=84) |
CI (95%) |
Cohen´s
q |
Ways of Coping
Questionnaire (WCQ) |
|||||
Evasive
confrontation |
0.149 |
-.025,
.308 |
0.166 |
-.057,
.355 |
0.02 |
Positive
appraisal |
-0.126 |
-.318,
.072 |
-0.174 |
-.391,
.057 |
0.05 |
Distancing |
-0.143 |
-.304,
.028 |
-0.004 |
-.226,
.231 |
0.14 |
Denial |
0.053 |
-.129,
.214 |
.245* |
-.012,
.444 |
0.2 |
Reflexive-cognitive
analysis |
0.099 |
-.083,
.282 |
.303** |
.065,
.493 |
0.21 |
Mexican
Resilience Scale |
|||||
Strength and self-confidence |
-.320** |
-.477,
-.126 |
-.293** |
-.451,
-.133 |
0.03 |
Social
competence |
-.198* |
-.355,
-.024 |
-0.093 |
-.282,
.100 |
0.11 |
Family support |
-.227* |
-.387,
-.048 |
-0.073 |
-.252,
.120 |
0.16 |
Social
support |
-0.162 |
-.338,
.020 |
-0.002 |
-.217,
.203 |
0.16 |
Personal
structure |
-0.134 |
-.346,
.072 |
-0.114 |
-.289,
.066 |
0.02 |
COVID-19 Knowledge Questionnaire |
0.06 |
-.121,
.252 |
.228* |
.008,
.428 |
0.17 |
*p=.05 ** p=.01
On
the other hand, low levels of stress are negatively associated with the factors
of the resilience scale, strength and
self-confidence (r = .320; p = <. 01; q = .03), social competence
(r = .198; p = <. 05; q = .11) and family support (r = .227; p = <. 05; q = .16). It should be noted that the only variable that behaved
similarly in both groups was strength and
self-confidence.
DISCUSSION
The
findings of this study suggest that the participants have information about
COVID-19, hygiene rules, and social interaction, while also reporting
experiencing moderate levels of stress. In this regard, studies such as those
by Lai et al. (2020), Rajkumar (2020), and Torales et
al. (2020) suggest that the stress derived from living under a pandemic can be
exacerbated in those who are informed, follow health regulations, and decrease
the frequency of performing pleasant activities.
In
addition, it must be considered that during the evaluation period between June
and October 2020, the cases of morbidity and mortality from COVID-19 were
increasing, so the general population should try not to leave home, restricting
themselves only to first-class activities. need and go out only if there is a
need to do so (SSa, 2020).
This
situation could have had repercussions on the state of mind and the level of
stress in the general population (González-Ramírez et al., 2020; Rodríguez-Bermúdez et al., 2021). Consistent with this situation, the
results suggest that being informed about this health emergency, following the
recommendations established by the health authorities, and the prolongation of
the pandemic triggered stress responses in the women in this sample.
In
addition to these conditions, most of the participants were studying or working
from home or were unemployed, while doing domestic and/or care work. According
to Almeida et al. (2020), Czeisler et al. (2020),
Pérez et al. (2021), Pieh et al. (2020), and Sediri et al. (2020), these and other functions that have
been associated with the gender role have caused women to experience high
levels of anxiety and stress. Although this research did not investigate
whether compliance with activities attributed to the gender role was related to
stress, studies and reports carried out during the first phases of the pandemic
have indicated that the mental health of women has deteriorated significantly,
due to the increase in work and domestic tasks they perform (Pérez et al.,
2021; Rodríguez-Bermúdez et al., 2021; Tharp et al.,
2021).
Concerning
the coping evaluation, it was found that in all the subscales the participants
scored below the average, even in the positive factor positive reappraisal,
this result suggests that they have an active coping not only with specific
stressors but also in those that arise in the normal course of the pandemic (Capasso et al., 2021; Parisi et
al., 2021; Pérez et al., 2021).
Regarding
the resilience variable, in all the subscales of this construct, there are
scores above the average, therefore, the women in this sample perceive that
they can interact and cope adequately in their context even in crises
preserving family ties, which translates into moving towards their life purpose
even after a traumatic event (Backhaus et al., 2021). Although low levels of stress were negatively but
statistically significantly associated with factors such as social
competence, family support, and strength and self-confidence,
the effect size was small, which could indicate that the assessment of
life-threatening events in daily life and those associated with the pandemic
result in the search for social support and resilient behaviors. It would be
worth discussing the implications of the use of coping strategies such as denial
and cognitive-reflexive analysis in women with high stress because even
when they perceive themselves as resilient, it does not necessarily translate
into a better way of coping with problems, consequently causing, long-term
havoc on their mental health (Capasso et al., 2021;
Lai et al., 2020).
Even though the adverse effects of the pandemic on
mental health and resilience have been hypothesized, the impact it has is still
unknown as it is a changing and long-lasting event. Therefore, it is vital to
make exhaustive assessments considering the different moments of this pandemic
and its effects on women (NIMH, 2020; UNFPA, 2020b). Although variables such as
educational level and professional situation were related to high resilience
(Abbott et al., (2021; Lindinger-Sternart et al.,
2021), it is worth continuing to develop research on women with other
characteristics.
Finally, it is highlighted that this research
indicates the need to evaluate the possible effects on the mental health of vulnerable
social groups in a health emergency. This is to provide timely psychological
and/or psychiatric care adjusted to the needs of the population (Dong &
Bouey, 2020; Torales et al., 2020; Pan American
Health Organization, 2020).
Some of the limitations of this study did not include
aspects related to gender role, associated activities, and whether this is a
variable that predicts stress, coping strategies, or resilience. Another
limitation is associated with the course of the pandemic itself and the evaluation
period, since this study was cross-sectional, it was not possible to evaluate
the changes in the variables studied over time. In this regard, given the
evolution of the pandemic, the needs and problems experienced may be different,
so the situations perceived as stressful may also have changed (Rubin et al.,
2010). Finally, the application of psychological instruments in online mode is
usually considered inaccurate or methods where the self-report of some
variables is overestimated. However, there is also evidence of its usefulness,
functionality, and equivalence between these forms and those used traditionally
(Pérez-Bautista & Lugo-González, 2022; Weigold et
al., 2013).
It is concluded that women perceived themselves as
having high resilience, however, they present moderate stress levels, having
more information about COVID-19 was associated with greater stress. High-stress
levels are related to denial and reflective cognitive coping styles. Resilience
was associated with low levels of stress, so increasing it would help reduce
the levels of those who were most affected.
It is suggested for future research to include both sexes, to carry out
a longitudinal study that allows knowing the changes in the levels of stress,
resilience, and the coping styles that are used to face the situations that
arise during the COVID-19 pandemic, given that this health emergency is not
over yet. To investigate if the gender role plays a role in the mental health
of women and men is the proposal.
ORCID
Ana Leticia Becerra-Gálvez https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5075-6098
Alejandro Pérez Ortiz https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1134-9190
Yuma Yoaly
Pérez-Bautista https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1032-1126
Isaías Vicente
Lugo-González https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2024-2598
América Genevra
Franco Moreno https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6066-101X
Erick Alberto Medina
Jiménez https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8238-3225
CONTRIBUCIÓN
DE LOS AUTORES
Ana Leticia Becerra Gálvez: Conception and writing of the manuscript in Spanish
version, approval of its latest version, obtaining funding and translation of
the manuscript into English.
Alejandro Pérez Ortiz:
Dissemination of the project among the study population, literature search,
preparation of the COVID-19 knowledge questionnaire and drafting of the
manuscript in Spanish version.
Yuma Yoaly
Pérez-Bautista: Data collection, statistical advice, and approval of its latest
version.
Isaías Vicente Lugo-González: Data collection, statistical advice, and
approval of its latest version.
América Genevra
Franco Moreno: Review of the state of the art, correction of the manuscript,
adjustment to the publication norms of the journal and the APA seventh edition
style.
Erick Alberto Medina
Jiménez: Dissemination of the project among the study population, literature
search, and translation of the manuscript into English.
FUNDING
This study was
financed by United Nations (UNWOMEN) and was part of a specialized consultancy.
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
The authors of
this study report no conflict of interest.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
No applicable.
REVIEW
PROCESS
This study has
been reviewed by external peers in double-blind mode. The editor in charge Anthony Copez-Lonzoy. The review process can be
found as supplementary material 1.
DATA
AVAILABILITY STATEMENT
The databases
which contain personal or psychometric information of the participants of this
study cannot be shared in their entirety due to the restrictions issued by the
committee that approved and financed the SSA/CI 006-20 project, which was
designated by the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment
of Women, UN WOMEN based in Mexico. The issuance of the results of this project
is and shall be partial in compliance with such restrictions.
DISCLAIMER
The authors are responsible for all
statements made in this article.
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