Dealing With the Pandemic of COVID-19 in Portugal: On the Important Role of Positivity, Experiential Avoidance, and Coping Strategies
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Data
2021-06-24
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Frontiers in Psychology
Resumo
The global COVID-19 pandemic crisis has caused an unprecedented impact on most
areas of people’s lives. Thus, framed within the scope of Existential Positive Psychology
(PP2.0), this study aimed at assessing the psychological distress of adults living in
Portugal during the first national lockdown, how they are coping with stress, as well
to contribute to a deeper understanding about the role that positivity, experiential
avoidance, and coping strategies have in psychological distress and well-being. For
this purpose, 586 Portuguese adults (73% females) ranging between 18 and 78 years
old (M = 38.96, SD = 12.20) completed an online survey during the initial phase of
the pandemic crisis in Portugal. Findings suggest that experiential avoidance was the
strongest predictor of a negative response (depression, anxiety, stress, loneliness, and
negative emotions), whereas positivity was a better predictor of psychological well-being
and lower levels of depression. Additionally, self-blame, behavioral disengagement, and
emotional venting were strong risk factors for psychological distress, whereas positive
reframing, planning, and acceptance were associated with more positive outcomes.
These findings highlight the critical role of experiential avoidance on individuals’
psychological distress and the essential contribution of positive life orientation in
promoting flourishing. By offering a better understanding of the complex navigation
through the dialectics between positive and negative life features, this study provides
important and useful cues for psychological interventions directed at promoting a more
positive and adaptive human functioning even through such potential adverse and
painful life events.
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Palavras-chave
existential positive psychology, acceptance, experiential avoidance, positivity, well-being, psychological distress, coping, COVID-19 pandemic, PSICOLOGIA, PSYCHOLOGY, COVID-19, WELL-BEING, BEM-ESTAR, PORTUGAL
Citação
Ferreira MJ, Sofia R, Carreno DF, Eisenbeck N, Jongenelen I and Cruz JFA (2021) Dealing With the Pandemic of COVID-19 in Portugal: On the Important Role of Positivity, Experiential Avoidance, and Coping Strategies. Front. Psychol. 12:647984. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.647984