Gallery Presentation International Positive Psychology Association 7th IPPA World Congress 2021

It’s never too late to start being resilient: A time-series study of social support and meaning in life among international students in the U.S. during the COVID-19 pandemic (#363)

Jeffrey M Pavlacic 1 , Marcela C Weber 1 , Victoria Torres 1 , Stefan E. Schulenberg 1 , Erin Buchanan 2
  1. The University of Mississippi, University, MISSISSIPPI (MS), United States
  2. Cognitive Analytics, Harrisburg University of Science and Technology , Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, United States

 

Background

Perceived meaning in life and social support predict resilience to numerous traumas and fluctuate as often as daily1, yet this is not adequately accounted for in the largely cross-sectional research on chronic stress and trauma2. Stress from pandemics and natural hazards differs, but has not been as extensively researched. International students in the U.S. during the COVID-19 pandemic face additional stressors3 such as deportation and discrimination against Asians; thus, they merit attention regarding the psychological effects COVID-19.

 

Hypotheses/research questions

For international students during the COVID-19 pandemic, between- and within-person increased meaning-making, social support, and self-efficacy will (1) decrease traumatic stress, anxiety, and depression and (2) increase resilience.

 

Sample characteristics and sample size

International students (N = 52) at a U.S. university, were surveyed weekly for > 700 data points total (data collection ongoing). Two-thirds (69%) were Asian.

 

Design

The design was time series with up to 14 data points per person 2-11 days apart. Within- and between-person effects were examined using multilevel modeling.

 

Results

Data after 8 timepoints (reported here) showed weekly perceived meaning in life predicted between-person lower distress (totaled traumatic stress, depression, and anxiety) and greater resilience. Meaning also predicted within-person lower distress, i.e. distress was lower the weeks that meaning in life was higher. Emotional social support predicted lower within-person distress and greater within-person resilience, with no between-person effects. Surprisingly, self-efficacy predicted greater within-person distress. With half the data collected, 27% of the fixed variance was accounted for.

 

Scientific Contribution

Our finding of largely within-person, not between-person, effects of social support and meaning in life on resilience and distress suggest that resilience during a pandemic is not static or trait-like; it fluctuates. It is never too late in the ongoing pandemic to enhance social support and meaning, even for individuals facing added stressors.


 

  1. 1. Miao, M., Zheng, L., & Gan, Y. (2017). Meaning in life promotes proactive coping via positive affect: A daily diary study. Journal of Happiness Studies, 18(6), 1683-1696. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-016-9791-4
  2. 2. George, L. S., & Park, C. L. (2016). Meaning in life as comprehension, purpose, and mattering: Toward integration and new research questions. Review of General Psychology, 20(3), 205-220. https://doi.org/10.1037/gpr0000
  3. 3. Jeung, R. (2020, March 25). Incidents of Coronavirus Discrimination. Report for the Asian Pacific Policy & Planning Council and Chinese for Affirmative Action. Retrieved March 30, 2020, from http://www.asianpacificpolicyandplanningcouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/A3PCON_Public_Weekly_Report_3.pdf
  • Keywords: Culture, Diversity and Inclusion, Meaning and Purpose, Resilience and Posttraumatic Growth