ABSTRACT
Objective: This study examined the relationship between perceived stress appraisals and coping style during the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting distress reaction and effects on work engagement. Method: The sample (N = 423) was 78.6% female with average age and education of 38.5 and 18.4 years, respectively. Most respondents reported working in psychology/neuropsychology (31.7%) and rehabilitation/other therapies (29.7%). Surveys were distributed via Qualtrics among health care providers via listservs and referral emails from medical providers. Measures included: the Brief COPE Inventory, Work and Well Being Survey (UWES), Stress Appraisal Measure (SAM), Generalized Anxiety Disorder Screener (GAD-7), and the Screening Tool for Psychological Distress (STOP-D). Results: Health care workers endorsing problem-focused coping styles had lower levels of perceived threat and higher levels of perceived control in their response to the pandemic. Problemfocused coping was negatively associated with anxiety and depression in reaction to the pandemic when compared with health care workers who endorsed an emotion-focused coping style. Higher stress appraisal in response to perceived threat from the pandemic was not associated with lower work engagement or enthusiasm. Conclusions: Findings support the impact of coping style on psychological distress and work engagement during pandemic, with implications that these factors may be important considerations for mitigation of distress and burnout for health care workers during times of high stress. Initiatives to improve resiliency and wellness in health care workers may examine modifiable interventions for coping style.