Emotional reactions and hardiness among Russian students during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic

ABSTRACT

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic provoked emotional reactions in Russian student populations. Hardiness is seen as a personality predisposition that increases individuals' resilience to stress. Objective(s) The study aimed to determine the severity of depression, anxiety, stress, and various components of hardiness in Russian students. In addition, the correlations between emotional reactions and hardiness components were also analysed. Method(s) Data collectionwas carried out between 29May and 06 July 2020.Atotal of 129medical and non-medical students participated in the study. TheDASS-21was used tomeasure depression, anxiety, and stress levels, while the Personal Views Survey-III examined hardiness. Both questionnaires were adapted for use in Russia. Result(s) We found that medical students were less likely to be depressed than non-medical students (M = 4.03 and M = 6.01 respectively, p < 0.05). Medical students had higher levels of the component of hardiness such as commitment (M = 20.95 and M = 18.43 respectively, p < 0.05). In both groups, all hardiness components have negative relationshipswith depression, anxiety, and stress, but inthemedical group control is associated onlywith depression (rx =-0.446, p < 0.01), whereas the other group also has associationswith anxiety (rx = -0.356, p < 0.01) and stress (rx = -0.407, p < 0.01). Conclusion(s) Hardiness was negatively related to depression, anxiety, and stress in a pandemic setting. Medical students were more adaptable to the pandemic than non-medical students.