Factors of Stress Resistance in Doctors and Medical Workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic

ABSTRACT

Purpose. The purpose of this study was to analyze the severity of stress reactions and highlight stress resistance factors in medical workers under the COVID-19 pandemic. Materials and methods. The methodological complex included social and demographic questionnaire;the Perceived Stress Scale-10 questionnaire;State-Trait Anxiety Inventory;Maslach Burnout Inventory, Russian adaptation, version for healthcare workers);Russian-language version of the 24-itemHEXACO six-factor Personality Inventory;Russian-language version of Kuhl and Fuhrmann Self-regulation Study Methodology (Selbststeuerungs-Inventar – SSI). A total of 318 medical workers (mean age 38.7±11.6 years) participated in the online survey in the period between Apr. 27, 2020, and Nov. 20, 2021. Results. The results of the study revealed that a low level of stress resistance and a high level of emotional burnout were mostly detected in medical workers with specialized secondary education under the age of 30, in female medical staff and among respondents who did not have their own children. The dynamics of changes in burnout rates directly corresponded to the dynamics of changes in morbidity rates during the pandemic periods. Psychological factors of medical staff stress resistance under the COVID-19 pandemic conditions were identified, including such personality traits as extraversion, openness to new experiences and conscientiousness, a developed capacity for self-regulation, will development, orientation to act after failures, as well as congruence of own feelings and readiness to integrate contradictions. Conclusion. The conclusion summarizes the results and presents the limitations and prospects of this study. © 2023, Professionalnye Izdaniya. All rights reserved.