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How has the University Community Been Coping During the COVID-19 Pandemic?: An Iranian Survey
Univ Gavle, Fac Hlth & Occupat Studies, Gavle, Sweden.
Uppsala Univ, Fac Theol, Uppsala, Sweden.
Univ Tehran, Fac Psychol & Educ, Tehran, Iran.
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2022 (English)In: Frontiers in Sociology, E-ISSN 2297-7775, Vol. 6, article id 645670Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Objectives: The present study, one of the first to look at COVID-19 and coping in Iran, aimed at mapping, describing and understanding the coping methods academics employ as protective resources to deal with the psychological challenges and social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic. We specifically aimed at identifying the meaning-making coping methods used and understanding the influence of culture. The guiding research question has been: Are there differences in meaning-making coping methods by gender, age group, work/student status, and place of residence?Design: The study, which used convenience sampling, was a quantitative inquiry. It employed a modified version of the RCOPE scale among faculty/staff members and students in Iran (n = 196, 75% women).Results: The most frequently used coping method among all subgroups of the study sample was thinking that life is part of a greater whole, followed by praying to Allah/God. The least used coping methods were the negative religious ones. Gender differences were found for being alone and contemplating, stronger for men. Thinking that life is part of a greater whole was found mainly among on-campus students. Praying to Allah/God was most common among the youngest staff and students, as well as among women. Two segments of respondents were discovered-the Theists and Non-theists-where the former used more religious coping methods, were more likely to be women, older staff and students, on-campus students, married, have children, and lived in capital.Conclusions: Our conclusion is that the RCOPE methods, which include religious and spiritual meaning-making methods, are of great importance to the studied Iranian informants. However, they use some secular existential meaning-making coping strategies too. This is explained by the role of religion in the larger orientation system and frame of reference in parallel with a secular worldview. Further, a sharp distinction between religious and secular worldviews was not found, which is explained by the fact that secular norms are hardly internalized in ways of thinking in Iran.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
FRONTIERS MEDIA SA , 2022. Vol. 6, article id 645670
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Sociology
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URN: urn:nbn:se:mdh:diva-57427DOI: 10.3389/fsoc.2021.645670ISI: 000750043200001Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-85123911042OAI: oai:DiVA.org:mdh-57427DiVA, id: diva2:1638338
Available from: 2022-02-16 Created: 2022-02-16 Last updated: 2022-03-17Bibliographically approved

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