open access
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ISSN : 1229-0688
This study investigated the construct of the COVID-19 pandemic stress and developed a measurement for it. The scale items were developed on the basis of a literature review and expert interviews. 300 adults were recruited one year after the pandemic declaration, when the infection was on the rise. The COVID-19 stress consisted of 7 factors: 1) “fear of infection,” 2) “job instability” reflecting employment insecurity and future uncertainty, 3) “social distance” and 4) “unusual daily constraints” reflecting actions to prevent infection, 5) “social isolation and stress” reflecting the accumulation of stress caused by changes in everyday life, 6) “fear of the infection aftermath” reflecting the fear of damage and stigma caused by infection, and 7) “distrust of public coping capabilities” reflecting the fear that the infectious disease will not be controlled. Reliability and validity of the 21-item scale were verified. The results of higher order factor analysis revealed two dimensions: “primary stress,” which has a short-term and direct effect, and “secondary stress,” which appears due to a prolonged pandemic and has a strong correlation with anxiety and depression.
