Cultural Difference in the Role of Communion in Coping With COVID-19

• Published in: Health psychology 2024-01, Vol.43 (1), p.67-75
• Main Authors: Joo, Minjoo, Cross, Susan E., Park, Sun W.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Communion; Coping; Coping Behavior; COVID-19; Cross Cultural Differences; Emotional experiences; Emotions; Everyday life; Female; Human; Male; Negative Emotions; News; Positive emotions; Stress
• ISSN: 0278-6133; 1930-7810
• DOI: 10.1037/hea0001312

Objective: People are overwhelmed with COVID-19 news every day, which induces stress but also makes people feel connected to others. The present study examined two conflicting pressures of COVID-19-stress and communion-on the link between COVID-19 saliency and psychological consequences in two cultures. Specifically, we aimed to examine whether COVID-19 saliency and daily emotional experiences are mediated by COVID-19 stress and communion, and whether the relation between communion and daily emotions is emphasized among Koreans compared to U.S. participants. Method: We collected a 14-day daily diary from South Koreans (n = 201) and the U.S. participants (n = 128), measuring individuals' daily experiences of COVID-19 and emotions. Results: COVID-19 saliency led to COVID-19-related stress, which was positively linked to daily negative emotions; COVID-19 saliency was also positively associated with communion, which led to decreased negative emotions in both cultures. As hypothesized, the opposite effect of COVID-19 stresses and communion emerged for positive emotions. Further, culture significantly moderated the relationship between communion and daily emotions, suggesting that communion is a more important coping mechanism for Koreans than U.S. individuals. Conclusions: The current study speaks to the importance of a sense of communion to cope with the negative consequences of the global crisis, especially for individuals from East Asian cultural context. Objetivo: Las personas se sienten abrumadas con las noticias sobre el COVID-19 todos los días, lo que induce estrés, pero también hace que las personas se sientan conectadas con los demás. El presente estudio examinó dos presiones contradictorias del COVID-19 (el estrés y la comunión) sobre el vínculo entre la prominencia del COVID-19 y las consecuencias psicológicas en dos culturas. Específicamente, nuestro objetivo fue examinar si la prominencia del COVID-19 y las experiencias emocionales diarias están mediadas por el estrés y la comunión del COVID-19, y si la relación entre la comunión y las emociones diarias se enfatiza entre los coreanos en comparación con los participantes estadounidenses. Métodos: Recopilamos diarios de 14 días de participantes surcoreanos (n = 201) y estadounidenses (n = 128), midiendo las experiencias diarias de los individuos con COVID-19 y sus emociones. Resultados: La prominencia de la COVID-19 provocó estrés relacionado con el COVID-19, que se relacionó positivamente con las em