Impact of Stress and Emotional Reactions Due To The Covid-19 Pandemic in India
Impact of Stress and Emotional Reactions Due To The Covid-19 Pandemic in India
Impact of Stress and Emotional Reactions Due To The Covid-19 Pandemic in India
ISSN No:-2456-2165
Abstract:- Covid-19 has resulted in disruption to many According to a study conducted by a Delhi-based
lives. Here we provide a brief report on 80 respondents’ mental health service platform The Center of Healing
perception and emotional well-being due to covid-19. In (TCOH), there has been an increase in stress and anxiety
late June 2021, Participants responded to the uncertainty among people since the Covid-19 pandemic. The study
regarding mental health as well as a significant level of revealed that the rates of relapse among people who had
stress and difficulty coping with covid-19 disruption. recovered from mental health conditions have risen and
These outcomes were related to the higher level of due to the spike in need for their services. It noted that
emotional reactions and external locus of control. Male ever since the pandemic hit India over few months back,
participants reported worst emotional and stressed well- followed by an unprecedented lockdown, stress and
being than compared female participants. This result anxiety levels have been on the rise. Stress poses many
suggests that some participants may be at particular risk challenges compared to society as it hinders people’s life
for stress and poor emotional well being due to pandemic from acquiring poor emotional reactions which are
and highlight the urgent need for intervention and significantly associated with elevated levels of stress.
prevention strategies.
II. OBJECTIVE
Keywords:- Literature, Stress, Emotional Reactions,
Pandemic, Covid-19. To study the relationship between the level of stress and
emotional reactions. This study sought to accomplish the
I. INTRODUCTION following research objectives.
To determine the level of stress experienced by the
The corona virus disease, 2019 (COVID-19) began in Indians.
the city of Wuhan in China and has quickly spread To determine the level of emotional reactions by Indians.
around the world, by generating the global health crisis To identify if there is any significant relationship
with massive disruption/ proportions. Due to which between the level of stress and emotional reactions by
people found themselves and forced to cope with new Indians.
emotional reaction challenges mainly with stress,
inducing a considerable degree of fear and worry with III. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
underlying health conditions. This pandemic has caused a
real threat both physically and emotionally. According to This section provides the related literature which
research the people’s life has been severely restricted, provides the strong foundation and scientific basis of this
slow down due to the spread of the virus with adverse research. A total of 78% of Indian people experience various
psychosocial consequences. The covid-19 is not just a degrees of stress. The stressors can be categorized under
medical phenomenon that simultaneously affecting each social, cultural and environmental factors. As per the reports
individual which is marked with the effect of level of 74% of Indians experience stress and emotional reactions
severity, pain, and causing disruption. during this pandemic and simultaneously 88% reported
anxiety amid COVID-19. Students report experiencing
According to global scenarios the recent study academic stress as the large amount of content to be mastered
revealed that this pandemic exerts the people with fear in a small amount of time (Abouserie, 2020). Reportedly the
that their close ones or they might become ill or may die patients, medical staff, older adults and children are
by generating psychological stress and emotional vulnerably experiencing to stress and emotional reactions,
breakdown. The impact of the pandemic is drastically mainly psychological health issues during COVID-19
changing the lives of many people, including the lives of pandemic (Erkutulu &Chafra, 2020). In addition to that
young people. As schools and universities have closed COVID-19 pandemic affects and creates the correlated stress
exams and are postponed, the usual health information and emotional reactions among the citizens of India. Most of
service is limited, socializing with friends and wider the researchers hold the certain percentage of Indian people
family is discouraged. In these circumstances can be who finds it difficult to survive this COVID-19 due to
tough for people as it affects social, physical and mental negative thoughts and environment (Baker, 2021). The
wellbeing. Research says there are 74% of Indians hustling and buzzing works given by schools, colleges and
suffering from stress; 88% reported anxiety amid Covid- universities during this pandemic can also create various
19. 68.6% of therapists reported the increase in the stress and emotional reactions among students, staff and
number of people they see and, in the hours, they spend many more. During this COVID-19 pandemic the
taking therapy. environment has been challenging such as course overload,
limited work opportunities, financial crisis and many more of
EMOTIONAL
REACTIONS AMONG
LEVEL OF STRESS
INDIANS
Fig. 1: The schematic diagram of the level of stress in relation to the emotional reactions due to COVID-19 among Indians
This study aimed to determine the relationship between The study will benefit the following:
the stress and emotional reactions among Indians. These Respondents: This study aims to give relevant information
include different aged groups of Indian people, ages 18 years about the stress and emotional reactions in India. This will
and above. Researcher’s limit their study all over India benefit the participants, people as well as students in India.
specifically in universities where the survey will be Since they are the ones who experience stress and
conducted at the respondents own respected room using the emotional reactions due to the covid-19 pandemic. And to
like type of questionnaire. be aware of the stress and its impact on the emotional
reactions.
Researchers understand the level of stress and Educational Institutions: this study aims to give relevant
emotional reactions among different Indians. Therefore the information about the stress and emotional reactions
study focuses on the 60 respondents from different concerning educational institutions. By giving relevant
universities. The limitation of this study is the type of information about the individual’s behavior how he/she
sampling being used which is probability sampling technique. behave or react, which shows the impact on physically and
mentally.
The researcher also includes ethical consideration such
as giving informed consent before conducting the survey. Family and friends: This study promotes the knowledge
Due to the sensitivity of the topic, names of the respondents to the family as well as the friends about the stress and
were not included and information that has been gathered will emotional reactions experienced by their loved ones and
not be divulged to others without permission. helps them to understand better.
Teachers: This study helps to understand their students
about the problems faced by them and be aware to know
the level of stress and emotional reactions.
Future researchers: This research may encourage further
investigation and serve as data to make future researchers
significant in measuring the level of stress and emotional
reactions.
VIII. POPULATION AND SAMPLE each item can be indicated by marking a checkmark in the
bracket given against each statement. The objective of this
The respondents of this study will be 80 respondents scale is to measure the stress among the respondents during
from all over India, age 18 years and above. A stratified this pandemic (COVID-19). It contains 10 items and each
sampling technique is used to determine the respondents. The item had a scale to determine if the respondent strongly agree,
probability sampling technique involves the division of a agree, disagree, strongly disagree with the statements.
population into smaller groups or strata. In this study, there is
a population of 150 from which randomly 80 respondents will The researchers also used a modified scale to measure
be picked up through probability sampling technique the level of emotional reactions (1.00-3.50) among the
respondents. The scale is composed of 8 statements and each
IX. RESEARCH INSTRUMENT item has a scale to determine if the respondent strongly
disagrees, strongly agrees, disagree, or agrees to the
The researchers will use an instrument adapted from the statements. The answers of the respondents according to what
Academic Stress scale (1.00- 3.50). This scale consists of 10 he/she believes in were rated by using the Likert scale.
items describing the stress among the respondent’s life due to
the COVID-19 pandemic. The level of stress they feel for
Informed consent: A written consent will be obtained Right to Withdraw: The researcher ensures that
from the participants who were minors. They are asked to participants can feel free to withdraw from participation in
write consent together with his/her legal guardian of legal the study without fear of penalized.
age. In the process, the researcher shall ensure. Those
participants have information and understanding of the Plagiarism: The researchers have presented another
purpose of the research, its expected duration, and researcher's work as her own, even if the other work or data
procedures. Similarly, they were informed of their right to source is cited occasionally.
decline to participants and to withdraw from the research.
Once the research activity began the researcher may also Storage of Data: The raw data and analysis from this study
provide an opportunity for the prospective participants to have been stored for up to five years in a safe place that can
ask questions and receive answers. be accessed only by the researcher and guidance
department.
Confidentiality and privacy: The researcher had a
primary obligation and took reasonable precautions to As a guide the interpretation of the coefficient-specific
protect confidential information obtained through or stored ranges of r corresponding to various interpretations.
in any medium, in the conduct of this research; the
XI. RESULT
Table 1 shows the mean, standard deviation, description, and verbal interpretation of the level of stress due to the covid-19
pandemic among corresponding respondents. It can be seen from the table that the respondents have a high level of stress
(mean=2.40, standard deviation =0.395).
Table 2 shows the mean, standard deviation, Of the 80 respondents, 60% indicated the increase of
description, and verbal interpretation of emotional reactions stress and anxiety due to the Covid-19 outbreak. Multiple
among Indians. It can be seen from the table that the stressors were identified that contributed to the increased
respondents have a high level of stress/ low level of emotional level of stress and its effect on emotions. These included fear
reactions (mean= 2.55, standard deviation of Indian and worry about their mental health and of their loved ones
psychology students = 0.481) (60/80, 60% reported negative impacts of the pandemic),
difficulty in concentrating, disruptions to sleeping patterns,