Predicting Students’ Coronavirus Anxiety and Health-Oriented Behaviors (Observance of Health Protocols) Based on the Components of Psychological Capital

Abstract

Objective: This descriptive-correlational study aimed to predict students' coronavirus anxiety and health-oriented behaviors (observance of health protocols) based on the components of psychological capital. Methods: The statistical population included university students coming from two public universities in south of Iran, 154 of whom were recruited as the sample of the study. The data gathering procedure was done through Google forms, the links of which were shared with the participants through WhatsApp. Corona Disease Anxiety Scale (CDAS) and Luthans’s (2017) Psychological Capital Questionnaire were used as the main instruments and the collected data were analyzed by Pearson Correlation, simple, and multiple regression analysis. Results: It was found that the higher the amount of psychological capital and its components in individuals, the more health-oriented behaviors (adherence to health protocols) and the less coronavirus anxiety in students. The obtained results also showed that students’ health-oriented behaviors (wearing masks, hygienic hand disinfection, and social distancing practices) were strongly correlated with psychological capital and its components as well as their perceived coronavirus anxiety. Conclusions: According to the results of this study, it is recommended to hold training courses to promote psychological capital to increase health-oriented behaviors and reduce anxiety induced by such pandemics.

Keywords

• psychological capital
• health-oriented behaviors
• health protocols
• coronavirus anxiety