COVID-19: ANXIETY, REJECTION SENSITIVITY, FEAR OF DEATH AND RESILIENT COPING AMONG GENERATION X AND Y

Abstract

Outbreak of COVID-19 has adversely affected the world with harmful effects on the mental health of people of all ages. In the present cross-sectional research, we were interested to explore anxiety, rejection sensitivity, fear of death and resilient coping as a result of COVID-19 among participants of generation X (1965-1980) and Y (1981-2000). A sample of 235 covid-negative (GX=104, GY=131;M=97, W=138) was taken using convenient sampling. Anxiety self-rating scale, rejection sensitivity questionnaire revised death anxiety scale and brief resilience coping scale were used to collect data. Pearson Product Moment Correlation revealed positive relationship between anxiety, rejection sensitivity and fear of death. Anxiety and rejection sensitivity indicated negative relationship with resilient coping. Mediate analysis showed that anxiety significantly predicted rejection sensitivity and fear of death, rejection sensitivity significantly predicted fear of death and rejection sensitivity significantly mediated between anxiety and rejection sensitivity. Moderated-mediation analysis showed anxiety as negative predictor of death anxiety while resilient coping and rejection sensitivity are positive predictors of fear of death. Resilient coping didn't moderate between anxiety and fear of death but the indirect effects of resilient coping on low and moderate level was significant. Independent Sample T-Test revealed significant generational differences in anxiety, significant gender differences in fear of death and significant family differences in rejection sensitivity. Significant family system differences were found only on rejection sensitivity with nuclear scored high. Study implications are discussed in health, clinical and counselling psychology.