Journal of Loss and Trauma
International Perspectives on Stress & Coping
ISSN: 1532-5024 (Print) 1532-5032 (Online) Journal homepage: https://www.tandfonline.com/loi/upil20
Knowledge, Attitudes, Anxiety, and Coping
Strategies of Students during COVID-19 Pandemic
Erick T. Baloran
To cite this article: Erick T. Baloran (2020): Knowledge, Attitudes, Anxiety, and Coping
Strategies of Students during COVID-19 Pandemic, Journal of Loss and Trauma, DOI:
10.1080/15325024.2020.1769300
To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.1080/15325024.2020.1769300
Published online: 22 May 2020.
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JOURNAL OF LOSS AND TRAUMA
https://doi.org/10.1080/15325024.2020.1769300
Knowledge, Attitudes, Anxiety, and Coping Strategies
of Students during COVID-19 Pandemic
Erick T. Baloran
College of Teacher Education, University of Mindanao – Bansalan College, Bansalan, Philippines
ABSTRACT
ARTICLE HISTORY
COVID-19 is a global concern affecting Higher Education
Institutions (HEIs). This pandemic led to a strong reaction
among students who experiences anxiety. This cross-sectional
study aimed to examine students’ knowledge, attitudes, anxiety, and coping strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Results showed that students possessed sufficient knowledge
and high-risk perceptions. Non-medical prevention measures
were perceived as highly effective. Students were satisfied
with the government’s actions to mitigate problems. However,
an unwillingness with the online-blended learning approach
was observed. Students utilized various ways to cope up with
mental health challenges. It is necessary to address students’
mental health during this COVID-19 pandemic among HEIs.
Received 11 May 2020
Accepted 12 May 2020
KEYWORDS
Knowledge; attitude;
satisfaction; support;
anxiety; coping strategies;
COVID-19 pandemic
Introduction
In January 2020, the WHO declared the outbreak of novel coronavirus
infection, COVID-19, as a public health emergency of worldwide concern
(World Health Organization, 2020a). The first recorded death outside
Wuhan, China, was in the Philippines on February 20, 2020, and WHO
declared COVID-19 in March 2020 as a pandemic (World Health
Organization, 2020b). In the Philippines, WHO has been working with the
Department of Health (DOH) and other national stakeholders and partners
to increase the country’s capability to address the COVID-19 pandemic
(World Health Organization, 2020c). Besides, the DOH participated in the
WHO Solidarity trial to assist in COVID-19 global response (World Health
Organization, 2020d). Moreover, Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ)
was implemented by the government to help the country’s efforts to curb
the adverse impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic (David et al., 2020). In the
context of social impact, the COVID-19 crisis in the country appears that
the effect is on the lower-income classes (National Economic and
Development Authority, 2020).
CONTACT Erick T. Baloran
erickbaloran.research@gmail.com
Mindanao – Bansalan College, Bansalan, Philippines.
ß 2020 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC
College of Teacher Education, University of
2
E. T. BALORAN
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the psychological and emotional impact is also evident. Its emergence and spread create a lot of concern for people leading to increased levels of anxiety (Roy et al., 2020).
COVID-19 crisis has also made an impact on the context of Philippine
Education. Classes were postponed due to lockdown. The majority of colleges and universities also faced current challenges with virtual learning
(Talidong & Toquero, 2020). In particular, Higher Education Institutions
(HEIs) are prompted to establish management approaches regarding pandemics to encourage positive health behavior among students (Akan et al.,
2010). Considering the relevance of all the above conditions, this study
aimed to assess knowledge, attitudes, anxiety, and personal coping strategies of college students during the COVID-19 pandemic in Southern
Philippines.
Methods
This was a cross-sectional study conducted among two local private colleges in the province of Davao del Sur, Southern Philippines, from April 25
– May 8, 2020. The researcher conducted this study during the increasing
rate of COVID-19 pandemic cases in the Philippines, where Davao del Sur
was under Enhanced Community Quarantine. Student respondents were
determined using the snowball technique who answered the online survey
developed through Google forms with an appended consent form. The survey link was sent to the student respondents via social media. The set of
questions was adapted from the study of Akan et al. (2010), Khalid et al.
(2016), and Roy et al. (2020) and was modified to suit in the context of the
study. The study involved only those students who had access to the internet. There were a total of 530 students, including college and senior high
school, who responded in the online survey.
Results and discussion
Among the 530 students who answered the questionnaire, 312 (58.87%)
were female, 200 (37.73%) were male, and 18 (3.40%) were members of the
LGBTQ þ community. The majority of the students belong to the age
group of 20 to 25-years-old (282 or 53.21%) and were single (502 or
94.72%), with below ten thousand Philippine peso monthly family income
(350 or 66.04%). Moreover, the majority of the students’ courses were in
the field of law enforcement (121 or 22.83%).
In view of students’ knowledge about COVID-19, a full 73.58% (390/
530) of the students knew that the COVID-19 could spread through touching, sneezing, kissing, and food. They were aware that the primary symptom of the COVID-19 infection is fever (517/530 or 97.55%). Also, 91.70%
JOURNAL OF LOSS AND TRAUMA
3
(486/530) of the students understood the importance of staying at home as
a precautionary measure to stop the spread of the virus in the community.
Previous studies provided evidence that COVID-19 is mainly transmitted
through social contact with symptomatic persons (Burke et al., 2020; Chan
et al., 2020; Huang et al., 2020; Li et al., 2020; Liu et al., 2020; Ong et al.,
2020); with mild to severe symptoms (World Health Organization, 2020f),
and through asymptomatic transmission (World Health Organization,
2020e). Besides, older persons (Kluge, 2020) and children (Dong et al.,
2020; Lu et al., 2020) are at a considerably increased risk of serious illness
after infection from COVID-19.
In terms of the perceptions of students on the risks of COVID-19 and
the effectiveness of precautionary measures, 332/530 (62.64%) perceived a
high-risk level of becoming infected. Also, students have seen the following
as highly effective: social distancing and wearing a face mask (60%), hand
washing and sanitizing (66.42%), and staying at home (84.72%). 74.15%
(393/530) agreed on mass testing, and 90.19% (478/530) agreed with the
implementation of Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ). Likewise,
David et al. (2020) of the University of the Philippines emphasized that the
implementation of the ECQ is effective in dropping the rate of transmission of the virus, which includes guidelines such as general physical distancing, mass testing and contact tracing, and strict home quarantine.
Given students’ attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccination, the vast majority of student respondents (431/530 or 81.32%) stated that they were willing
to be vaccinated against COVID-19, while only 18.68% (99/530) said they
wouldn’t be. Among those students who were unwilling to be vaccinated,
45.45% (45/99) said that it is not safe since it could have health risks or
side effects. This is comparable to the findings of the study of Akan et al.
(2010), which revealed that the main concerns of college students are
related to the vaccination’s safety during the pandemic influenza A/H1N1.
Moreover, 55.85% (296/530) had very high satisfaction with the services
rendered by the local frontline workers, 41.51% (220/530) had very high
satisfaction and confidence with the information dissemination done by the
government, and 40.94% (217/530) were highly satisfied with the government’s mitigations and actions to stop the spread of the virus. This is in
parallel with the results of the study conducted by Hanrahan (2020), which
exposed that seven in 10 Australians were generally satisfied with governments’ actions in handling the COVID-19 pandemic.
Concerning the attitudes of students toward schooling during the
COVID-19 pandemic, Table 1 showed that 80.38% (426/530) agreed with
the stoppage of schools, and 65.85% (349) approved with the extension of
the opening of classes for the next semester due to COVID-19 pandemic
situation. However, 59.25% (314/530) disagreed with the conduct of the
4
E. T. BALORAN
Table 1. Students’ attitudes toward schooling during COVID-19 pandemic (n ¼ 530).
Yes, n (%)
Do you agree with the stoppage of schools during the
426 (80.38)
COVID-19 pandemic?
Do you agree with the extension of the opening of
349 (65.85)
classes for the next semester?
Do you agree with the conduct of the Online-Blended
169 (31.89)
Learning Approach during the
community quarantine?
The reasons for saying “YES” to Online-Blended Learning
a. I want to finish my academic requirements
b. I don’t want to quit school
c. I am bored at home, and I miss doing academic tasks
d. Online classes and modules are more convenient and
practical than going to school
e. It is about time to use online-blended education in college
especially during a crisis like this
f. It would be safe to study at home than to go to school
Total
The reasons for saying “NO” to Online-Blended Learning
a. I don’t have an internet connection
b. I don’t have personal computers and smartphones
c. I find online class and modules challenging to do
d. I would still prefer learning inside the classrooms
e. I find online classes and modules boring
f.
I cannot learn through online class and modules
g. I don’t have a personal interaction with my teacher and classmates
h. I don’t have budget or finances for an online class and online
submissions of requirements/tasks
Total
No, n (%)
37 (6.98)
I don’t know, n (%)
67 (12.64)
93 (17.55)
88 (16.60)
314 (59.25)
47 (8.87)
n
136
92
48
71
(%)
(80.47)
(54.44)
(28.40)
(42.01)
90 (53.25)
137 (81.07)
169 (100)
227
124
130
194
41
112
84
179
(72.29)
(39.49)
(41.40)
(61.78)
(13.06)
(35.67)
(26.75)
(57.01)
314 (100)
Online-Blended Learning Approach. The primary reason for these students
was poor internet connection (227/314 or 72.29%). Besides, the study conducted by Ja’ashan (2015) revealed that the majority of students who
undergone online-blended learning expressed negative impressions due to
slow internet connectivity.
Additionally, the majority of the students displayed anxiety during the
entire period of lockdown. 62.64% (332/530) were worried about food and
financial resources, and about 54% to 56% of the students avoid social contact, large meetings, and gatherings (Table 2). This confirmed the research
of Roy et al. (2020), which reported individuals were worried for themselves and their families during the on-going pandemic. People could have
limited social contact and avoided mass meetings. Besides, Lee (2020)
affirmed that the COVID-19 pandemic affects students’ mental health.
For the ways to cope up with the anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic, students responded common personal coping strategies, as shown in
Table 3. 90.19% (478) followed strict personal protective measures and
about 80% avoid going out in public places to reduce exposure from
COVID-19. This is line with the study of various authors (Faye et al., 2015;
Khalid et al., 2016) which revealed that during virus outbreak, it is crucial
for individuals to follow very stringent infection control practices with
standard precautions and minimized public exposure.
JOURNAL OF LOSS AND TRAUMA
5
Table 2. Students’ anxiety related to COVID-19 pandemic (n ¼ 530).
For the last week
1.
I often think about COVID-19 pandemic
2.
I often feel paranoid about contacting the novel Corona Virus infection
3.
I often avoid partying
4.
I usually avoid social contact
5.
I typically avoid large meetings and gatherings
6.
I usually avoid doing physical exercise outside the home
7.
I often avoid ordering food online
8.
I usually avoid buying food in public markets and foodservice establishments
9.
I usually have talked with friends about the corona pandemic
10. I often had difficulty sleeping by being worried about the Corona
Virus pandemic
11. I often feel affected by the posts on social media about Corona Virus infection
12. I often feel affected by the talks of novel Corona Virus pandemic on the
newspaper and news channels
13. I often feel the need to buy and stock all essentials at home
14. I often get afraid if anyone in my social circle or friends reports of being sick
15. I often feel the need to use the sanitizer/gloves
16. I often feel the need to wash my hands constantly
17. I often feel worried about myself and my family regarding the spread of COVID19 Viral Infection
18. I usually use a mask without any apparent signs and symptoms of the infection
19. The Idea of Novel Corona Viral Infection often makes me nervous leading to
inappropriate behaviors with anyone
20. The Idea of Novel Corona Viral Infection often makes me nervous that leads me
to post on social media
21. I often consider anybody I encounter as positive of the virus
22. I am usually worried about my studies because of the lockdown
23. I am often concerned about our food and financial resources during
the lockdown
n (%)
269 (50.75)
143 (26.98)
234 (44.15)
297 (56.04)
287 (54.15)
189 (35.66)
118 (22.26)
178 (33.58)
154 (29.06)
98 (18.49)
176 (33.21)
123 (23.21)
169
185
198
243
274
(31.89)
(34.91)
(37.36)
(45.85)
(51.70)
199 (37.55)
101 (19.06)
67 (12.64)
99 (18.68)
256 (48.30)
332 (62.64)
Table 3. Students’ personal coping strategies during COVID-19 pandemic (n ¼ 530).
During the community quarantine
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
Follow strict personal protective measures (e.g., mask, handwashing, etc.)
Read about COVID-19, its prevention and mechanism of transmission
Avoid going out in public places to minimize exposure from COVID-19
Do relaxation activities, for example, involved in meditation, sports, exercise, music, etc.
Praying, worshiping and Bible study
Chat with family and friends to relieve stress and obtain support
Use social media and social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, Tiktok, Youtube, etc.
Play online games and computer games
Talk and motivate myself to face the COVID-19 outbreak with a positive attitude
Get help from family physicians or other doctors to reduce my stress and get reassurance
Try to be busy at home in activities that would keep my mind away from COVID-19
Avoid media news about COVID-19 and related fatalities
Vent emotions by crying, screaming, etc.
n (%)
478
365
426
119
207
259
312
153
154
63
247
80
47
(90.19)
(68.87)
(80.38)
(22.45)
(39.06)
(48.87)
(58.87)
(28.87)
(29.06)
(11.89)
(46.60)
(15.09)
(8.87)
Conclusion and recommendations
The COVID-19 pandemic posed significant concerns among students, especially among communities in the Southern Philippines. Based on the findings of this study, the students were aware of the COVID-19 pandemic and
possessed sufficient knowledge about this global concern even though there
were still gaps in various points. Students understood how the virus is
spread, its symptoms, and the precautionary measures needed to be done
by both individuals and the general community. They also professed the
6
E. T. BALORAN
need to conduct mass testing and maintain enhanced community quarantine in every local community. Considering WHO’s recommendation, students abide by the idea toward the COVID-19 vaccine, although a
considerable percentage of some students showed distrust. In the context of
education, students were reluctant toward the implementation of onlineblended learning approach due to technological and financial constraints.
During this COVID-19 pandemic, students were responsive and satisfied
with the government’s initiatives to limit the spread of infection.
Though there was increased anxiety felt by students regarding getting the
COVID-19 infection, there is still enough evidence that students among
two local colleges in Southern Philippines practice measures to deal with
anxiety during this threat of global health security. In the future, HEIs
should strengthen its plans on management strategies concerning outbreaks
and pandemics, which may affect local communities. HEIs should also
develop an innovative and helpful approach to promote and address the
mental health issues of students during a pandemic. More importantly,
though the Philippines is still at the stage of embracing the paradigm shift
in pedagogical delivery, schools should start training students and teachers
on the application of online-blended learning approach and improve
Information and Communication Technology (ICT) resources and capacities of both teachers and students. The government subsidy and educational
support in the future should include capacitating Filipino learners in using
online tools considering health challenges like this or other community
emergencies during any future.
Notes on contributor
Erick T. Baloran is the Research Coordinator and a faculty of the College of Teacher
Education of the University of Mindanao – Bansalan College. He finished his Master’s
Degree in Education major in Language Teaching at Davao del Sur State College, Digos
City, Philippines, and is presently pursuing his Ph.D. Degree in Education major in
Applied Linguistics at the University of the Immaculate Conception, Davao City,
Philippines. His research interests include Social Science researches such as case studies on
crime, Educational Management, English Language Teaching, Linguistics, and currently on
the impact of COVID-19 to students, teachers, and community.
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