Resilience, Meaning in Life, and Mindfulness as Protective Factors against Perceived Stress during COVID-19

Aims: Some past studies have highlighted the increase in the negative mental wellbeing outcomes during Covid-19. The aim of this study is to explore the role of resilience, mindfulness, and meaning in life as protective factors against Covid19 stress. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was utilized to test the hypothesis that resilience, mindfulness, and meaning in life could be protective factors against deteriorating mental wellbeing during the Covid-19 pandemic. Data was collected from end of May 2021 to end of June 2021 in a student sample of a Hong Kong University. A total of 430 responses were collected out of which 267 were complete and only 82 responses were valid. Results: Covid-19 stress and wellbeing outcomes life satisfaction and positive affect were negatively related while it was positively related to negative affect, depression, and anxiety. Further, Covid-19 stress was negatively related to resilience, meaning in life, and mindfulness. Additional mediational analysis found that comprehension and purpose subscales of meaning in life reduced the direct effect of Covid-19 stress on life satisfaction; comprehension and purpose subscales of meaning in life and resilience reduced the direct effect of Covid-19 stress on positive affect; only resilience reduced the direct effect of Covid-19 stress on negative affect. Further, comprehension and purpose subscale of meaning in life, resilience, and act with awareness and describe subscales of mindfulness reduced the direct effect of Covid-19 stress on depression while only resilience reduced the direct effect of Covid-19 stress on anxiety. Conclusion: Findings suggest that resilience, meaning in life and mindfulness are protective factors against negative mental wellbeing outcomes during Covid-19 pandemic and interventions designed to improve these factors will help students protect their mental wellbeing.