COPING WITH STRESS DURING SUCCESSIVE PHASES OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC IN POLAND: A PSYCHOMETRIC PERSPECTIVE

Introduction: The study reported in this article aimed to investigate differences in stress appraisal, coping strategies, and subjective well-being across various phases of the COVID-19 pandemic in Poland. The theoretical basis for the presented research was the transactional theory of stress and coping, as proposed by Richard Lazarus and Susan Folkman. For the subjective assessment of well-being by the respondents, the approach adopted was based on the frameworks proposed by David P. Goldberg and Aaron Beck. Method: The study was conducted using the CAWI method. The participants included 200 individuals recruited during three time periods corresponding to the phases of the pandemic in Poland, between March 20 and May 30, 2020. The authors utilized the COPE Inventory to determine coping strategies, the SAQ to assess stress appraisal, and the GHQ-30 and BDI inventories to measure subjective well-being. Results: The results indicate statistically significant differences in the use of selected coping strategies and in the levels of subjective well-being depending on the phase of the pandemic in Poland. Conclusions: Our findings provide insights into the process of coping with the COVID-19 pandemic in Poland and may be of value for public health service.