The Relationship Between Fear of COVID-19 and Family Harmony During the COVID-19 Pandemic in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus: A Descriptive and Cross-sectional Study

Objective:This study investigates the influence of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) related fear on family harmony among adults aged 18 and above in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. Method:This descriptive and cross-sectional study included 720 participants selected through convenience and snowball sampling. An online survey method was employed to gather the data, and the survey was shared via social media from August 1 to September 1, 2020, due to the precautionary measures and restrictions in effect. The survey included a demographic information form with two scales: namely the fear of COVID-19 scale and the family harmony scale. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS version 23.0, employing descriptive statistics, t-tests, one-way ANOVA, and regression analysis. Results:The participants’ mean score on the fear of COVID-19 scale was 15.01±7.97. Increased levels of COVID-19 fear occurred in participants aged 45-65 (p=0.034), those who were unmarried (p=0.040), individuals who thought about self-harm during the pandemic (30), and those who received a COVID-19 diagnosis (p=0.013) or suffered the loss of a family member due to COVID-19 (p=0.002). The mean score on the family harmony scale was 20.42±4.87. Higher levels of family harmony were found among participants without thoughts of self-harm (p=0.01) and those who experienced a family loss due to COVID-19 (p=0.001). A moderate negative correlation was identified between the mean scores on the fear of COVID-19 scale and the family harmony scale (r=-0.460, p<0.001). Regression analysis revealed that fear of COVID-19 accounted for 21% of the variance in family harmony (Beta=-0.461, R2=0.211, F=192.501). Conclusion:The study emphasizes the significant correlation between COVID-19 fear and family harmony, illustrating that pandemic-related psychological stress adversely affects family dynamics. Healthcare practitioners and governments should devise measures to alleviate the negative impact of pandemic-induced dread on family dynamics and promote familial harmony.