Mediating Effects of Risk Perception on Association between Social Support and Coping with COVID-19: An Online Survey

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a novel infectious disease which has had a great impact on the public. Further investigations are, therefore, needed to investigate how the public copes with COVID-19. This study aimed to develop a model to estimate the mediating effects of risk perception and confidence on the association between perceived social support and active coping with the COVID-19 pandemic among people in Taiwan. The data of 1970 participants recruited from a Facebook advertisement were analyzed. Perceived social support, active coping with COVID-19, risk perception and confidence were evaluated using self-administered questionnaires. Structural equation modeling was used to verify the direct and indirect effects between variables. The mediation model demonstrated that lower perceived social support was significantly associated with a higher level of active coping with COVID-19, and this was mediated by a higher level of risk perception. The present study identified the importance of risk perception on the public’s coping strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic.