Covid-19 between panic and confrontation as a

step of psychological counseling (A case study of

faculty of education students, Helwan
University)
By: Salwa M, AbdelBakey, Khaled M. Fergon, Fatma El Zahraa, A. Abdel
Waheed

(1)Department of Mental Health, Faculty of Education, Helwan University

(2)Department of Technology of Education, Faculty of Education Helwan University
(3)Department of Mental Health, Faculty of Education Helwan University

Abstract:
This paper’s aim is to identify the negative repercussions that have
occurred due to the emergence of Coronavirus and panic. Therefore, the
researchers’ aim is to identify the directions of university students
towards this crisis and also identify the ways of confrontation.
Researchers also want to know the students with high degrees of panic
in order to design a mentoring program aimed at helping students to deal
with this crisis. The panic test, as well as the trend and confrontation
pattern test, was applied to a sample of the faculty of education students.
Key Words: Panic disorder, coping styles, crises, pandemic.
What sparked this research?:
After we learned the news of corona virus a few days ago, Fatma Abdel-baset
called me, as she is a colleague in the health department. She discussed with me
about conducting a research for the panic, that’s accompanying the emergence of
this crisis and the importance of recognizing it. She offered to participate, so I
asked Khalid Fargun to participate with us, so we all immediately started the
procedures and now we will now show you the general indicators of the
preliminary results.

1
Premise
When the world is facing an epidemic like COVID-19, people usually feel that we
are fighting an invisible enemy and therefore we expect that most people will be in
a state of anxiety, however we know very well that there are individual differences
that mean that there are minorities that may be extremely terrified, so we must pay
attention to the importance of rapid intervention in order to remedy this group,
especially since the youth group is considered to be the most important group as
they are the future of this world and therefore, no people can ignore how serious
this situation is.

Research Problem:
When the people all around the world faced the crisis of the coronavirus, it varied
the measures of confrontation from one country to another and because the world
now, thanks to the internet, it has became a small world, the third world has seen
Europe and America and the huge numbers of infections, and the emergence of
cases in Egypt makes the researchers in the field of mental health to take positive
steps towards the study of the level of prevalence of panic rates and also trends of
people to crisis. In addition to the study of the pattern of confrontation crisis, the
problem of the current research related to the problem of the youth of the
university and also to identify their trends towards the crisis. Also, identifying the
patterns of facing the crisis in order to design a counseling program that treats
students of the Faculty of Education, as a category of youth of society represents
the real wealth of any society.

The current research objectives to the following:

• To find out how common the students of Faculty of Education are panicking
and frightened.
• To Learn about the trends of students of the Faculty of Education towards
the corona virus crisis.
• To get to know the patterns of students coping the corona virus crisis.
• To determine the sample suffering from panic and need of intervention.

Conceptual Framework & Literature

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History of epidemics
Throughout the history, disease outbreaks have ravaged humanity, to the point that
sometimes it changes the course of history and also at times it signals the end of
an entire civilization.
There are 20 of the worst epidemics and pandemics dating from prehistoric to
modern times
The first ever pandemic recorded in history was about 5,000 years ago which
wiped out a prehistoric village in China .
Around 430 B.C. not long after a war between Athens and Sparta has begun, an
epidemic ravaged the people of Athens and lasted for five years, which then the
death toll at the end of the pandemic was as high as 100,000 people. When the
Roman soldiers returned to the Roman Empire from a campaign, they brought back
more than spoils of victory.

Conceptualization
Panic disorder is a type of anxiety disorder that is characterized by fear and
worry. One of the most salient symptoms, is the experience of persistent and often
unanticipated through combination of fear, physical sensations, distressing
thoughts and emotion .

Panic disorders are diagnosed as occurring when the Corona virus can infect both
animals and people and can cause a range respiratory illness from the common
cold more dangerous conditions like sever acute respiratory syndrome or SARS.

We know this virus is much more transmissible than SARS or MERS we know it
can kill people.

Cognitive Models of Panic Disorder

Psychologists have a long record of interest in issues relating to fear and anxiety. A
logical extension of this was the development of cognitive models of panic
disorder. Two of the earliest theories were actually developed independently but at
roughly the same time. Clark (1986) and Barlow (1988) developed models that
have a good degree of conceptual overlap, but which deserve their own
.explanation

3
Clarke’s Cognitive Model of Panic

It was David Clarke who coined the phrase “catastrophic misinterpretations” in

order to describe the bodily sensations experienced by people who panic.
Palpitations, for example, are prone to being misinterpreted as a heart attack, or
dizziness as a sign of imminent collapse or loss of control. Clarke suggests the
misinterpretation of bodily sensations is the cause of panic events and that changes
in bodily sensations usually preceded an episode of panic. Once catastrophic
.misinterpretation is triggered, he argues, the likelihood of panic increases

Various lines of evidence seem to support Clarke’s views. We now know that
patients with panic disorder have a higher frequency of cognitions that lend
themselves to catastrophic misinterpretations. Some of the clearest evidence comes
.from cases where panic events stop once the patient’s cognitions have been altered

)Learned Alarm Reaction (False Alarm Theory

Barlow’s approach is often described as an integrated model because it attempts to

link biological with cognitive functions. Barlow suggests that certain people are
“hard-wired” from birth to react to certain stressful events. What makes these
people different is their tendency towards overreaction. The ability to discriminate
between true and false alarms is blurred and in some people the false alarm
.becomes a conditioned response to the bodily sensations associated with anxiety

Barlow’s model shares many similarities with Clarke’s as to the manner in which
bodily sensations are interpreted. Various studies show support for his theory that
negative life events often precede the first panic attack. However, stress is not a
unique precursor to panic as it is well known to precede other psychological
.conditions

Anxiety Sensitivity Theory

Anxiety sensitivity refers to the fear of anxiety sensations and the belief that such
sensations have harmful physical and/or psychological consequences. This form of
cognitive vulnerability is considered to be a specific sensitivity to respond fearfully
to one’s own sensations. It is considered to put people at greater risk of developing
.anxiety disorders, especially panic disorder with agoraphobia

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One characteristic of panic disorder is high levels of anxiety sensitivity,
characterized by high levels of vigilance to one’s own bodily sensations that signal
a threat. Depression and bipolar disorder are associated with anxiety sensitivity

Coping styles

Coping strategies and skills are the reactions and behaviors one adopts to deal with
difficult situation ,coping strategies come in many forms ,some are helpful and
others are harmful .

Multiple empirical studies shown the significant changes in the life of an

individual are connected with crisis experience and efforts made by the individuals
to adjust to new circumstances.

Crisis life events are one of the most common topics in the area of research of
basic determinants of psychological health because of the observed connection
,with the way people function and adjust.

American social psychologists Richard Lazarus &Susan Folkman and others made
considerable contribution to the development of models of crisis and coping in the
late 1960-1970.

They developed a theory of crisis and stress which emphasized appraisal and
coping .Folkman define coping as constantly changing cognitive and behavioral
efforts to manage specific external and or |internal demands that are appraised as
taxing or exceeding the resources of the person .It is important to note that in the
process of coping a person can be guided by number of important psychological
functions:Self esteem a sense of control in life,a sense of meaning in life,personal
growth ,a sense of hope in life.,feelings of intimacy and belonging with other
people,a sense of personal identity and feelings of comfort in life.

To summaries ,coping is defined as the use of strategies for dealing with actual
crises and their attendant negative emotions.

The coping process involves every dimension of human function .

Coping serves different purpose for different people dealing with different events
in the different contexts.

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Many theorists agree that crisis experience is an antecentent of conversion and its
typically occurs under pressure.

Crisis force idividuals to confront their limmitations and can stimulate religious
resources to resolve problems .As pargament

Crisis

People are often confronted by life experiences which result in crisis.

These crises can have different sources ,and they varied in duration ,intensity,and
scope.

Many theorists define crises as “crucial time”and turning point in the person’s life.
the term is often used for a person’s internal reaction to external hazards.

Hence ,crises can be described as turning point in life.,where the individual faces a
problem that she|he cannot solve by using the coping mechanisms that have
worked for him|her before.

Crisis may occur when individual is unable to deal effectively with stressful
changes in the environment .

Literature contributions

In 2000 Ozbay Yasar et al presented a paper at 21 International Conference of 21 st

Stress and Anxiety Research Society(STAR)

Titled”An investigation of Coping and Psychological Symptoms of Earthquake

Victims”the intented purpose of this study is investigate the coping experiences
and psychological symptoms aftera natural disaster.The cetral point of the study is
that people who experience major distress and who do not are to copewith sub-
situational differently.The data of the study recruited of western part of the
Turkey,after the summer 1999earthquakes hit the area.This study is twofold :in
section one coping experiences and psychological symptoms of earthquake victims
were investigated ,and pattern of coping behaviors and after effects termes of
psychological symptoms on SCL-90 were analyzed .In the second part of the study
coping behaviors and psychological symptoms of who have had earthquake
experience and those who have not were compared.The authors searched for

6
understanding of psychological experiences of these two groups were made on the
basis of above mentioned measures.The subjects consist of 550 individuals ,270
earthquake victims,and 280 with no earthquake experience .The results revealed
that a majore distress as earthquake made significant contribution for people to feel
insecure and prone topsychological vulnerability ,and regarding coping behaviors
more passive and emotionally tuned coping behaviors are dominant .A major
finding of the study is that coping behaviors are decreased on earthquake victims
and psychological symptoms of somazition interpersonal sensitivity,O-C,phobic
anxiety ,and paranoid ideation increased in particular .The qualitative findings of
the study were also integrated and discussed with other findings in terms of a post
–traumatic stress. (21st International Conference of the Stress and Anxiety
Research Society (STAR)2000.)

In the last several decades many theorists have contributed research to the issues of
coping with crisis and conversion ,but they failed to find a common denominatore
for the two.

Srjan Sremac presented an article is to evaluate theoretical approaches to coping

with crisis and conversion and to emphasize necessity interdisciplinary
approaches.and he assure that both coping and conversion are independent
concepts and shouldl not be confused . At the same time they are related
phenomena .(Srijan Sremac ,2008)

WHO Public health authorities around the world are acting to contain the COVID-
19 outbreak.

This time of crisis is generating stress throughout population.the considerations

presented in this document have been developed by WHO development of mental
health and substance use as series of manages that can be used in communications
to support mental and psychological well-being in different target groups during
outbreak .(WHO,18 March2020)

Nils Peter Gleditch & Idean Salephyan presented (working paper)titled Climate
change and conflict ,the migration link coping with crisis .(2007)The authors are
research fellow of the center for the study of civil war at the International Peace
Research Insttitute.

7
They evolving capacities for managing global crisis and capacities for active
.prevention and response .

Methodology
It means the philosophy of the research process. This includes the assumptions and
values that serve as a rationale for research and the standards or criteria. The
researchers use for interpreting data and reaching conclusions.

We used descriptive research that is aimed at casting light on current issues or

problems through processes of data collection. This enables us to describe the
situation more completely than was possible without employing this method.

Correlation: a statistical measure of relationship between two or more variables

that gives an indication of how one variable may predict another.

The descriptive techniques discussed above permit a statement in the form of

correlations about the relationship.

Participants and procedure

The participants of the present study were ( N=582) students of Faculty of
Education, Helwan University from different levels, and specialization by
sampling different departments. We wanted to capture students from a variety of
different specializations.

Table #1 (participants distribution):

Male Female First Second Third Fourth Post Total
grade grade grade grade graduate
108 474 201 28 304 32 17 582

Measurements:
First: Covid-19 pandemic coping measurement (prepared by the
researchers)

8
The authors prepared this measurement to evaluate the style of coping crisis. We
made a revision of theoretical background of the measurements to test this issue
related of disasters and pandemic and epidemic that usually affects a large number
of people, for example (Martin et al,1992), (Lazarus R&Fagin et al.1991)
(Folkman S,1984).

(Ahmed Naal &Ahmed Abtellatif, 2009 and Hassan Moustafa, 2006)

We reviewed some of measurements, such as Serious life events and style of

coping. (Heba Mahmoud, 2004) and coping style of daily life events (Ali
Abdelsalam, Arabian version of Leonard W. Poon, 2008).

Definition of style of coping crisis of the current research: “group of

positive procedures of dealing with the crisis.”

These procedures consist of three main dimensions. The first one is

behavioral activation that happens when people feel depressed or anxious, they
may less likely to do things they enjoy. Therefore, it is important to learn how to
be more active.

Cognitive-behavioral coping: styles have been found to be effective for a

wide range of symptoms that many people with post-traumatic stress disorder
(PTSD) may experience, such as depression, anger, sadness, and anxiety. This
article presents an overview of some of these different cognitive-behavioral
techniques.

Affective coping: No one is averted, and few are prepared when personal
tragedy strikes. The crisis may be simply an inconvenience, such as a minor
accident or a life-changing event, such as the death of a beloved partner. Emotional
coping skills help a person to manage the intense feelings and physical stress that
accompany painful life transitions.

Psychometrics properties of Covid-19 pandemic coping

measurement
Face validity: Ultimately, a matter of judgment (two major questions must
be considered):

9
1- Whether the instrument is really measuring the kind of behavior that the
investigator assumes it is.

2- Whether it provides an adequate sample of that kind of behavior. Simply,

face validity is assessed by the evaluators’ studying the concept to be measured
and determining.

Factor analysis
We prepared an electronic version of the measurement taken after applying
face validity. We applied the measurement at a sample of 452 students (male and
female) Faculty of Education, Helwan University students in all grades to evaluate
global model accurate. Factor analysis is a type of statistical procedures that are
conducted to identify clusters or groups of related items (called factors)

We verified sample sufficiency to factor analysis through sample sufficient

sample. (KMO)(Kaiser Meyer-Dolkim). The value is (,783) which the value is
bigger than (,05). this proves that the sample is sufficient.

We used the Kaiser criterion to estimate the basic factor, as an indicator of

stopping or continuing searching the factors that represent the basic structure. We
kept the factors that the eigenvalue of which includes three statistical sufficient at
least.

We applied varimax rotation of correlational matrix of measurement

dimensional items to obtain acceptable picture of the measurement, which enables
us to interpret the factors according to it.

Concluding from this criterion, we excluded the items which its loading
decrease of (,30) this included four items (,2 ,25 ,22, 26)

Factor #1
The following table illustrates the loading factors, from the item rating
highest loading to the lowest loading as follows.

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 Table #2 (loading correlates items of the first factor)

No. of Item Description Item

Items Loading
4 My fear of getting infected makes me unable to think. 0,709
15 Fear of the infection prevents me from living my normal life 0,611

12 I am suffering from insomnia ever since I heard of Covid-19 ,545

10 Every time I follow the news of the spread of the infection, I ,530
panic
24 I can not remember my lessons due to worrying about the ,519
virus
13 I sleep a lot avoid getting informed of the news about the ,508
spread of the virus
14 I'm not following the news for fear of being surprised by a ,506
new crisis
9 I get a tremor and disturbed whenever I hear about the ,480
numbers of people getting infected.
16 I feel like I need a nerve-calming drug lately due to stress. ,416

7 I don't know if I can tell the difference between common flu ,384
and COVID-19
11 I'm worried when I imagine a member of my family carrying ,379
the virus.
3 Negative ideas impacts my thoughts about the crisis that ,331
would not come to an end

Eigenvalue 3,583

Variance percentage 13,783%

This factor included (12) items revolving around ideas that can control
thoughts at the time of the sense of the COVID-19 crisis, its possibilities, the
resulting control of these ideas of the inability to think about, what follows from

11
 the control of these ideas, the inability to think about other things and doubt about
the possibility of surviving the injury and distract the mind from thinking about
infection by escaping defensive mechanism and other things. We can call this
factor cognitive dimension.

Factor #2
Loading factors items of second factor.

Table #3 (loading factors of second factor)

No. of Item Description Item
items Loading
19 I'm looking up information on the internet to help me deal with ,711
the crisis
20 I read from different resources to know exactly what’s new ,679
regarding the virus
17 I seek advice from trusted sources on social media ,625
1 I'm looking into information about any crisis I'm going through ,539
18 I'm asking close friends for advice on my crisis ,521
Eigenvalue 2,260
Percentage variance 8,694

This factor included (5) items revolving around the behavioral procedures
carried out by the individual in order to deal with the crisis, by collecting
information through surfing on the Internet or by reading and seeing from other
sources, seeking advice to form a good knowledge background that enables him to
deal positively with the crisis, and can be called "behavioral dimension".

Factor 3: The items of this factor are illustrated by the following table,
which shows the parameters of loading of the item of the following factors.

Table #4 (loading factors items of the third factor)

No. of Item Description Loadi
item ng

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 Item
8 I feel my heart beats a lot every time the name of the disease is ,331
mentioned
5 I get obsessed that I am not going to survive this pandemic. ,391
21 I abide to security and safety measures ,582
6 I'm sure that God will respond to our prayers to end this crisis ,390
23 I repeat the words of reassurance (“everything will be good- you ,382
will get away well”)
Eigenvalue 1,760
Variance percentage %6,796
This factor contains (5) Items that revolve around feelings associated with
the sense of crisis, such as the appearance of physiological symptoms, for example
palpitations and tremors or in return feelings of self-reassurance by following
safety measures, by praying and seeking spiritual support, or even by directing the
talk of the self towards reassurance by repeating expressions that give the soul
feelings of reassurance. This can be identified as the "emotional dimension".

Second: Internal consistency

Internal consistency has been verified by the measure of style of coping with
the crisis of the spread of the virus on a sample of (432), by calculating the
coefficients of correlation between each individual, the total degree of the
dimension to which it belongs, the coefficients between each individual and the
total degree of the scale, the correlation coefficients between dimensions and also
the total degree of the scale. All correlation coefficients were significant at the
level of indication (0.01) as shown by the following tables:

Calculating the correlation coefficient between the item, the

total degree of dimension, between the items and also the overall
grade of the scale.
Cognitive domain

13
 Table #5 (correlation coeficient between the items of the first
domain and the total score of this dimention and the total score of the
measurement.)

No. Correlation Correlation No. of Correlation Correlatio

of Coefficient Coefficient item Coefficient of n
item of of total score dimension Coefficie
dimension score nt of total
score
3 **,378 **,334 12 **,517 **,452
4 **,602 **,583 13 **,415 **,378
7 **,470 **,421 14 **,542 **,463
9 **,525 **,451 15 **,589 **,472
10 **,565 **,479 16 **,405 **,359
11 **,488 **.331 24 **,557 **,460
Level of significance: As explained from the table above, all the correlation
co-efficiency is a total of (0.01)

Table #6 (correlation co-efficiency between the items of the

second domain, the total score of this dimension and the total score of
the measurement)
No. of Correlation coefficient of Correlation coefficient of total
item dimension score
1 **,554 **,263
17 **,212 **,645
18 **,206 **,574
19 **,351 **,720
20 **,298 **,670
Level of significance: As explained from the table above, all the correlation
co-efficiency is a total of (0.1)

Third dimension: Affective domain

14
 Table #7 (correlation co-efficiency between the items of the third
domain, the total score of this dimension and the total score of the
measurement)

No. Correlation Correlation coefficient of total score

of coefficient of
item dimension
5 **,597 **,435
6 **,491 **,242
8 **,566 **,452
21 **,553 **,152
23 **,602 **,183
Level of significance: As explained from the table above, all the correlation
co-efficiency is a total of (0.1)

Calculations of correlations coefficient between the dimensions and the total

score of measurement, it is clear that in all tables it is (0.1)

Table #8 (Calculations of correlations coefficient between the

dimensions and the total score of measurement)

Dimensions correlations coefficient

Cognitive domain ,845
Affective domain ,420
Behavioral domain ,510
Level of significance 0,01

It is clear from the previous table that all correlation coefficient are shown
significant (0.01)

It is clear from the previous tables that the coefficients of correlations

between the items of each dimension, the total degree of dimension, the total
degree of the scale, the coefficients of correlation between each dimension, the
total degree of the scale significant at (0.01), this indicates the coherence and

15
coherence of the item of the scale and its dimensions. This indicates that the scale
has an internal consistency.

Third: Measurement reliability

The researchers calculated the reliability of the scale in two ways:

1- The half-split:

The researchers applied the scale to a sample of (432) students. The half-split
between the two halves of the test (pair-individual) was calculated for dimension
as well as for the scale as a whole using the Guttmann equation, and amounted
(0,503) for the length correction equation of Sperman Brown, so it was (0.503)

2- Alpha Cronbach method:

The researchers applied the measurement to a sample (432) students, that

calculated Alpha for the whole measurement which is (0,674). This value is
acceptable and this means that the measurement is very reliable and stable.

Panic measurement (translated and Arabnized by the researchers)

The psychometrics properties of panic measurement

Validity
Peripheral comparison validation

The researchers calculated Peripheral comparison validation through

arrange students scores on the rise of the panic measurement and
calculated t.test to significance of differences between averages of
peripheral groups ,the highst (27%) 117 students and lowest 117
students( 27%x432) If there are statistically significant differences
between the average grades of the two groups, this is evidence of the
ability of the scale to distinguish between high and low performance on
the scale and therefore the validity of the scale.
Table ( 9) Test results of t test to show the difference
between the average grades of the two groups higher and
lower

16
 Variable grou num aver Standardde Freed T Signific
p ber age viation om ance
Panic High 117 8,12 1,018 232
er
117 2,08 1,052
This result shows that the measurement is valid because there is significant
differences between the two groups the higher and the lowest achievement.this
result asure the validity of the measurement and its ability to discriminate between
the individuals different standards .

2-Internal consistency

The internal consistency of the panic scale was verified on a sample of 432
by calculating the correlation coefficients between each individual and the total
resource for the dimension to which the correlation coefficients between each item
and the total score of the measurement,also correlation coefficient between the
dimensions and the total score of the measurement. All the correlations coefficient
significant,the level of significance is (0,01)

Calculation of correlation coefficient between the item and the score of the
measurement.

Table”( 10)correlations coefficient between the items of the

measurement and the total score
N of the item Correlation N of item Correlation
coefficient of coefficient of
total score total score
1 ,593 6 ,330
2 ,517 7 ,590
3 ,511 8 ,545
4 ,451 9 ,513
5 ,561 10 ,375
Level of significance 0,01

The previous table shows that correlation coefficient between all items and
the total score of measurement is significant (level of significance( 0,01) this

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mention to coherence and correlation of the measurement items and its dimensions
.this means that the measurement

Has an inner consistency.

3-Measurement reliability

The researchers calculated measurement reliability by two methods,half-split

method and Alpha cronbach

Half-split method

The researchers applied the measurement on a sample of 432 students,and

calculated half split factor between 2 half measurements()paired and individual ) of
the dimensions and the whole measurement.by using gutman equation ,the value is
Sperman brown ‫ا‬0,714 and the equation of long correction ,the value 0,725

Cronbach Alpha method

We applied the measurement on a samle 432 students also calculated alpha

cronbach of the whole measurement ,the value is 0,699 ,this value is acceptable
thus the measurement has high score of reliability and stability.

Results and Discussions

Covid-19 outbreak is a unique and unprecedented scenario for many people.All

research centers and researchers know that this time of crisis is generating stress
throughout population .

The considerations presented in this paper have developed by our team,these

results will help us to generating another reseaches and projects for the university
students to help them to be more stable and confident ,in other words we will
running series of manages that can be used in communication to support mental
and psychological well-being in different target groups during outbreak.by using
on line psychological caring.

Now we are presenting the main outcomes of the study.

18
 First hypothesis states that the panic disorder is widespread among university
students.

To verify this hypothesis to be valid, the researchers calculated the medium to

1
determine the degree of cutting , and its value is (5) and then it was calculated
frequencies and percentage of the students who received a score higher than (5)

Table (11) the percentage of students who are suffering

from panic
Category N Student Percentage
Students who received a score higher than (5) 257 44,2

This result has shown that the panic spreading among university students, while
percentage given is (44.2%). This result is consistent with the survey conducted in the
United States of America, and the results were as follows:

The trend strikes amongst the youngest people in CDC survey above (46 percent) of
people aging (18-29) years. The results are corresponding with the current research.
These young people, while not most heavily impacted by the illness itself, but they are
facing extreme future uncertainty and are missing opportunities due to the economic
crisis that could affect them negatively for decades. (Brian Resnick@Resnick
Brian@vox-com.May29,2020.)

The CDC and Census Bureau data also shows that some groups of people are suffering
more than others especially women, the young and the less educated.

This results corresponding with the results of the current research. We know that
during the pandemic, many people with anxiety disorders and panic are performing
safety behaviors to keep themselves healthy, and they are hoarding months worth of
toilet paper and hand sanitizer, washing their groceries three times before putting them

19
in the refrigerator, sanitizing their doorknobs every hour. Although, no one has entered
or left the house and washing their floors daily, and if they not get the virus, they will
consider the situation “a near miss”.

Also Sahu P(2020)concluded that panic caused a tremendous level of stress among the
university fractenity ,inclusive of students

This stress may lead to unfavorable effects.

Karestan Koen, professor of psychiatric epidemiology said “when you are seeing
extreme responses, it’s because people feel like their survival is threatened and they
need to do something to feel like they’re in control.

In this situation, we can ask ourselves how can uncertainty drive people to panic?
Humans are notoriously had assessing risk in the face of uncertainty, and we are often
had it in different ways that cause us to overestimate or underestimate our personal
risks.

Bishop wrote “panic and our psychological biases.” he said that we should be taking an
approach called “model-free learning” to assess our risk in the face of uncertainty. This
approach is essentially trial and error, as we rely on our personal experiences and
gradually update our estimates of how likely something is going to happen, and how
bad it would be if it does happen, and how much effort we need to put in to prevent it.
(Amy Mckeever,2020)

The second hypothesis states that there is no significant difference between the
average score of panic between male and female students

To verify of this hypothesis, we used T for the two independent samples, the following
table illustrate the results t-test to discover the significance of the difference between
average score of the panic between the males and females

Table #12 (Difference between male and female students scores of panic
measurement )

Gender N Average std free T Significance

Male 108 4,35 2,357 580 3,602 Significance

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Female 474 5,29 2,452 level(0,01)

There is a significant difference between the average score of students panic score
between males and females. As a result, the female students were more panicked
than the males, this result corresponds with the American study, so this supports
the results of most research states that women are suffering from anxiety and panic
in this difficult time.

Third hypothesis states that “There is a negative correlation between the grades of
university students on the corona virus crisis and the panic disorder measure

To verify of this hypothesis, the researchers calculated simple linear correlation

coefficient (pearson correlation coefficient) between students scores on the style of
coping with corona virus crisis and panic disorder as illustrated in the following
table

Table (13)Simple linear correlation coefficient between

students scores on style of coping and panic disorder
variable grade N of sample Average Std
Panic First grade 201 5,30 2,518
Second 28 5,07 2,538
grade
third grade 304 5,13 2,382
Fourth grade 32 4,09 2,441

Table (14) one way variance analysis among four groups of panic
score
Variable Source Sum of Freedom Average F value Significant
of squares degrees of
variance squares
Panic Among 40,166 3 13,389 2,245 Unsignificant
groups

21
 Inter 3345,402 561 5,963
groups
Whole 3385,568 564
These tables showed that there is no differences among all grades in the university
in panic ,this means that panic is spreading among all student in all the world ,this
corresponding with all researches which assure that the panic of covid-19 is
spreading in all classes and ages specially young people (Ganean,Y.et al,2018)
.They assured that feelings of stress are a part of university students’life

The fourth hypothesis states that there is negative correlation relationship

between university students’ score on the style of coping with coronavirus and the
panic measurement.

To validate this hypothesis, the researchers calculated Pearson's simple linear

correlation co-efficiency among students' grades on the style of coping and the
panic disorder measure as shown in the following table.

Table #15 (correlations coefficient between scores of study

sample (N=582) of panic and coping style measurement.:

Coping style
Panic measurement Cognitive Affective Behavioral Total Significant level
domain domain domain score 0,01
449- ,099 ,-240 ,292 0,05

This table showed a significant negative correlation relationship between all

dimensions of coping style measurement and the total score of panic measurement.
The results assure that all correlation co-efficiency are significant, and the level of
significance is ( 0,01 and 0,05 ). This means that panicking has a negative impact
on the positivity of dealing with the coronavirus crisis of university students. This
means that if the panic increases, this will decrease the positive coping with
coronavirus crisis . Tony Schwartzand & Emily Pines wrote a very important

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 article titled “Negative coping in negative patterns and negative outcomes 2020”.
He mentioned to fatigue, fear, and panic undermine our ability to think clearly and
creativity manages our relationships effectively, focus attention on the right
priorities and make smart, informed choices. The impact begins physiologically
allosteric load refers to the cost of chronic or extreme wear and tear on our bodies,
mind and emotion.

Ganesan,Y et al (2018)mentioned that coping mechanism plays a significant part to

overcome or reduce the stress experienced by individuals.

Fifth Hypothesis states that there are not significance differences between average
scores of university students between the males and females of coping style toward
coronavirus crisis.

Table #16 (differences between students male –female average score

of style of coping)

dimensions Gender N average std Degrees of T value significance

freedom
Cognitive Males 108 31,30 3,956 580 1,718- Non
dimension
Females 474 30,54 4,253 580 Non

Affective Males 108 13,91 1,156 580 ,269= Non

Dimension

Females 474 13,87 1,456 580 Non

Behavioral Males 108 9,52 2,684 580 .588- Non

Dimension
Females 474 9,37 2,310 580 Non

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Total Males 108 55.58 5.167 580 1.653- Non
Dimension Females 474 54.68 5.119 580 Non
This table showed that T value is not significant, so this means that this result
mentioned above has no significant differences of coping style attribute to gender
in the level of total score and sub-dimensions.

This means that now days the female students is similar with male and this prove
that females have changed

We are trying to search on the variables that could influence on decreasing the feel
of panic, thus we asked students about their human development training courses
that they’re taking if it is true or not.

Sixth hypothesis states that there are not statistical differences between average
scores of coping style measurement attributing to attend human developmental
courses.

Table #17 (the differences which attribute to human development

training course in coping corona virus measurement)
Dimensions courses N average std Freedom T value significance
degrees
Cognitive Received 85 30,62 4,293 580 ,142 Non
Not 497 30,69 4,100 Significant
received
Affective Received 85 13,85 1,500 580 ,195 Non
Not 497 13,88 1,389 significant
received
Behavioral Received 85 9,98 2,435 580 2.437- 0,05
Not 497 9,30 2,361
received

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Total score Received 85 55,25 4,952 580 ,777- Non
Not 497 54,78 5,168 significant

This table shows that there are no significant differences in the total score between
the research samples in the style of coping and the sub dimensions, but there is a
difference in the behavioral dimension only. This means that the students whom
are attending human developmental courses were better than others in the
behavioral coping styles. Basically, this supports the hypothesis partially, as this
signifies the results of human developmental course.

The seventh hypothesis states that there are non-significant differences between the
average students’ scores on the panic measurement attributed to human
developmental courses.

To verify that this hypothesis is true, we used t.test for the two independent
samples.

Table #18 (the differences which attributed to attending the Human

Developmental Courses)

Dimensions Received N average std Freedom T value significance

Courses degrees

The total Received 85 6,26 2,416 580 4,731- Significance0,

score of courses 0,01
panic Not 497 4,92 2,415
measurem received
ent courses

This result is odd due to the fact that the students whom attended courses related
human developmental are panicking more often, so this result means that the
courses were not effective. Perhaps, the overwhelmed crisis seems to be very
dangerous and challenge their abilities and those who are unreliable. perhaps

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 covid-19 outbreak is unique and unprecedented for many people.(Devlin
H.,2020)considers the social media responsible of the spreading panic.

The Eighth hypothesis states that there no significant differences between the
students average scores of panicking and using social media that present
psychological services.

To verify of this hypothesis, we used t-test for the two independent samples, also
known as panic scores, to signify the differences between students’ average scores
whom are exposed to social media which presents psychological services,
compared to the counterparts who did not use social media at that time.

Table #19 (The differences in panicking between the average scores of

the students whom are exposed to social media as they attend online
psychological services compared to students who don’t.)
Total Exposure to N Average Std Freedom T significancy
score social degrees value
of networking
panic Exposed to social 299 5,73 2,266 580 6,381- Significant
media 0,01
Not exposed 283 4,47 2,494
Social media
This table shows significant, statistical differences between students whom are
exposed to social network that presents psychological services. The results shows
that they are suffering from panic more than the counterparts who not exposing to
this pages.

This result shown is quite odd and needs interpretation, as they may still panic and
the fear is spreading rapidly everywhere and there is something else that is
spreading without control. Of course other stuff like rumors, ambiguities, and
mislead information also plays a reason on psychological students forgetting their
own information that they knew during their courses at social media

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 Ninth hypothesis states that the differences in coping between the average scores
of the students whom are exposed to social media, as they attend online
psychological services compared to students who don’t.

Table #20(the differences in coping between the average scores of the

students whom are exposed to social media, as they attend online
psychological services compared to students who don’t.)
Dimensio Type of Followers of No. Aver St.d Degrees T Significa
ns Social media age of Value nce
freedom
Cognitive Who follow social media ,299 30.98 3.910 580 1,794 Non
Whom don’t’ ,283 30.37 4.325 -
Affective Who follow social media ,299 13.99 1.352 580 2,043 Significa
Whom don’t’ ,283 13.75 1.45 - nt
(0.05)
Behavioral Who follow social media ,299 9.71 2.452 580 3,312 Significa
Whom don’t’ ,283 9.06 2.264 - nt
(0.01)
Total Who follow social media ,299 55.56 4.954 580 3,485 Significa
Whom don’t’ ,283 54.09 5.223 - nt
(0.01)

These results showed the influence of social media in style of coping it is

significant at the level of total score .

And specially at affective and behavioral dimension ,this means that social media
is useful and can be a source of information,

Perhaps these informations can broading student’s knowledge.but we know that a

lot of exposure may be produced tension.

The Tenth hypothesis states that we can predict of the scores of coping through
knowing the panic scores.

Table #21 (simple linear regression analysis)

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Independent Correlation parameter Adjusted Regression Constant Beta
variable co-efficiency parameter Factor regression
Panic ,292- ,085 ,084 ,610- 57.966 ,292-
Disorder
The researchers verify this hypothesis, by using simple linear regression to know
the linear equation to correlate among the number of variables. One of them
independent or a predictor of panic and other one dependent (style of coping as
illustrated in the following tables)

Table #22 (variant analysis)

Source of Discrepancy sum of Degrees of Median F Significant
Squares Freedom Squares
Regression 1307,816 1 1307,816 24,128 Significant
Remainders 14013,574 580 24,161 0 0,01
Total 15321,390 581 0 0
These tables show that we can predict the score of style of coping by knowing the
score of panic because the value of F is (54128). This value is significant (0,01)
hence, this table has shown that the independent variable (panic disorder) interpret
(85%) from the discrepancy in independent variable (style of coping). We can form
the regression equation which helps to predict of scores of coping styles from the
scores of panic disorders as follows: Coping (,610) and Panic Disorder (57,966+)

Interpretation and conclusions

After we have discussed the results we should speculating this issue and leading to
clear understanding and insights .

We should admit that the panic scores are different some of them are normal but
some students are suffering from high anxiety and panic ,because some students
with pre-existing mental health conditions disorders may particularly vulnerable in
an emergency (mental health conditions)such as anxiety ,bipolar disorder affect a
person’s thinking feeling mood or behavior in a way that influences their ability to
relate function each day.hence every one reacts differently to stress situation.In
addition ,the impact of crisis –induced stress .this results corresponding of the
findings of the study of Telch,M et al (1989) specially the influence of
vulnerability and that panic is spreading among female higher than male.

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,this result is corresponding with the literature ,

Recommendations

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