Personal Wisdom and Coping: Insights from the COVID-19 Pandemic
Much of personal wisdom research has focused on the relationship between personal wisdom and difficult life events (DLEs). Research indicates that those high in personal wisdom cope more effectively with DLEs. However, these studies primarily focused on older adults and assessed coping through well-being measures. Seeking to address these limitations, Ringler (2021) found that mindfulness partially mediates the relationship between personal wisdom and coping with DLEs (measured through meaning-making) in a more age-diverse sample. Despite this progress, several gaps in knowledge remain. For example, there is still a lack of understanding about how wisdom relates to the use of specific coping strategies during DLEs and the full impact that core Buddhist principles like non-attachment have on mindfulness. Additionally, past research has also relied on retrospective self-reports, which are prone to biases. Therefore, two studies using quantitative and qualitative methods were conducted to address these limitations. Study 1 recruited Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk) participants and employed concurrent self-report measures during COVID-19 to partially replicate and expand upon Ringler's (2021) study. The findings confirmed that individuals high in personal wisdom cope more effectively with DLEs concurrently, and mindfulness partially mediates this relationship. Study 1 also introduced non-attachment as a moderator, revealing that it moderated one pathway of the model rather than both. This finding highlights the complex and context-dependent nature of the relationship between Buddhist principles and mindfulness and contributes to the discourse on the effects of secularizing mindfulness and removing it from its original context. Study 2, conducted 2.5 years later, used retrospective self-report measures to examine perceived stress, coping strategies, resources, and challenges during COVID-19, providing insights into the differences between concurrent and retrospective self-reports. The results indicated that individuals high in personal wisdom coped more effectively with COVID19 based on both concurrent and retrospective reporting. While there were no significant differences in the perception of the most helpful and challenging events between those high and low in personal wisdom, significant group differences were found in the coping strategies employed. Individuals high in personal wisdom utilized problem-focused coping more frequently and avoidant coping strategies less frequently than those low in personal wisdom. These findings build upon previous research by demonstrating those high and low in personal wisdom report utilizing similar coping strategies retrospectively and concurrently. Those high in personal wisdom are considered to be exemplary in coping with life’s most difficult moments. By highlighting the coping strategies they most frequently utilize, future researchers and practitioners will be better equipped to develop effective interventions that can assist those struggling to cope with DLEs. Additional findings and their implications are discussed.
Coping, COVID-19, Mindfulness, Personal wisdom, Stress, Wisdom, Psychology
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