Relationship between COVID Anxiety and COVID Disbelief: Do Women Fare Better than Men?

Page: 491-494
Atish Taukari, Chaitali Thacker, and Mahek Adhia (K.J. Somaiya College of Arts & Commerce, Mumbai, Maharashtra)

Knowing the relationship between Covid-anxiety and Covid-disbelief was felt significant in the context of people’s (in particular youths’) non-compliance to the Covid-19 Pandemic restrictions. The study involved 137 (females=107, males=30) college students who filled ‘Corona virus anxiety scale’ and ‘Covid-19 disbelief scale’ through Google form. The correlation found between Covid-anxiety and Covid-disbelief was moderate positive. However, it was significant in males but not in females. Next, corona virus anxiety can explain 17% of variance in Corona-disbelief in males. Thus, Covid-anxiety appears to create an unhealthy reaction of Covid-disbelief in men but not in women. Various studies supporting the above findings are discussed. Further Covid-disbelief in men in response to Covid-anxiety is explained in terms of ‘Covid-disbelief’ as a defense mechanism,’Covid-disbelief as reinforcer’, ‘men’s tendency of using expressive suppression’, and ‘toxic masculinity’. The implications are discussed in detail.