The Fear of COVID-19 and Flourishing: Assessing the Mediating Role of Sense of Control in International Students

Abstract

The present study investigates the mediating role of sense of control in the relationship between fear of COVID-19 and flourishing. A cross-sectional study design was employed and a total of 368 international students studying in Turkey consented to voluntarily take part in the study. The participants who were identified using convenience sampling completed the Fear of COVID-19 Scale, Flourishing Scale, and Sense of Control Scale after providing written informed consent. Results indicated that sense of control was positively correlated with fear of COVID-19 and flourishing. It was also observed that a negative correlation was found between the fear of COVID-19 and flourishing. Mediation analysis revealed that sense of control partially mediates the association between fear of COVID-19 and flourishing. The study encourages mental health professionals to consider the role of sense of control in their psychological interventions to reduce fear of COVID19 and enhance flourishing among international students.