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MCU researchers at the IMPM Conference

On August 7, Elena Nekhorosheva and Daria Kasatkina from the Laboratory of Urban Health and Wellbeing at the MCU Research Institute of Urban Studies and Global Education participated in the 11th Biennial International Meaning Conference “From Vulnerability to Resilience & Wellbeing during the Pandemic: Advances in Existential Positive Psychology.”

The conference was on August 6—8 and dedicated to the urgent issue of existential positive psychology: how can a human cope with challenges? Scholars from all over the world tried to answer the questions:

  • Can we transform sufferings into personal growth?
  • Can we cope with fear, unconfidence, and distrust?
  • Can we respond decently and responsibly to restrictions and losses?
  • Can we use negative emotions such as fear and guilt to become more stable?

MCU researchers and Anastasia Klimochkina from the School of Psychology at Higher School of Economics presented their report “Meaning and Support in Maintaining Well-being during a Pandemic” at the Stream C session “Role of Meaning in Coping with the Pandemic.” The research focuses on Moscow residents’ wellbeing during the rise in COVID-19 cases in spring and autumn 2020. The research comes to the following results:

  • Mental health positively depends on subjective trust and life satisfaction in relations: the higher mental health is, the more stable wellbeing in these spheres.
  • The strongest negative factor of the first COVID-19 wave was the simultaneous presence of health issues and unavailability of goods and services. It caused a significant growth in stress and decline in wellbeing, accompanied by family members’ health concerns and financial issues. However, it has lost its influence during the second wave.
  • The most reliable predictor of subjective wellbeing is the level of trust in social institutions. Residents with a higher level of trust were less stressed and more in harmony with their lives.