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Table 5 Summary of categories in open-ended responses about coping strategies used during COVID-19

From: The upside: coping and psychological resilience in Australian adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic

Coping strategy

Definition

Example

Active

 Socialising

Talking, hanging out, or connecting with family or friends (face-to-face or using technology)

“Talking to friends and family”

“I video call my friends in some of my classes and after school so I'm not lonely. We often do schoolwork, homework, exercise/workouts or just hang out”

 Hobbies

Any kind of activity enacted for enjoyment, pleasure, or achievement, such as listening to music, art, reading, or gaming

“Doing what i like, my hobbies. drawing, dancing, music, eating”

“Indulging myself in activities I enjoy, like music and gaming”

 Physical exercise

Any kind of physical activity, such as team sports, walking, running, yoga, or other references to working out

“Going outside and exercising”

“Walking a few hours a day”

 Psychological strategies

Active coping strategies, such as breathing, perspective taking, using calm/relaxation apps, and meditation

“I have used breathing exercises to calm myself down”

“I tried most of the anxiety strategies I leant [sic] when I saw a psychologist last year (eg. Socratic questions, meditation, staying in the moment, etc.)”

 Routine

Deliberate engagement in regular activities, such as schoolwork/study (or returning to school), making plans and to-do lists, basic hygiene (e.g., brushing teeth, getting dressed), or daily chores (e.g., making bed), eating healthily

Having a schedule especially with school work, arranging them into hours of the day and giving myself breaks in between

 Focusing on the positives

Taking a positive outlook on the current situation and the future, or other references to doing the best that they can

“I try to stay optimistic”

“Just saying it will be okay, you can make it. This will be better soon”

 Help-seeking

Asking for help from friends, family, teachers, or professionals, including broad references to talking to other people about problems

“I've been talking to my parents more (about mental health) and I've found that this helps”

“I spoke to a teacher that I have for multiple classes ab[out] a couple of the things I’ve been struggling with after I had a incident in her class”

 Emotional expression

Outward displays of emotions to self or to others (e.g., crying), including through drawing/writing

“Honestly I’ve just cried a lot”

“I have a sketch book where I draw my emotions and thoughts”

 Psychological treatment/therapy

Seeing a mental health professional for support and/or engaging in therapy (including counselling, psychologists, medications)

“I’ve been seeing a psychologist”

“Talking to my therapist”

 Time for self

Taking time out to reset and spending time on own (but not explicitly framed as a way to avoid problems)

“Spending time to concentrate on a particular task, and chilling for my own self”

 Limit screen time

Restricting the amount of time spent using technology

“I have set myself up a screen time limit to reduce my screen time”

 Spirituality/religion

Any reference to religion, spirituality, or God

“Have faith in God”

“Reading my bible”

 Being informed

Staying up to date with information about COVID-19

“Watching the news so I knew exactly what was going on and no one else was telling me false stuff”

 Humour

Any reference to humour

“Humour”

Passive

 Distraction

Deliberately not paying attention or trying to distract from the current situation, or other references to keeping busy (includes TV/Netflix/YouTube)

“Focusing on something away from anything involving the virus”

“trying to keep my mind off the pandemic and issues going on at the moment”

 Rest/sleep/relax

Any mention of resting, sleeping, napping, or relaxing (coded as separate to routine when identified as a coping strategy to boost functioning, rather than maintaining regular sleep/wake cycles)

“Mainly just having a good nights’ sleep”