Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To examine whether John Henryism Active Coping (JHAC) is a protective risk factor for distress during the COVID-19 pandemic and whether this association differs by race/ethnicity. METHODS: Data were collected as part of the 2020 National Blair Center Poll. Higher scores on JHAC measured a greater behavioral predisposition to cope actively and persistently with difficult psychosocial stressors and barriers of everyday life. RESULTS: High JHAC was associated with lower odds for feeling worried and for feeling afraid when thinking about COVID-19. These associations differed across race/ethnicity such that having a greater JHAC behavioral predisposition to coping was inversely associated with feelings of distress when thinking about the COVID-19 pandemic only among Whites and Hispanics, but not among African Americans. CONCLUSION: Our findings have important implications as the COVID-19 pandemic continues into 2022 and psychological distress may linger and increase due to unprecedented economic and social impacts.