Mediating effect of adaptive coping between perceived social support and treatment motivation among mental health clients during the Covid-19 pandemic

Background: The repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted mental health around the world, notably among Filipinos. This global crisis prompted the evaluation of known protective elements that help safeguard mental health. This study analyzed the relationship between perceived social support and treatment motivation as mediated by adaptive coping. Methods: The participants were selected based on specific criteria and suitability for the study. Data collection utilized online forms of the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, Brief COPE, and Client Motivation for Therapy Scale. The reliability and validity of the measurements were confirmed for the chosen population. Mean scores were calculated for perceived social support, treatment motivation, and adaptive coping. The correlation between perceived social support and treatment motivation was examined. Mediation analysis, employing WarpPLS, was conducted to analyze the significance of direct, indirect, and total effects among the three variables in the mediation model. Results: The result showed a significant positive correlation between perceived social support and treatment motivation (rs=0.290, p<0.01). Moreover, adaptive coping is a significant mediator between perceived social support and treatment motivation with a small effect size (β=0.213, p<0.001, f2=0.087). The main perceived social support of the respondents is from their significant other (M = 5.03), while their treatment motivation is identified regulation (M = 6.05), and their preferred adaptive coping is positive reframing (M = 5.82). Limitation: Participants are 85 ongoing mental health clients diagnosed with depression and anxiety aged 18 to 39 years old at Quirino Memorial Medical Center during the COVID-19 pandemic. The generalizability of results is limited. Conclusion: Adaptive coping significantly mediates the relationship between perceived social support and treatment motivation among mental health clients.