Abstract

This study identified the relationship between anxiety and the ability to cope with infectious diseases amongst 259 Korean adults over the age of 20, and examined the dual mediating effects of media selection in the risk perception and behavioral inhibition on the relationship. Anger was measured by trait anger, behavioral inhibition was measured by BIS (behavioral inhibition system), and the level of appropriate and inappropriate coping with infectious disease was also measured. The results of correlational analysis revealed that trait anger, media selection with risk perception, and behavioral inhibition were positively correlated with appropriate and inappropriate copings with infectious disease. There were positive relationships between trait anger, media selection with risk perception, and behavioral inhibition. In a mediating model of appropriate coping with infectious disease, the path trait anxiety mediated by media selection with risk perception, the path mediated by behavioral inhibition, and the path mediated by both variables were all significant. However, the direct path did not have significant effect. In a mediating model of inappropriate coping with infectious disease, the path trait anxiety mediated by media selection with risk perception, the path mediated by behavioral inhibition, and the path mediated by both variables were also significant. The total indirect effects were not significant, as the effect of media selection with risk perception was positive, and the effect of behavioral inhibition was negative in this model. This study provided useful findings about the role of trait anger, media selection with risk perception, and behavioral inhibition in Korean adults’ coping with infectious diseases.