Extended Field Notes
T.A: XXX
Research Question: This qualitative study aims to understand the coping mental health challenges people face in XXX during the Covid-19 pandemic. People are having a difficult time adjusting to the pandemic. Uncovering what obstacles people face during a difficult time can help broaden our understanding of these challenges.
Research method: For the purpose of this research and the safety of the participants and researcher, I conducted Zoom call interviews to prevent going outside.
Interview # 1 Wednesday, XXXX Zoom Call
Duration 17 minutes, and 40 seconds
Note: This person was chosen based on my facebook friends who were available and willing to have an interview. I put up a post on my facebook and within a few days I got his response. Daniel (Me): Before we continue I would like to thank you for taking the time to speak with me today. S: Yeah no problem not like I had anything else to do (Frown). D: Alright but before we start I would like to go over what the research is about. For this research my goal is to understand how coping mental health challenges are related to covid-19 specifically people located in california. Everything that will be said today will be kept confidential between me and you. I will be assisting a letter to keep your information safe. After the research has concluded I will be destroying all the evidence . If anything makes you feel uncomfortable please don’t hesitate to tell and we can move on or we can conclude the interview on your request. Do you have any questions?
S: No, I’m good.
D: I will be recording this interview with my phone to help me remember all the details of this interview is that okay with you?
S: Sure no problem
D: Let’s get started
S: (Moved his head up and down)
D: First, will be asking you personal questions about yourself, then I will be asking question on a situation we are all dealing with and then how your able to cope with these situations
S: Yeah okay
D: How old are you ?
S: Twenty one
D: What is your gender?
S: Man
D: What is your ethnicity?
S: Mexican American
D: Do you have any children?
S: I don’t why are you asking
D: I just need this information to remove some questions that I have that are in regard to children.
S: Okay
D: Do you have any underlying mental health conditions?
S: No Never well I don’t know I’ve been anxious in the past do you mean like that
D: Have you been diagnosed by a doctor? I mean I sometimes feel anxious to but I haven’t been diagnosed with it
S: Mmm then no I don’t have any
D: I will be shifting into a different topic from hear
S: Alright let’s do it
D: What did you lose because of the covid-19 pandemic?
S: I lost my job (Put his head down)
D: How did that happen immediately after the pandemic was announced ?
S: No, it was a few months after the pandemic, I was working at mcdonalds and my boss then let four people go because people stopped eating. I had just started so yeah.
D: I’m sure it must have been difficult especially since you had just started working there, how did losing your job affect your mental health?
S: I guess I was worried and frustrated
D: What are your fears about the impact of covid-19?
S: I’m worried that I might catch the virus and die.
D: Yeah that understandable, Are you worried for yourself or others around you ?
S: Both actually I live with my mom and brothers so I’m worried about getting them sick.
D: I agree, do you have constant worry about getting sick as well right?
S: Yes I do, I watched the news and they always talk about the symptoms that scary me
D: Do you think that your positive emotions have decreased because of the covid-19 pandemic?
S: Yes definitely, We didn’t celebrate Halloween this year and we usually have parties
D: Have your negative emotions increased because of the pandemic?
S: Yes, like I said I’m afraid constantly
D: You are doing great. Again if by any chance you feel uncomfortable answering the questions please let me know. I want to swift into how people have been dealing with the pandemic.\
S: How many more questions?
D: I have a few left almost done
S: Alright
D: Do you know what’s a coping strategy?
S: Kinda, is that like working out
D: Technically working out can be considered a coping strategy, Have you ever had to use a coping strategy before?
S: I worked out a lot in the past but since covid-19 the parks and the gym have closed so I stopped
D: Has that affected you in any way?
S:I used to work out when ever I felt worried so yeah a lot
D: Do you think if you knew some other forms of coping strategies would you use them as an alternative to working out for the pandemic?
S: I don’t think so because I haven’t been affected personally.
D If it affected you personally you think you would need coping skills to get you through the struggle if working out isn’t an option?
S: Maybe but I don’t know any
D: Alright coping strategies can be different for everyone. Can you think of one you might have used in the past to distract you from something.
S: I play video games sometimes when I get frustrated
D: Video games can be used to distract yourself from the real world. That understandable Do you play games often?
S: Yes I play around four to five hours a day, I’ve been playing Dead by Daylight have you heard about it?
D: No, Do you play games for fun or to cope?
S: I usually just play to have fun
D: It’s safe to say that you might not be using games as a coping style but just to pass the time?
S: Yes I guess
D: That was my last question. Do you have any questions or concerns?
S: No can you tell me some coping style I can try
D: Sure we can talk after I really appreciate your time
S: Thank you so much
D:Thank you (Smile)
Reflection: The first question that I asked the participant was based on his feeling towards the pandemic. He was young, so my apparent thought was that he wasn’t going to care much about the epidemic. Looks can be deceiving because he responded with a worried face, saying that he was scared of catching and getting sick and dying. This was surprising because, In my mind, young adults are less susceptible to getting a severe illness from covid. The participant responses were out of the norm because I was expecting something else. To me, his style of coping is not a strategy but a way for him to pass the time. At the end of the interview, I provided coping skills to use when he gets anxious. For this interview, the participant was not aware of strategies that are effective in dealing with anxiety. This tells me that people have difficulty because of the lack of knowledge about coping styles. Also covid had stopped many individuals from going out to places like the gym to let out some steam. This in itself is another challenge that people are facing.
Interview # 2 Thursday, October 22, 2020, 2:00pm Zoom Call
Duration 15 minutes, and 23 seconds
Note: This person was chosen based on my facebook friends who were available and willing to have an interview. I put up a post on my facebook and within a few days I got her response. Daniel (Me): Before we continue I would like to thank you for taking the time to speak with me today. N: It’s my pleasure. D: Alright but before we start I would like to go over what the research is about. For this research my goal is to understand how coping mental health challenges are related to covid-19 specifically people located in california. Everything that will be said today will be kept confidential between me and you. I will be assisting a letter to keep your information safe. After the research has concluded I will be destroying all the evidence . If anything makes you feel uncomfortable please don’t hesitate to tell and we can move on or we can conclude the interview on your request. Do you have any questions?
N: No all good I just got home from work, Don’t mind me if I look a little tired
D: No worries (Smile) I will be recording this interview with my phone to help me remember all the details of this interview is that okay with you?
N: Like video or just voice, I just back home from work so I don’t look so good
D: I will be recording only the voice if that’s okay with you ?
N: Voice is fine with me
D: Thank you
N: (Moved head up and down)
D: First I want to start off with asking a personal question about yourself?
N: Okay
How old are you ?
N: I am twenty seven years old
D: What is your gender?
N: Female
D: What is your ethnicity?
N: Mexican American
D: Last question for personal information, do you have any children?
N: Yes I do, I have two boys one is three years old and the other is five
D: Have you had any underlying mental health condition?
N: In the past yes, I’ve have issues with anxiety
D: Alright now i will be shifting into question regarding covid-19
N: Sounds good
D: What did you lose because of the covid-19 pandemic?
N: To be honest I haven’t had time for myself I haven’t had the freedom that I used to have before the pandemic. I work then come home to take care of the children, everything is mostly closed, and I am getting really tired of the shutdown. I hope everything can go back to normal soon
D: I understand how you feel. What are your fears about the impact of covid-19?
N: I fear for my children’s safety, I’m afraid to get them sick, everytime i get home from work I spray myself with disinfectant to prevent bringing the sickness to them. I’m also afraid this is going to be our life. Being forced to stay in forever.
D: Do you have any concern for your safety?
N: As a parent my children always come first to me, but then again if I get sick and die my children will be all alone. Their safety depends on mine so I do have concerns about my safety.
D: That’s sweet. I don’t have children but I’m sure I would be the same with mine. How did losing your freedom affect your mental health?
N: I don’t have nowhere to go, I’m stuck. I used to go to the mall and watch movies with my kids but I can’t anymore, I mean losing my freedom has made me more frustrated.
D: Let’s take a two minute break I need to organize my question (A break because she looked frustrated)
N: Sure thing
D: Do you think that your positive emotions have decreased because of the covid-19 pandemic?
N: Overall, yes
D: Have your negative emotions increased because of the pandemic?
N: I’m a little more frustrated that before, yes
D: This is going great. Again if by any chance you feel uncomfortable answering the questions please let me know. I want to swift into how people have been dealing with the pandemic.
N: Alright
D: Do you know what’s a coping strategy?
N: Yes I do
D: Have you had any obstacles when it comes to coping specifically for covid-19?
N: I hear a lot of negative news about covid so I tend not to avoid news
D: Wouldn’t you say avoiding news on covid is difficult?
N: Yes everyone talk about it and I just wish people can change the topic and talk about pandas or something
D: That would be nice (Chuckled). If by any change you can’t avoid the news what other coping style would you use?
N: I can’t use any, that’s impossible. I can’t leave my home. I can’t distract myself with anything fun.
D: Going outside your home helps with negative thought?
N: Yes especially when I have my children with me laughing and playing but thats all gone n
D: That was my last question. Do you have any questions or concerns?
N: Not really sorry about getting a little frustrated
D: Don’t worry about it, I truly understand I really appreciate your time and thank you again.
N: Thank you
Reflection: She has just arrived from work tired and kinda frustrated. She was an amazing person and how she talked about her children, At first she wasn’t thinking about herself only about her children’s safety. When she said this it made me feel like I want children of my own. She had mentioned that she had lost her freedom. She was not able to go out and enjoy fun activities with her children. I thought maybe this was a way for her to control her negative emotion and then she later mentioned that the pandemic had cut off her source of fun. Outdoor activities were used to deal with hard times specifically about covid. The obstacles that she had were two things, one being having to work and take care of children she might not have time for herself. The other is not being able to enjoy herself outside of home being stuck at home has increased her frustration.
Interview # XXX Zoom Call
Duration 16 minutes, and 12 seconds
Note: This person was chosen based because I asked him while at work and he was willing to be part of the research. Daniel (Me): Before we continue I would like to thank you for taking the time to speak with me today. B: Sure it was either this or stay on the couch. D: Alright but before we start I would like to go over what the research is about. For this research my goal is to understand how coping mental health challenges are related to covid-19 specifically people located in california. Everything that will be said today will be kept confidential between me and you. I will be assisting a letter to keep your information safe. After the research has concluded I will be destroying all the evidence . If anything makes you feel uncomfortable please don’t hesitate to tell and we can move on or we can conclude the interview on your request. Do you have any questions?
B: Not at this time I apology for being late
D: Don’t worry about it’s fine. Alright to start off I would like to get to know you a little better, I will start with a personal question about yourself and if you don’t want to answer just let me know.
B: Perfect should we begin ?
D: Yes of course What is your age?
B: I am twenty five
D: What is your gender?
B: Male
D: What is your ethnicity?
B: I prefer not to answer that
D: No problem. Do you have any children?
B: I wish but no I don’t
D:Thanks for that now I will be shifting into mental health. First Do you have any underlying mental health conditions?
B: I don’t feel comfortable answering that question
D: I understand What did you lose due to the covid-19 pandemic?
B: I lost contact with my friends, I hardly see them now and even if I do its thought zoom I don’t like zoom. I prefer in person.
D: Tell me more about that How many hours would you spend with your friends?
B: To be honest I don’t count the minute or hours, the time passes by and that’s that.
D: How did your loss affect your mental health?
B: Mentally I feel alone now. I’m lonely
D:In what ways has the pandemic affected you the most?
B: Not being able to go out with friends and hang out, My friends are scared of going out because of their families.
D: What about your family are you scared of going out for them?
B: Yes but I still need some friend to talk to
D: What are your fears about the impact of covid-19?
B: Fears? I would say catching the virus and dying
D: How does the news of someone in your social network having covid-19 affect your mental health?
B: If a friend of mine would get it I would be less willing to go out because its hitting home now
D: What do you mean by that?
B: It hasn’t affected me personally but if someone close to me catches it them I would be more worried
D: What negative emotions have increased overtime after the declaration of covid-19 pandemic in January 2020?
B: One hundred percent frustration, having to stay home sucks
D: Which positive emotions have decreased due to the covid-19 pandemic?
B: Positive emotions? I think am the same
D: Thank you so much I will be changing the topic form here on out
B: Alright How am I doing?
D: You’re doing great. Do you have any difficulty coping with the pandemic?
B: Not really
D: How do you cope with the pandemic?
B: I usually work out to release some stress but gyms are closed so it is harder now, working out at home is different than working out in the gym.
D: What measures have you taken to manage your mental health amidst the covid-19 pandemic?
B: I haven’t, like I said it’s difficult no time for any of that
D: Why is coping difficult during a pandemic?
B: The reason is it difficult to cope is because I’m used to going out, talking with others and going to the gym as a coping style but since the pandemic all of those options have disappeared. The only options are to work out at home and speak to friends on zoom. I’m not used to any of this and I don’t like the changes. I hope it gets better soon.
D: I totally understand where your coming from and its very difficult. A few more questions and we are done. How do health communication and information sources on covid-19 improve your mental health?
B: It help because I might learn something new
D: Yes if you knew other coping styles do you think you might use those to cope with your frustration of staying home?
B: I think so
D Last question How has exercise helped you cope with the mental implication and fears of covid-19 pandemic?
B: Letting out the stress has always helped with having negative thoughts. It’s like a distraction from the outside world.
D: Alright we are all done thank you so much for your time.
B: No problem again i’m sorry for being late
D: Don’t worry about a thing, Thank you
B: Thank you
Reflection: The participant was a little late for the interview. I know this person personally from work, and he’s usually never late. Participants’ responses on whether he had children made it seem like he wants kids. He looked disappointed when he responded. The participant was not willing to provide an answer for whether he had any mental health conditions. This might be because I know him personally, and he would rather keep that information to himself. The participant looks like he is not afraid of anything. When he answers a question, he doesn’t hesitate to speak. Participants got frustrated when asked about coping and why it is difficult. His time away from friends and the gym are what is causing his frustration. The reason he is not able to cope is because of the restriction and shut down all around the city.
Interview 4 Saturday, October 24, 2020, 1:00pm Zoom Call
Duration 9 minutes, and 41 seconds
Note: This person was chosen based because of the Facebook survey that I conducted on my facebook page.. Daniel (Me): Before we continue I would like to thank you for taking the time to speak with me today. R: My pleasure. D: Alright but before we start I would like to go over what the research is about. For this research my goal is to understand how coping mental health challenges are related to covid-19 specifically people located in california. Everything that will be said today will be kept confidential between me and you. I will be assisting a letter to keep your information safe. After the research has concluded I will be destroying all the evidence . If anything makes you feel uncomfortable please don’t hesitate to tell and we can move on or we can conclude the interview on your request. Do you have any questions?
R: Not right now but I do have a request can the interview be a little short because my kids are running around the house.
D: Definitely, First I want to start off with asking a personal question about yourself?
R: Sure
D: What is your gender?
R:Female
D:What is your ethnicity?
R: American, I mean Mexican American
D: You said you have children, correct?
R: Yes I do
D: Now can you tell me Do you have any underlying mental health conditions?
R: Why would you need that information for ?
D: It would be useful for answering my research question but feel free to pass on the question
R: Yeah, I rather not answer that. You might think I’m crazy.
D: I’m not here to judge. I’m simply here to get help from you with the research question but I understand why you wouldn’t want to share. Let’s move on. What did you lose due to the covid-19 pandemic?
R: I’ve lost a lot, I lost my father to covid, I feel restricted like I can’t do anything (Tearing)
D: Im so sorry to hear that, my condolence on the passing of your father.
D: Let’s take a small break and start back in 3 min
R: No No i’m fine let’s continue
D: Are you sure?
R: Yes please begin
D: How did your loss affect your mental health?
R: I’m sad all the time I think about my dad but i know he’s in a happier place.
D: I’m sure he is. In what ways has the pandemic affected you the most?
R: Broken family and I have less time to go outside
D: What do you mean go outside, what specifically do you do outside?
R: In the past before the pandemic, I would hire a babysitter and go out with friends to eat and socialize. I usually would do that when I had bad news. I would use it to forget about the negative news even if it’s for a night. The pandemic has closed down all the bars and now it’s hard.
D: What your saying is that you would use girls night as a coping style ?
R: Omg exactly right
D:Nice to know , Do you have any difficulty coping with the pandemic?
R: Right now yes being a single mother doesn’t help either
D: What activities do you engage in during the covid-19 period?
R: Right now I spend most of my time with my kiddo
D: Why is coping difficult during a pandemic?
R: It is difficult because of the restrictions the government should allow everything to reopen again.
D: That was the last question Thank you so much I appreciate it
R: That was short but I appreciate it. Alright I gotta go bye
Reflection: The interview was short, but I was able to get answers to questions that are essential for the research question. Although it was short, I still believe it went well. The participant looked willing to answer the question, but I feel like some of the questions were difficult for her. Next time I will be making sure to give the participant a break when they feel emotional, even though they say it’s okay. I also noticed that the participant was always looking back to watch her child. She was not one hundred percent focused on the interview itself.
Interview 5 Sunday, October 25, 2020, 2:00pm Zoom Call
Duration 15 minutes, and 36 seconds
Note: This person was chosen based on my Instagram friends who were available and willing to have an interview. I put up a post on my Instagram and within a few days, I got her response. Daniel (Me): Before we continue I would like to thank you for taking the time to speak with me today. Ra: Oh man no problem, It’s a pleasure for me to talk with you on such an important topic. D: Alright but before we start I would like to go over what the research is about. For this research, my goal is to understand how coping with mental health challenges is related to covid-19 specifically people located in California. Everything that will be said today will be kept confidential between me and you. I will be assisting with a letter to keep your information safe. After the research has concluded I will be destroying all the evidence. If anything makes you feel uncomfortable please don’t hesitate to tell and we can move on or we can conclude the interview at your request. Do you have any questions?
Ra: No, go ahead.
D:What is your age?
Ra: I’m thirty-one years old.
D:What is your gender?
Ra: Male.
D:What is your ethnicity?
Ra: Black American.
D:Do you have any children?
Ra: Yes, I have one boy having five years old.
D:Do you have any underlying mental health condition?
Ra: I have symptoms of mental health like I’m facing stress, depression and anxiety due to tough work routine during COVID.
D: What did you lose due to the covid-19 pandemic?
Ra:In COVID I was unable to provide proper attention to work. Due to which I have lost my job. Which affected my family’s economic life badly.
D:How did your loss/losses affect your mental health?
Ra: COVID badly affected my mental health and also my family health due to the loss of job and economic condition.
D: In what ways has the pandemic affected you the most?
Ra: I have lost my job due to the pandemic.
D: In what ways has the covid-19 pandemic affected your sleep patterns?
Ra: Due to depression and anxiety COVID affected sleeping hours badly. There are no fixed sleeping hours.
D: What are your fears about the impact of covid-19?
Ra:The pandemic impact was the worst for my family. The big challenge for me is to survive in this crucial economic crisis.
D: How does the news of someone in your social network having covid-19 affect your mental health?
Ra: My uncle tested positive, he is living in another city and that was shocking news for us. Which increased our tension and anxiety.
D: What negative emotions have increased overtime after the declaration of the covid-19 pandemic in January 2020?
Ra: The pandemic completely changed our life. We were spending a healthy and happy life but when COVID came everything was changed from top to bottom.
D:Which positive emotions have decreased due to the covid-19 pandemic?
Ra: Before COVID my family was enjoying a happy life as I already mentioned but now that ease and comfort is finished.
D: Do you have any difficulty coping with the pandemic?
Ra: After leaving the job it’s tough, especially for me to find a job during COVID that can help to improve our economic situation. And also it’s tough for us to force our children to adopt COVID SOP’S.
D:What measures have you taken to manage your mental health amidst the covid-19 pandemic?
Ra: We are taking proper diet and eating healthy food, engaging my family in different outdoor activities to keep their mind free from anxiety and stress.
D: Why is coping difficult during a pandemic?
Ra: At the start of COVID when the government implemented COVID new law and SOP’S it was very tough to adopt these parameters. It was very tough for us to stay at home all day and night. And to keep ourselves and children healthy was the main target.
D: How do health communication and information sources on covid-19 improve your mental health?
Ra: News channels were full filling their own responsibility to inform all the viewers about how we can keep our self-safe from COVID attack and precaution that we can adopt to keep our body fresh and healthy.
D: What activities do you engage in during the covid-19 period?
Ra: I along with my family was doing yoga and kept our self-busy by watching different motivational series and movies.
D: How has exercise helped you cope with the mental implication and fears of the covid-19 pandemic?
Ra: We reduce the fear of the attack of COVID by keeping yourself-busy sin exercise because exercise helps a lot to keep the body fresh and healthy.
Reflection: In a very short interview, the interviewee told me about the impacts of COVID on his life, and one major impact was the loss of a job. His arguments were strong and he was looking positive about the health of his own and his family’s health. I had enough time to ask many of the questions that I had.
Interview 6 XXX Zoom Call
Duration 17 minutes, and 05 seconds
Note: This person was chosen based on my Instagram friends who were available and willing to have an interview. I put up a post on my Instagram and within a few days, I got her response. Daniel (Me): Before we continue I would like to thank you for taking the time to speak with me today. C: It’s a pleasure for me to have an interview with you. D: Alright but before we start I would like to go over what the research is about. For this research, my goal is to understand how coping with mental health challenges is related to covid-19 specifically people located in California. Everything that will be said today will be kept confidential between me and you. I will be assisting with a letter to keep your information safe. After the research has concluded I will be destroying all the evidence. If anything makes you feel uncomfortable please don’t hesitate to tell and we can move on or we can conclude the interview at your request. Do you have any questions?
C : No I’m a little bit tied due to the tough work routine but I’m excited about it. You can go ahead.
D: What is your age?
C: I’m twenty-eight years old.
D:What is your gender?
C:Female.
D:What is your ethnicity?
C: South Asian American.
D:Do you have any children?
C:Yes, I have one boy of five years old and a daughter of three years old.
D:Do you have any underlying mental health condition?
C:I was facing depression but now I’m fine.
D: What did you lose due to the covid-19 pandemic?
C: To be honest, during COVID I was not providing proper time to my children due to work tension. Work from home policy comes in which helps me a lot to take care of my children. But big tension for me was that everything was almost closed and I’m really tired due to the shutdown. I hope everything will return to the routine very soon.
D: How did your loss/losses affect your mental health?
C:Shutdown affected my health badly. I was facing issues of depression, and having issues with anxiety during the lockdown
D: In what ways has the pandemic affected you the most?
C: I used to do my maximum effort to protect myself and my family by using all protective measures and also to give maximum care to my children. May God help all of us to pass this pandemic safety
D: In what ways has the covid-19 pandemic affected your sleep patterns?
C: Before COVID Sleeping time was properly managed. But now we have to spend all the time at home, and now everything is messed up. There is no assigned or proper sleeping hours, which affect our health badly.
D:What are your fears about the impact of covid-19?
C: I have more concern about the health of my children and myself. And after that very tough work routine also affecting me badly.
D:How does the news of someone in your social network having covid-19 affect your mental health?
C: My close family member tested COVID positive and this news was shocking for me and had left me with the scar and heartbreak.
D: What negative emotions have increased overtime after the declaration of the covid-19 pandemic in XXX?
C: Life becomes very tough due to COVID. There is no social activity, spending days and nights at home without meeting friends and family, loneliness, and anxiety issues affecting very badly.
D:Which positive emotions have decreased due to the covid-19 pandemic?
C: We are not connecting with the family, friends. Also doing extra care of the children’s. In fact, unpleasant emotions draw our attention to problems and motivate us to tackle them, rather than just being signs of mental fragility or not coping.
D: Do you have any difficulty coping with the pandemic?
C: Yes, It’s difficult coping with the pandemic for me. The pandemic has posed unprecedented challenges. Taking extra care of my children’s for example providing them healthy food, washing their hands properly, and managing hygiene conditions is more challenging for me during this pandemic.
D: What measures have you taken to manage your mental health amidst the covid-19 pandemic?
C: Me and also my children’s are doing proper exercise two times a day to keep the body healthy, taking proper diet and nutrition’s which includes leafy greens, oranges, and tomatoes, even fresh herbs, which are loaded with vitamins, fiber, and minerals. Talking with loved ones while in isolation helped a lot to reduce the anxiety and instances of feeling down.
D:Why is coping difficult during a pandemic?
C: We didn’t face this situation before in entire life. It was difficult for us to completely isolate our self at home. Totally eliminating social life and keeping distances from relatives, friends, and colleagues. And also doing extra care of health, following the SOP of COVID was very tough.
D: How do health communication and information sources on covid-19 improve your mental health?
C: Everyone was talking about COVID and its consequences especially our News Channels, which was affecting badly. I just wish people can change the topic that helps to be happy.
D: Does information on the low risk of contracting the coronavirus help you in coping with depression due to the covid-19?
C:Not at all.
D: What activities do you engage in during the covid-19 period?
C: I was doing proper exercise, taking healthy food, and was engaging myself to call some friends or family members to keep my mind fresh.
D: How has exercise helped you cope with the mental implication and fears of the covid-19 pandemic?
C: Two-time exercise in the morning and in the evening helped me a lot to keep my body and fresh and helped a lot to reduce depression and anxiety level.
Reflection : It was a short interview. Interviewee was looking uncomfortable due to COVID impacts. But the arguments was very strong. She shares a lot about how to keep body and mind healthy during this pandemic.
Interview XX Zoom Call
Duration 20 minutes, and 3 seconds
Note: This person was chosen based on my Instagram friends who were available and willing to have an interview. I put up a post on my Instagram and within a few days, I got her response. Daniel (D): Before we continue I would like to thank you for taking the time to speak with me today. N: No need buddy, it’s an honor for me to share my experience with you. An: Okay how long will this take? D: It depends on the questions but For this research, my goal is to understand how coping with mental health challenges is related to covid-19 specifically people located in California. Everything that will be said today will be kept confidential between me and you. I will be assisting with a letter to keep your information safe. After the research has concluded I will be destroying all the evidence. If anything makes you feel uncomfortable please don’t hesitate to tell and we can move on or we can conclude the interview at your request. Do you have any questions?
An: I’m good
D: What is your age?
An:I’m thirty-five years old.
D:What is your gender?
An:Male.
D:What is your ethnicity?
An:Mexican American.
D: Do you have any children?
An: Yes, I have two boys. One is five years old and the other three years old.
D: Do you have any underlying mental health condition?
An:I was completely fit before COVID but now I’m facing anxiety and depression.
D: What did you lose due to the covid-19 pandemic?
An:As you know me very well I’m a very social person. I have lost my social life due to this pandemic. I wish I can get it back. My children’s academic life also disturbed.
D: How did your loss/losses affect your mental health?
An:The absence of social life affected my mental health badly. Which causes depression and mood swing problems.
D: In what ways has the pandemic affected you the most?
An: In short complete lockdown snatched my freedom and social life.
D: In what ways has the covid-19 pandemic affected your sleep patterns?
An: There are no fixed hours for sleeping. Because all day we have to stay at home without doing any major work so that’s why laziness becomes part of life and which effecting life badly.
D: What are your fears about the impact of covid-19?
An: Due to COVID, I have to manage my life and my family life properly which is a big challenge for me.
D: How does the news of someone in your social network having covid-19 affect your mental health?
An: My close friend effected by COVID but I helped him a lot by keeping him motivated and by interacting with video calls.
D: What negative emotions have increased overtime after the declaration of the covid-19 pandemic in January 2020?
An: There are no physical interactions with the friends and family which affected our life badly.
D: Which positive emotions have decreased due to the covid-19 pandemic?
An: I was enjoying a happy social life. Interacting with family, and friends. Life was going so smoothly but sadly COVID changed everything
D: Do you have any difficulty coping with the pandemic?
An: It’s difficult to cope with this situation. Which has no social life, we have to spend all day at home. That was a very tough condition to adopt.
D: What measures have you taken to manage your mental health amidst the covid-19 pandemic?
An: I’m doing daily video sessions with friends and colleagues to keep them happy and definitely help me to reduce anxiety and stress. And after that, I’m doing daily exercise which helps to keep me fresh and healthy.
D: Why is coping difficult during a pandemic?
An: We didn’t experience this type of situation before. We didn’t even wear a mask before COVID. But now it’s very difficult to adopt these guidelines. And we have to adopt these parameters because it’s now become a part of our life.
D: How do health communication and information sources on covid-19 improve your mental health?
An: Almost every news channel was talking about COVID and I think this news was creating a panic situation. But the positive part was the provision of information about daily healthy activities was helping a lot. This news was creating a tension situation.
D: Does information on the low risk of contracting the coronavirus help you in coping with depression due to the covid-19?
An: Not at all.
D: What activities do you engage in during the covid-19 period?
An: I was doing daily live sessions with friends along with doing exercise.
D: How has exercise helped you cope with the mental implication and fears of the covid-19 pandemic?
An: Exercise helped me a lot to keep my body fresh and healthy.
Reflection: It was not too long a conversation with the interviewee. He was really missing his social life and he shares valuable points about how he is managing his life properly during this pandemic. I will also be excluding questions regarding a person’s mental health conditions. These types of questions are not working because it invades the person’s privacy.
Interview # 8 Thursday, October 29, 2020, 2:00pm Zoom Call
Duration 25 minutes, and 37 seconds
Note: This person was chosen based on my Instagram friends who were available and willing to have an interview. I put up a post on my Instagram and within a few days, I got her response. Daniel (Me): Before we continue I would like to thank you for taking the time to speak with me today. Ti: No need buddy, it’s a pleasure for me to share my experience related to COVID. D: Alright but before we start I would like to go over what the research is about. For this research, my goal is to understand how coping with mental health challenges is related to covid-19 specifically people located in California. Everything that will be said today will be kept confidential between me and you. I will be assisting with a letter to keep your information safe. After the research has concluded I will be destroying all the evidence. If anything makes you feel uncomfortable please don’t hesitate to tell and we can move on or we can conclude the interview at your request. Do you have any questions?
Ti: No, your explanation was sufficient.
D: What is your age?
Ti: I’m thirty years old.
D: What is your gender?
Ti: Male.
D: What is your ethnicity?
Ti: White.
D: Do you have any children?
Ti: Yes, I have one boy and a daughter. Son is five years old and the daughter is three years old
D: What did you lose due to the covid-19 pandemic?
Ti: I have lost my comfort and ease. Due to COVID, we are isolated at home. No physical interactions with family, friends, and colleagues. Life is completely disturbed.
D: How did your loss/losses affect your mental health?
Ti: Anxiety level increased due to no social life
D: In what ways has the pandemic affected you the most?
Ti: My health condition because of the lockdown.
D: What are your fears about the impact of covid-19?
Ti: COVID is affecting badly. The healthy life of my family is more important to me. It’s a big challenge for me to keep them safe from COVID
D: How does the news of someone in your social network having covid-19 affect your mental health?
Ti: My neighbor tested positive. That was shocking news for us because the COVID patient was present next to the door and we have to take extra care of ourselves and children.
D: What negative emotions have increased overtime after the declaration of the covid-19 pandemic in January 2020?
Ti: Due to lockdown, we have to spend all the days and nights at home and there is no social life which is a nightmare for us.
D: Which positive emotions have decreased due to the covid-19 pandemic?
Ti: Before COVID we were enjoying a healthy life, we were exploring different cities on weekends and was enjoying a happy life but now in lockdown, we have to stay at home which is very tough for us.
D: Do you have any difficulty coping with the pandemic?
Ti: The pandemic changed our lifestyle completely. We were enjoying freedom life without any fear of virus or disease and suddenly COVID comes and that was very hard to adopt that COVID prevention parameters.
D: What measures have you taken to manage your mental health amidst the covid-19 pandemic?
Ti: My family members including my children doing yoga and also proper food and nutrition-rich fruits to keep the body fresh and healthy.
D: Why is coping difficult during a pandemic?
Ti: It was very tough in the start to wear masks, stay away from each other, social distancing, washing hands regularly but now it becomes a habit because COVID is not going to leave us until the invention of the vaccine.
D: How do health communication and information sources on covid-19 improve your mental health?
Ti: News channels were providing information about COVID effects and how we can remain safe from COVID, all day. That was helping a lot. I was hoping any kind of mind fresh program may come on television so that the mind can be diverted.
D: What activities do you engage in during the covid-19 period?
Ti: I along with family was doing exercise to keep our self-fresh and healthy.
D: How has exercise helped you cope with the mental implication and fears of the covid-19 pandemic?
Ti: To reduce anxiety and stress exercise was the best activity to perform daily.
Reflection: Very deep conversation with the interviewee. He was facing some chronic health issues due to the pandemic and the main thing he shared some valuable points to keep the body healthy and some diet tips. While conducting these interviews I find myself relating to these individuals more and more. I find that although I keep my emotions sealed until I can relate to someone personally. I feel the same pain they are feeling. I would also like it if the pandemic would end to continue our lives.
Interview # 9 Friday , October 30, 2020, 4:05pm Zoom Call
Duration 24 minutes, and 17 seconds
Note: This person was chosen based on my Instagram friends who were available and willing to have an interview. I put up a post on my Instagram and within a few days, I got her response. Daniel (Me): Before we continue I would like to thank you for taking the time to speak with me today. Ge: I love interviews D: Alright but before we start I would like to go over what the research is about. For this research, my goal is to understand how coping with mental health challenges is related to covid-19 specifically people located in California. Everything that will be said today will be kept confidential between me and you. I will be assisting with a letter to keep your information safe. After the research has concluded I will be destroying all the evidence. If anything makes you feel uncomfortable please don’t hesitate to tell and we can move on or we can conclude the interview at your request. Do you have any questions?
Ge: No, everything is clear go ahead.
D: What is your age?
Ge: I’m twenty-five years old.
D: What is your gender?
Ge: Male.
D: What is your ethnicity?
Ge: Mexican American .
D: Do you have any children?
Ge: Yes, I have one daughter. She is three years old.
D: What did you lose due to the covid-19 pandemic?
Ge: I have lost my healthy life because I’m facing anxiety and depression due to loss of comfort. COVID also disturbed my daughter’s academic life very badly because schools are closed.
D: How did your loss/losses affect your mental health?
Ge: Due to complete lockdown I’m facing Anxiety, depression, and mood swing disorder.
D: In what ways has the pandemic affected you the most?
Ge: Pandemic has increased my health issues and also disturbed my family and daughter’s life.
D: In what ways has the covid-19 pandemic affected your sleep patterns?
Ge: Before Lockdown, there was a proper routine of doing work or sleeping but now everything is completely changed. There is no proper routine of sleeping.
D: What are your fears about the impact of covid-19?
Ge: To keep me healthy in Pandemic is more important and a challenging situation for me.
D: How does the news of someone in your social network having covid-19 affect your mental health?
Ge: My colleague tested positive during work from home days. That was shocking news for me because I was met him Three days before when he tested positive.
D: What negative emotions have increased overtime after the declaration of the covid-19 pandemic in January 2020?
Ge: We did not experience this type of lockdown before that was the first time in entire life that we were facing this situation in which we have to stay away from family, friends, colleagues.
D: Which positive emotions have decreased due to the covid-19 pandemic?
Ge: COVID changed our life completely. Interaction with family is completely stopped. There is no social activity, we have to stay at home and we have to talk with each other to keep each other fresh.
D: Do you have any difficulty coping with the pandemic?
Ge: It’s a very tough situation for everyone to stay at home day and night. Engage children and families with activities that keep them engaged and healthy. Also, COVID disturbed the education of children which is very tough for us to keep children in touch with books.
D: What measures have you taken to manage your mental health amidst the covid-19 pandemic?
Ge: To reduce stress and anxiety it’s necessary for us to do daily exercise, eat fresh vegetables, and following a proper diet plan.
D: Why is coping difficult during a pandemic?
Ge: Due to COVID availability of many things become limited but before COVID that was not happen. Now it’s very to manage all the things like eating healthy food, managing hygienic conditions, and washing hands of children regularly.
D: How do health communication and information sources on covid-19 improve your mental health?
Ge: At the start time of COVID, everyone was talking about COVID. That situation was creating a panic situation because no one was telling the reality of COVID effects and death rates. No one was telling about precautions except news channels. That helped a lot to keep safe from COVID.
D: What activities do you engage in during the covid-19 period?
Ge: I have my children and our daily routine includes exercise, playing outdoor games to keep healthy and fresh.
D: How has exercise helped you cope with the mental implication and fears of the covid-19 pandemic?
Ge: Exercise helped us a lot to reduce anxiety, stress level, and mood swing.
Reflection: It was a pretty long interview. I was getting tired toward the end. I think I yawned a couple of times. The interviewee talked about the loss of comfort and ease and also he has stress due to the negative impact of COVID on the education of his daughter. He also shares some valuable arguments about how he is managing his and his family life properly. It’s hard to keep professional when they talk about their family problems. I will be changing up the question I find that asking about their losses is meaningless. Next interview I plan to ask more about coping.
Interview # 10 ZZZ Zoom Call
Duration 22 minutes, and 56 seconds
Note: This person was chosen based on my Instagram friends who were available and willing to have an interview. I put up a post on my Instagram and within a few days, I got her response. Daniel (Me): Before we continue I would like to thank you for taking the time to speak with me today. Ma: I’m so excited! D:I am too haha Alright but before we start I would like to go over what the research is about. For this research, my goal is to understand how coping with mental health challenges is related to covid-19 specifically people located in California. Everything that will be said today will be kept confidential between me and you. I will be assisting with a letter to keep your information safe. After the research has concluded I will be destroying all the evidence. If anything makes you feel uncomfortable please don’t hesitate to tell and we can move on or we can conclude the interview at your request. Do you have any questions?
Ma: Do i get compensated (Laughing )
D: No but you will be contributing to my research that should be good enough right (Laughing)
Ma: Yes I was kidding
D: That’s a relief I was honestly sweating my butt over here.
Ma: I wassing kidding (Giggling)
D: Really?
Ma: No let’s begin
D: What is your age?
Ma: Twenty two
D: What is your gender?
Ma: Female
D: What is your ethnicity?
Ma: Asian American
D:Do you have any children?
Ma: No No No I’m good
D: What did you lose due to the covid-19 pandemic?
Ma; I lost my job but I don’t really mind since I came back home, don’t get me wrong having money is fine but not working is even better.
D: Truer words have never been spoken
Ma: Right!
D: In what ways has the pandemic affected you the most?
Ma: I lost some connections, I used to dorm by UCI but after the pandemic I moved back home, I loved being able to live on my own. I guess I lost my freedom since I’m back home with my parents.
D: I’ve always wanted to dorm but I’ve always wanted to live on my own too.
Ma: It was fun parties every night
D: What I never got an invite, I’m sad
Ma: If I knew you I would of invited but yeah
D: I was kidding but thanks. Alright back to the questions. Have you ever coped in your life?
Ma: What do you mean?
D: Have you ever felt like you couldn’t control your emotion in which you had to use a technique to gain back control?
Ma: Yeah, I have but that embarrassing to talk about
D: You don’t have to answer
Ma: No it’s fine, I remember when I broke up with my ex. I was crying and using a pillow to scream into.
D: Okay, When you coped how did you feel afterwards?
Ma: I felt a little better to be honest.
D: That’s good, Have you coped because of the pandemic?
Ma: I have to be honest, I don’t think I can
D: What do you mean ?
Ma: I can’t because even if I tried to cope it doesnt change the fact that the pandemic is still out there.
D: But have you ever coped ?
Ma: Does avoid news coping
D: Yes kinda, do you mean you avoid the news to cope with covid-19?
Ma: Yes but that’s hard
D: Why is it hard?
Ma: Everyone talks about it it’s annoying
D: That’s true. Have you coped recently by avoiding news?
Ma: Yes again it’s impossible
D: What obstacles are blocking you ?
Ma: media itself is the one causing all this anxiety, this is blocking me from being happy.
D: Thank you so much that was excellent I think I have enough information for now
Ma: Really i was just getting started
D: I wish i could stay and talk to you all night but I can’t
Ma: ha okay well let me know how the research goes
D: Yes will do
Ma: Thanks
Reflection: I really enjoyed speaking to this person. She was very kind and I felt she was answering the questions sincerely. I think the interview was just right and I was asking a question based on the research question. I found that leaving out questions that invade their privacy has helped with more positive and sincere responses. I wish I could have stayed talking to her but I feel like that would have broken a cope for research. I will try not to get my emotions into the interview.
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