Co esponding au ho : Touzani Hanae
Copy igh © 2025 Au ho (s) e ain he copy igh o his a icle. This a icle is published unde he e ms o he C ea i e Commons A ibu ion License 4.0.
S ess, coping s a egies, and locus o con ol in undocumen ed immig an s acing he
co id-19 Pandemic
Hanae Touzani *
Depa men o Psychology, Facul y o Le e s and Human Sciences - Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah Uni e si y, Fez, Mo occo.
Wo ld Jou nal o Ad anced Resea ch and Re iews, 2025, 26(02), 2535-2543
Publica ion his o y: Recei ed on 03 Ap il 2025; e ised on 11 May 2025; accep ed on 13 May 2025
A icle DOI: h ps://doi.o g/10.30574/wja .2025.26.2.1846
Abs ac
This a icle examines he psychological dynamics o undocumen ed immig an s du ing he COVID-19 pandemic,
ocusing on he ela ionship be ween s ess, coping s a egies, and locus o con ol. As a highly ulne able and o en
ma ginalized g oup, undocumen ed immig an s aced compounded ha dships du ing he pandemic, including
unce ain y, ins abili y, and s ic public heal h measu es. The s udy aims o unde s and how his popula ion adap ed
o he pandemic and how hei belie s abou con ol in luenced he ways hey managed s ess.
Keywo ds: COVID-19 pandemic; S ess; Coping s a egies; Locus o con ol
1. In oduc ion
The his o y o humani y has been ma ked by nume ous heal h c ises. Howe e , om he beginning o ime, humans
ha e had o con on bo h hei ulne abili ies and hei adap i e capaci ies. The eme gence o he global COVID-19
pandemic ma ked a decisi e u ning poin in mode n his o y, leading o signi ican social ans o ma ions, dis up ing
p e iously es ablished s uc u es, and esul ing in agic human losses. On Ma ch 11, 2020, he wo ld was shaken by
g im news: he sp ead o a p e iously unknown zoono ic disease, SARS-CoV-2, known as COVID-19 (WHO, 2020c). In
esponse o his calami y, go e nmen s ushed o implemen a ange o p e en i e and in e en ion measu es aimed a
s opping and limi ing he sp ead o he disease, in an e o o unde s and he i us’s i ulence and pa hogenici y in
o de o sa e humani y om a po en ial ex inc ion. The global heal h c isis no only exposed ema kable ulne abili ies
among popula ions—pa icula ly undocumen ed Sub-Saha an immig an s who o en ace p eca ious li ing condi ions
and limi ed access o heal hca e and suppo esou ces—bu also caused de as a ing economic, social, and heal h
consequences. Faced wi h an e en ha was, o say he leas , undeniably cons aining, i is only na u al o ques ion he
ela ionship be ween locus o con ol and coping s a egies in indi iduals a emp ing o manage he s ess induced by
he COVID-19 pandemic. By explo ing his opic, we aim o shed ligh on he psychological dynamics a play and
unde s and how hey impac he well-being o hese popula ions.
2. Undocumen ed Immig an s: Psychosocial Challenges Du ing he Co id-19 C isis
I egula mig a ion is conside ed a phenomenon ha cons i u es a uni e sal issue, gaining signi ican impo ance wi h
he onse o he 21s cen u y, as Mo occo shi ed om a ansi coun y o a des ina ion and hos coun y o housands
o undocumen ed mig an s, pa icula ly om Sub-Saha an A ica (MCMREAM, 2020).
The mig a ion issue has become bo h a ma e o o eign policy on one side and domes ic policy on he o he . In 2013,
he e we e 240 million in e na ional mig an s wo ldwide, ep esen ing 3.2% o he global popula ion (OCDE, 2013). I
should be no ed ha Mo occo is he only coun y in he sou he n Medi e anean ha has mo ed owa ds a pa adigm
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shi in mig a ion by adop ing a new policy, ep esen ed by he Na ional Immig a ion and Asylum S a egy (SNIA) in
2013 (MCMREAM, 2018), based on a humanis pe spec i e oo ed in solida i y, espec , and he p o ec ion o human
igh s, including hose o mig an s.
Undocumen ed immig an s aced a ange o pa icula challenges e en be o e he eme gence o Co id-19. The zoono ic
disease exace ba ed hese di icul ies signi ican ly. This ma ginalized popula ion was gene ally exposed o p eca ious
li ing condi ions, which wo sened p e-exis ing challenges such as s igma iza ion, limi ed access o jobs, social isola ion,
and lack o access o heal hca e. Howe e , he pandemic had majo epe cussions on popula ions, pa icula ly
undocumen ed Sub-Saha an mig an s.
This unp eceden ed heal h c isis in con empo a y imes e ealed he ulne abili y o heal hca e sys ems wo ldwide, as
well as he s uc u al inequali ies and gaps in social p o ec ion. This was e idenced by he closu e o specialized
se ices, he educ ion o heal hca e bene i s, he decline in hei quali y, and he suspension o a ious heal h p og ams
aimed a comba ing and in e ening. These measu es led o an exace ba ion o co esponding pa hologies (Chippaux,
2023), exposing one o he key pilla s o a sys em mean o ensu e heal h and human su i al. Howe e , he Wo ld
Heal h O ganiza ion (WHO) de ines heal h as: "a s a e o comple e physical, men al, and social well-being, and no
me ely he absence o disease o in i mi y" (WHO, 2020a). The global epidemic highligh ed he impo ance o adequa e
access o heal hca e. Undocumen ed mig an s, o en eluc an o seek medical a en ion due o hei s a us, we e
pa icula ly exposed o he isk o he i us. Mo eo e , he lack o in o ma ion in hei na i e languages u he ampli ied
hei di icul y accessing heal hca e.
Indeed, he heal h c isis a ec ed sec o s beyond heal hca e. The global economy was also se e ely impac ed, esul ing
in eno mous esou ce losses o bo h s a es and households. Many mig an s wo king in sec o s (bo h o mal and
in o mal) a ec ed by lockdown measu es, a el es ic ions, and he closu e o nume ous ac o ies—as p e en i e
measu es aken by go e nmen s o slow o e en p e en he i us's sp ead— aced delays in deli e ies, sho ages o
aw ma e ials, and a hal o many comme cial ac i i ies. This led o a dec ease in demand and, o cou se, p oduc ion in
many sec o s, causing majo dis up ions in supply chains and a gene alized economic slowdown (Baldwin & Tomiu a,
2020). The e was a signi ican loss o jobs wi hin his popula ion. Dep i ed o social p o ec ion, many ound hemsel es
in di e inancial si ua ions, unable o mee hei basic needs. The pandemic imposed p e en i e measu es such as social
dis ancing and con inemen , while humans a e inhe en ly social beings based on physical and di ec in e ac ion. These
measu es o ced dis ancing, dis up ing he quan i y, di e si y, and quali y o social ela ionships, hus causing a
dis up ed social li e (Ve doux e al., 2021). Good social heal h plays a signi ican ole in physical and men al heal h, as
well as in longe i y. S udies show ha a happy and heal hy pe son is no necessa ily he weal hies , bu a he he one
who main ains heal hy social ela ionships (Hol -Luns ad e al., 2010). This includes bo h social con ac s and he quali y
o social suppo , assessed based on he numbe , quali y, and di e si y o in e ac ions wi h one’s social en i onmen
( amily, iends, neighbo s, colleagues, acquain ances, e c.). Social suppo mus ensu e emo ional s abili y and mee he
indi idual's emo ional and secu i y needs o gua an ee hei well-being, which is essen ial o o e all heal h (Ques ion
San é, 2020). Addi ionally, he speed o he i us's sp ead, i s mode o ansmission, and he y anny o he si ua ion
we e ac o s ha con ibu ed o he bi h o widesp ead panic, social anxie y, and global s ess (WHO, 2020b).
I mus be said ha he impac o he zoono ic disease is a iable, and he epe cussions can change depending on he
coun ies and hei immig a ion policies. Mo eo e , he ole o Non-Go e nmen al O ganiza ions (NGOs) and ci il
socie y canno be denied, bo h as a de ensi e line and in p o iding aid and esou ces o undocumen ed mig an s du ing
he calami y. This e lec s he obliga ion o suppo , p o ec , and de end he igh s o e e y human being, ega dless o
hei e hnic, eligious, demog aphic o igins, con ic ions, o poli ical o ien a ions (Lahlimi, 2020).
I is c ucial o ake in o accoun he lessons lea ned om his c isis o guide ou u u e ac ions. Adop ing inclusi e
policies is key, as i allows o he ecogni ion o his popula ion’s ema kable con ibu ions o socie y. By o e ing hem
equal access o heal hca e se ices, labo p o ec ions, and social assis ance, we can ensu e hei in eg a ion and imp o e
hei heal h and well-being. In pa allel, i is essen ial o implemen awa eness, aining, and educa ion ini ia i es o
bo h mig an s and he gene al public, which can help educe s igma iza ion and p omo e hei in eg a ion in o socie y.
Thus, Cy ulnik (2021) belie es ha his pandemic, which has se ed as a g im eminde o nume ous dys unc ions,
should push s a es o es ablish "a new hie a chy o alues" (Cy ulnik, 2021). In sum, collabo a ion be ween di e en
s akeholde s (go e nmen s, NGOs, local communi ies, e c.) is undamen al. To build a mo e inclusi e u u e, i is
impo an o adop a humani a ian and collec i e app oach, allowing e e y indi idual o li e wi h digni y, ega dless o
hei mig a o y s a us.
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3. The In luence o Locus o Con ol on S ess Managemen : A Psychological Pe spec i e
The pandemic con ex o ces indi iduals o con on pa icula condi ions. Being in a ulne able si ua ion and acing a
challenging scena io, undocumen ed Sub-Saha an mig an s econside hei con ol belie s.
As men ioned in he li e a u e, locus o con ol e e s o an indi idual's belie abou hei abili y o con ol hei li e and
he esponsibili y o e en s, dis inguishing be ween an in e nal pe cep ion (con ol o e one's own des iny) and an
ex e nal pe cep ion (in luenced by ou side o ces) (E ouzani, 2024). The belie in con ol plays a c ucial ole in how
indi iduals con on s ess and implemen app op ia e adjus men s a egies (Ca ey & Seeda , 2004; Somme & Ehle ,
2004). These s a egies e e o he psychological and beha io al mechanisms deployed o manage s ess (Landen &
Wang, 2010), and hey a y conside ably depending on indi iduals' pe cep ions o con ol and hei li e ci cums ances.
I is impo an o place locus o con ol in i s ue heo e ical con ex o ensu e a clea unde s anding o he concep .
The locus o con ol (LOC) is pa o he social lea ning heo y de eloped by Julian Ro e in his wo k Social Lea ning
and Clinical Psychology (Ro e , 1954). The goal o Ro e 's social lea ning heo y (SLT) is o "desc ibe he complexi y o
human beha io s" wi h a "p edic i e" goal, aiming o p edic a beha io ha can be chosen om a ange o possible
beha io s o a speci ic pu pose (Dubois, 1987a).
The SLT is based on ou undamen al aspec s ha de e mine beha io : beha io s eng h, ein o cemen , psychological
si ua ion, and expec a ion (Ro e e al., 1972). A pe son may adop one o mo e beha io s depending on he si ua ions
hey ace. The p obabili y o ep oducing o no ep oducing a beha io X depends on wha happens in a gi en si ua ion;
his is called "beha io s eng h" (Ro e , 1982). Rega ding ein o cemen , his concep eme ged wi h he ise o
beha io ism in he ea ly 20 h cen u y in he Uni ed S a es, ini ia ed by Edwa d Tho ndike’s "Law o E ec " (1911) and
u he de eloped by B.F. Skinne in his heo y o "ope an condi ioning," based on he idea ha lea ning esul s om a
"s imulus- esponse" p ocess. Acco ding o his heo y, a pe son's beha io is a esponse o an e en o s imulus om
he en i onmen , aiming o disco e which ypes o s imuli p o oke which ypes o esponses, allowing o he
p edic ion and con ol o a pe son's beha io . The beha io is hen he di ec esul o ein o cemen , d i en by he
pe son's expec a ions since hei ac ions lead o a speci ic ewa d. The e a e wo ypes o ein o cemen : "posi i e"
ein o cemen by ewa d and "nega i e" ein o cemen by punishmen . This p ocess aims o ei he inc ease o dec ease
a u u e beha io . Acco ding o Dubois, "I ’s any hing ha impac s he p oduc ion o ype o beha io " (Dubois, 1987b).
On he o he hand, he psychological si ua ion ep esen s one o he aspec s ha cha ac e ize an indi idual's beha io .
Knowing hei inne s a es and pe sonali y ai s is no enough; he o e all si ua ion hey ace mus be conside ed. This
psychological si ua ion includes all he pe cei ed and in e p e ed cha ac e is ics o he en i onmen as expe ienced by
he indi idual (Weine , 1985). The indi idual lea ns o pe cei e in o ma ion om hei su oundings h ough li ed
expe iences and iden i ies indica o s ha ha e a di ec in luence on hei expec a ions and alues ela ed o ein o ce s.
No one can bene i om a ce ain le el o con ol o e hei li e i hey ha e no gone h ough he p ocess o e alua ing
hei psychological si ua ion, which di e s om he objec i e si ua ion whe e he same e en can be expe ienced,
pe cei ed, and in e p e ed di e en ly by a g oup o people. Expec a ion is p esen ed by Ro e (1957) as he pe cei ed
p obabili y ha a speci ic ein o cemen will occu in esponse o a pa icula beha io exhibi ed by an indi idual in
one o mo e speci ic si ua ions (Ro e , 1975). I a pe son chooses one beha io o e ano he , i means hey expec o
achie e a speci ic goal. Expec a ion is, he e o e, he p obabili y ha a speci ic ein o cemen will be he esul o a
pa icula beha io .
Ro e examines he ela ionship be ween ein o cemen , which inc eases he likelihood o epea ing a beha io , and
wha he pe son hinks abou i . He cla i ied he concep o "locus o con ol" h ough a con inuum on which each pe son
can be ca ego ized, p esen ing wo main dimensions (Ro e , 1966a):
• In e nal locus o con ol: A one end o he con inuum, indi iduals wi h an in e nal locus o con ol see e en s
as consequences o hei own ac ions. They belie e hei a e is in hei own hands and conside he ou come
o hei ac ions a pe sonal choice ha di ec ly in luences he cou se o hei li es (Le cou , 2014). These
indi iduals a e able o es ablish a link be ween ein o cemen and beha io , a ibu ing hei successes o
ailu es o hei own e o s, skills, and decisions (Ro e , 1966a).
• Ex e nal locus o con ol: A he o he end o he con inuum, he e a e indi iduals who do no es ablish a link
be ween ein o cemen and hei beha io s. They pe cei e e en s as un ela ed o wha hey a e o do, belie ing
ha wha hey go h ough is he esul o ex e nal ac o s beyond hei con ol and in luence. These indi iduals
a ibu e causali y o ex e nal e en s. E e y hing ha happens o hem is ied o uncon ollable ac o s, leading
hem o deploy an ex e nal locus o con ol (Ro e , 1966b, 1966a). Adjus men o eali y lies somewhe e
be ween he ex emes o he ex e nal/in e nal con inuum, as p esen ed by Ro e in a cu ilinea o m (Ro e ,
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1966a). Le enson (1972) added o his concep by dis inguishing, wi hin he ex e nal locus o con ol, an
ex e nali y associa ed wi h "chance" and ano he wi h he "powe o o he s" (Le enson, 1972). This la e is
in e p e ed acco ding o he social en i onmen in which he pe son was aised. The "Powe ul O he s"
dimension is di ided based on he in luence exe ed on he indi idual. I i is a posi i e in luence (a sou ce o
encou agemen ), i is e e ed o as a " a o able o he ," while i i is a nega i e in luence (a sou ce o s ess), i
is e e ed o as an "un a o able o he " (Paque e al., 2014).
In gene al, locus o con ol has o he implica ions o s ess managemen beyond pe cei ed esponsibili y. Indeed,
people a e o en inclined o deploy posi i e adap i e s a egies, such as p oblem-sol ing o seeking social suppo , in
an a emp o manage he s ess expe ienced in esponse o a challenging si ua ion o e en . I canno be denied ha
in e nal con ol belie s a o indi idual esilience. S ong esilience s eng hens he belie in one's abili y o o e come
challenges and obs acles, hus enabling eco e y a e s ess ul e en s. In con as , hose wi h an ex e nal locus o
con ol may expe ience an inabili y o manage di icul si ua ions and eel helpless in he ace o s ess. This can lead o
anxie y and a oidance beha io s.
Howe e , an in e nal locus o con ol can also inc ease sel -es eem, allowing o be e managemen o s ess ul e en s.
These indi iduals eel mo e capable o ackling challenges and making decisions ha posi i ely impac hei li es. Tha
said, indi iduals wi h an in e nal con ol belie belie e hey can in luence e en s and may adop p e en i e beha io s
such as planning and managing ime and goals, which can help a oid s ess ul si ua ions.
In conclusion, an in e nal locus o con ol in luences bo h he pe cep ion o s ess and how undocumen ed mig an s
cope wi h i , he eby a ec ing hei men al and physical well-being.
4. Coping o undocumen ed immig an s acing s ess: analysis o ypologies and explana o y ac o s
in a pandemic con ex
Th oughou hei exis ence, human beings ha e been con on ed wi h a ious e en s, some simple and wi hou majo
epe cussions, while o he s ha e been so signi ican ha hey could ha e a p o ound impac on hei psychoa ec i e
balance, o e en hei heal h. To ace hese e en s, indi iduals deploy ce ain s a egies ha help hem manage he
si ua ion and alle ia e i s impac . These a e he ‘coping s a egies’, which a e esponses o in e nal and/o ex e nal
h ea s (Laza us & Folkman, 1984b). The e a e mul iple de ini ions o his concep , each o e ing a dis inc pe spec i e
on how indi iduals manage s ess and li e challenges.
The complexi y o concep ualizing coping eme ges when we examine he wide ange o possible esponses. O e ime,
esea ch on coping has ocused on iden i ying and classi ying di e gen beha io s in o ca ego ies ha g oup simila
ypes o eac ions.
Today, he e a e se e al de ini ions o coping ha s em om he English e b “ o cope.” While i does no ha e a di ec
ansla ion in F ench, i is o en ansla ed as “s a egies o adap a ion” (Paulhan e al., 1994) o “adjus men s a egies”
(Dan che , 1989). I is a e m ha li e ally means " o ace" some hing, someone, o a si ua ion.
Alke (1968) ini ially unde ook a sync e ic app oach o complex psychological (cogni i e-beha io al) p ocesses in
esponse o ad e si y. This concep la e e ol ed in o a singula en i y, now e e ed o as "coping," o desc ibe he
conscious s a egies used o cope wi h dis ess (Alke , 1968; Endle & Pa ke , 1990).
Subsequen ly, he ansac ional s ess model o Laza us and Folkman (1984) was widely adop ed. This app oach
eme ged om ea ly esea ch on coping s a egies, and he concep , as i is cu en ly unde s ood, was o med as ea ly
as 1978 (Laza us & Launie , 1978). Acco ding o hese esea che s, coping encompasses a ec i e, cogni i e, and
beha io al aspec s (S ep oe, 1991; S ep oe & Ma mo , 2003). Laza us and Folkman (1984) de ine coping as “ he
cogni i e and beha io al e o s o mas e , educe, o ole a e in e nal o ex e nal demands ha h ea en o exceed he
esou ces o an indi idual” (Laza us & Folkman, 1984a).
The ansac ional model o s ess and coping de eloped by Laza us and Folkman in 1984 aims o unde s and, g asp,
and explain indi idual adap a ion beha io s in esponse o challenging o p oblema ic si ua ions. This model ocuses
on he psychological p ocesses implemen ed by he indi idual (Rolland, 2004). Acco ding o his pe spec i e, s ess is
concep ualized as "… axing o exceeding one’s esou ces and h ea ening one’s well-being" (Laza us & Folkman,
1984a).
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This app oach posi s ha s ess is no jus he esul o a si ua ion o he indi iduals hemsel es, bu p ima ily a ises
om in e ac ions be ween he indi idual and hei en i onmen , whe e each has an impac and in luence on he o he .
This pe spec i e highligh s he exis ence o wo key media ing p ocesses ha a ec he “indi idual-en i onmen ”
exchange (Folkman e al., 1986; Folkman & Laza us, 1988). This can be in e p e ed as an adap a ion and adjus men o
he con en ional models o Cannon (1928, 1935) and Selye (1956) o he con ex o psychological s ess (Cannon,
1928b, 1935; Selye, 1956, 1974b). I is an app oach ha asse s ha he e is no objec i e judgmen o he si ua ion,
s esso , o he pe son’s esou ces, bu a he a subjec i e pe cep ion o he se e e demands and adjus men abili ies
o he indi idual. Thus, we wi ness an e olu ion om he concep o an objec i e s esso o he concep o pe cei ed
s ess (Ami khan, 1998; J. Cohen, 2013).
The e o e, mig a ion i sel , whe he olun a y o o ced, b ings abou psychological and emo ional di icul ies o
immig an s. In he ace o hese challenges, he c ucial ole o coping s a egies in managing s ess and adap ing o a
new si ua ion o en i onmen becomes clea . These s a egies can be g ouped in o a ious ypologies, such as p oblem-
ocused coping, which ends o adop conc e e ac ions o o e come he challenges aced. This app oach aims o iden i y
sou ces o s ess and di ec ly in e ene o esol e hem. Undocumen ed immig an s who deploy his s a egy o en seek
o imp o e hei si ua ion by ac i ely engaging in hei new communi y. Emo ion- ocused coping, on he o he hand,
in ol es managing nega i e eelings esul ing om s ess ul si ua ions; his app oach is sui ed o immig an s who
expe ience losses, such as indi iduals who los lo ed ones du ing hei mig a o y jou ney o hose sepa a ed om hei
o iginal social ne wo k.
Mos syn he ic s udies on his subjec gene ally ecognize wo main ca ego ies o gene al coping s a egies: p oblem-
ocused coping and emo ion- ocused coping. Howe e , ew s udies men ion he exis ence o an addi ional me a-s a egy
(Cousson-Gélie e al., 1996).
Ne e heless, Endle and Pa ke conside a oidance as a dis inc s a egy, a pe spec i e also suppo ed by a mo e in-
dep h s udy by Suls and Fle che , which ecognized wo main ca ego ies o coping, including a oidance and igilance
s a egies. Fo he la e , igilance s a egies e e essen ially o ale ness, in ol emen , sensi i i y, a en ion, e-
e alua ion, and a non-de ensi e a i ude. On he o he hand, a oidance s a egies encompass a ange o esponses such
as di e sion, dis ac ion, denial, ep ession, low igilance, escape, esigna ion, a alism, and de ensi e a i udes (Suls &
Fle che , 1985a).
Acco ding o Callahan and Chab ol, a oidance coping is based on shi ing a en ion away om he sou ce o s ess. I s
goal is o alle ia e and minimize nega i e emo ions by eplacing hem wi h mo e posi i e ones, such as well-being
( esul ing om elaxa ion, physical ac i i y, leisu e, and medi a ion) (Callahan & Chab ol, 2004). They p esen he
nega i e side o his s a egy, such as u ning o a ious o ms o addic ion (subs ance abuse, smoking, alcoholism, e c.)
o a oid emo ional dis ess (Callahan & Chab ol, 2004). Al hough his s a egy may p o ide empo a y elie , i s
excessi e use can also lead o long- e m p oblems.
The choice o coping s a egies by undocumen ed immig an s is in luenced by se e al ac o s, such as pe sonal
esou ces (sel -es eem and esilience), he le el o social suppo , and o cou se, p io expe iences ela ed o illegal
mig a ion. Addi ionally, cul u al di e ences play a c ucial ole. Howe e , indi iduals’ pe cep ions and belie s can a ec
how hey app oach and manage s ess. Indeed, some cul u es alue communi y suppo , while o he s emphasize
independence and au onomy.
In conclusion, he ypology o coping s a egies among undocumen ed immig an s is eclec ic and shaped by a ious
ac o s. Unde s anding hese dynamics is essen ial o p o iding ailo ed suppo o his popula ion’s condi ions, and
helping hem lea n how o be e manage he challenges hey encoun e .
5. Locus o Con ol and Adap a ion Mechanisms: A Theo e ical Pe spec i e on Coping S a egies
The ollowing highligh s ha , in speci ic si ua ions ela ed o he global Co id-19 epidemic, undocumen ed immig an s
a e aced wi h he challenges posed by he e en , de eloping adjus men s a egies ha allow hem o be e adap o
he a ious cons ain s linked o hese ci cums ances. Fu he mo e, modes o pe cep ion, belie s, hough s, and
con ic ions a e mobilized by hese indi iduals o unde s and his si ua ion and he demands i en ails. This analysis
aims o examine he po en ial in e ac ions be ween he dimensions o locus o con ol and adjus men s a egies among
immig an s du ing he pandemic pe iod.
Laza us conside s ha s ess mus be in e p e ed as a ansac ional p ocess in ol ing indi idual-en i onmen
in e ac ions, coping, and changes ha occu du ing he e alua ion p ocess. This model highligh s how an indi idual
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2540
cogni i ely de elops he pe cep ion o a s ess ul si ua ion (pe cei ed s ess), analyzes and e alua es hei abili y o
cope wi h i (pe cei ed con ol), and cons uc s and deploys adjus men s a egies (coping s a egies) (Laza us, 1990;
Laza us e al., 1985b).
The pe cep ion o con ol o e a si ua ion has a signi ican impac on he le el o s ess el . The mig an has he
oppo uni y o educe o modi y hei s ess as long as hey belie e hey can con ol he si ua ion by using he
adjus men s a egy hey deem app op ia e. In gene al, si ua ions pe cei ed as he mos dis essing a e hose whe e
he indi idual has no con ol, as hey canno in luence he ou come (such as he Co id-19 pandemic). Con ollabili y is
ecognized by i s abili y o in luence people's beha io , pa icula ly wi h ega d o adjus men s a egies in esponse o
s ess (Skinne , 1986).
The pe cep ion o con ol is o en s able. Acco ding o McC ae (1984), social no ms play an impo an ole in he
pe cep ion o he con ollabili y o a speci ic e en , and his pe cep ion ends o be gene ally consis en wi hin a gi en
popula ion (McC ae, 1984).
Thus, i is concei able ha ce ain si ua ions a e uni e sally pe cei ed as "uncon ollable" (such as na u al disas e s o
pandemics), while o he s a e pe cei ed as "con ollable" (such as s ess om s udies o wo k). Howe e , i is impo an
o no e ha a mis aken pe cep ion o con ol can lead o emo ional and beha io al di icul ies (Schwa ze & Locke,
2000a, 2000b).
Howe e , mode n app oaches o cogni i e-beha io al he apy, pa icula ly mind ulness, equi e a ce ain le el o
accep ance, a leas o some ex en , o he impossibili y o ully con olling ce ain si ua ions o e en s. This accep ance
o non-con ol is associa ed wi h adap i e psychological unc ioning, o e en op imal unc ioning (Ha mann, 2008;
Hassija & G ay, 2010).
Two aspec s o con ol dese e o be di e en ia ed: beha io al con ol, which e e s o he abili y o ac conc e ely on a
si ua ion ( o example, a sick pe son can ake medica ion o elie e hei su e ing), and cogni i e con ol, which allows
indi iduals o modula e he impac o an e en by using men al s a egies (such as dis ac ing hemsel es men ally when
aced wi h a s ess ul si ua ion). Bo h o ms o con ol come in o play in di e en adjus men s a egies. Simila ly,
ecognizing one’s inabili y o con ol he si ua ion in some cases is pa o adap i e coping in mind ulness heo y.
Choosing an app op ia e s a egy acco ding o he si ua ion is c ucial o e ec i e s ess managemen , and i is essen ial
o ecognize he a iabili y and e olu ion in he use o hese s a egies by an indi idual. S udies ha e al eady highligh ed
ha he na u e o he si ua ion and he eeling o con ol a e o en de e mining ac o s in he choice be ween di e en
s a egies.
Using p oblem- ocused coping s a egies is ad an ageous o educing s ess when he si ua ion is pe cei ed as
con ollable, bu i s e ec would be he opposi e in cases o uncon ollable s esso s (Ma x & Schulze, 1991). In con as ,
using emo ion- ocused coping s a egies appea s o be e ec i e in si ua ions pe cei ed as "uncon ollable," bu less
sui ed o si ua ions whe e di ec ac ion can p o ide a solu ion (Baum & Posluszny, 1999; Holmes & S e enson, 1990).
Howe e , some s udies sugges ha emo ion- ocused coping o e s a a ie y o sub-s a egies and emains e ec i e
e en in si ua ions whe e con ol is mo e easible (Faue bach, Rich e , e al., 2002).
Resea che s a gue ha paying a en ion o emo ions expe ienced du ing a s ess ul si ua ion can se e as suppo o
he indi idual (S an on e al., 2000, 2002). O he esea che s emphasize ha in he ela ionship be ween he pe cei ed
con ollabili y o he e en and he eeling o dis ess, wha ma e s mos is he s abili y in he choice o coping s a egy,
a he han i s ele ance (whe he p oblem- ocused o emo ion- ocused coping, each p o ing e ec i e depending on
he con ex ) (Faue bach, Law ence, e al., 2002; Faue bach, Rich e , e al., 2002).
In he pandemic con ex , undocumen ed immig an s, who a e gene ally aced wi h p eca ious condi ions, may
expe ience an ex e nal locus o con ol. The ea o depo a ion, inancial loss due o job losses, limi ed access o
heal hca e se ices, e c., all exace ba e his eeling o helplessness. Many may eel apped in a si ua ion o e which hey
ha e li le con ol. This leads hem o deploy a oidance-cen e ed adjus men s a egies, such as unde es ima ing hei
heal h p oblems o choosing o isola e hemsel es om o he s.
The link be ween locus o con ol and adjus men s a egies is c i ical o he de elopmen o e ec i e coping s a egies.
A belie in in e nal con ol p omo es a p oac i e a i ude in esponse o s ess induced by he pandemic. Such an a i ude
allows he pe son o pe cei e his s ess as a challenge o o e come, a he han a p oblem o h ea . This can con ibu e
o mo e e ec i e s ess managemen , enhance sel -es eem, and inc ease esilience. Fo undocumen ed immig an s,
Wo ld Jou nal o Ad anced Resea ch and Re iews, 2025, 26(02), 2535-2543
2541
inc easing he belie in in e nal con ol is c ucial. Immig an s who manage o es ablish suppo ne wo ks, e en in o mal
ones, o who engage in communi y ac i i ies, can de elop a sense o agency, which allows o be e s ess managemen .
6. Conclusion
The s udy o undocumen ed immig an s du ing he global COVID-19 pandemic highligh s speci ic challenges o hei
well-being. The belie in con ol plays a c ucial ole in how hese indi iduals pe cei e and manage s ess, which in u n
impac s hei coping s a egies. The a ious coping ypologies, adap ed o hei ci cums ances, a e decisi e in
o e coming his challenging pe iod. The ela ionship be ween belie s in con ol and coping s a egies unde sco es he
impo ance o indi idual pe cep ion in s ess managemen . Fo undocumen ed immig an s, pa icula ly in he con ex
o he pandemic, os e ing an in e nal locus o con ol can con ibu e o he adop ion o mo e adap i e and e ec i e
coping s a egies. In e en ions should be implemen ed o help his ulne able popula ion s eng hen hei belie in
in e nal con ol, de elop mo e adap i e coping skills, and enhance esilience, especially when acing e en s and
si ua ions as demanding as a global pandemic
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