Locus de controle et strategies de coping face au stress engendre par la pandemie de la Covid-19 chez les immigres clandestins: role du soutien social

This article explores the problem-focused coping strategies and strategies oriented towards seeking social support deployed by illegal immigrants in the face of stress caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. The study shows that, faced with vulnerable and precarious living conditions, illegal status, insecurity related to the irregular situation and limited access to health care during the period of the global epidemic, illegal immigrants had to deploy adaptation strategies that help manage the stress induced by this restrictive situation. Through a holistic and interdisciplinary approach, this study aims to examine what coping strategies are deployed by illegal immigrants who have an internal locus of control to overcome the stress induced by the pandemic. In order to address this issue, a quantitative methodology was adopted, involving a sample of 514 immigrants. Three psychometric instruments were deployed: the Locus of Control Assessment Scale, the Ways of Coping Checklist and the Perceived Stress Scale. Our results indicate that illegal immigrants with a strong belief in internal control perceive a high level of stress. This finding is attributed to the pandemic context, which has exacerbated health, economic and psychosocial challenges. We also found that these immigrants use coping focused on seeking social support as an adaptation strategy to perceived stress. Questioning the classic expectations of the scientific literature on the relationship between control and adaptation.