Social Trust of Foreign Teachers amidst Covid-19 Anxiety in XI’AN, China

International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume IV, Issue XII, December 2020 | ISSN 2454–6186

Social Trust of Foreign Teachers amidst Covid-19 Anxiety in XI’AN, China

   Karen Joy B. Talidong¹ & Edison B. Estigoy^2
1Shaanxi Normal University; ²Xi’an International Studies University
corresponding author*

Abstract:- The predicament brought by the COVID-19 pandemic caused many people around the world to deal with anxiety and look for preventive measures at the same time. In this study, social trust is one factor to consider. An online survey was designed to collect the perceptions of the foreign teachers in Xi’an China about social trust, experiences, and attitudes in dealing with anxiety. Results showed that foreign teachers trust the implementation of the preventive measures of COVID-19 by the government which leads to social security and social stability. Further results revealed that foreign teachers are having social trust in the state and community but are undecided in terms of public places. Moreover, regardless of gender, foreign teachers’ social trust doesn’t differ.

Keywords: Social Trust, Social Capital, Preventive Measures, Foreign Teachers, COVID-19 Anxiety

I. INTRODUCTION

COVID-19 is an international concern that brought anxiety among people across the globe considering the psychological effects of home quarantines and lockdown leading some individuals to stay away from their family and friends. Although social activities have been restricted in most countries, almost all not essential individual movements were prohibited due to quarantine, while the local hospitals received suddenly thousands of critically ill COVID-19 patients and were forced to implement their emergency protocols [34]. Nevertheless, there are ways of coping with anxiety during the COVID-19 outbreak, maintaining the social connection to friends and families online as well as establishing social trust in the implementation of COVID-19 preventive measures are only a few of the various means of dealing with the pandemic anxiety [14]. Trust is an important factor in internal Social Capital within an organization, leading to greater support and cooperation between individuals [35]. Given the abovementioned concept, social trust is one factor that could ease COVID-19 anxiety among foreign individuals in China; hence, this study aims to seek foreign teachers’ perceptions of social trust and ways to deal with the anxiety brought by the pandemic in Xi’an China. Social trust is believed to be the capability of an organization to deal with any crucial situations. Thus, this idea involves various people in society especially leaders who are catalysts of institutional and social stability [3].

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