*3.4. The Indirect Effect of Life Satisfaction on Perceived Stress via Coping Styles*

The cross-sectional parallel mediation analysis was performed separately for W1 and W2 to test the indirect effect of life satisfaction on perceived stress via coping styles (Figure 4). As is shown in Table 7, task-oriented and emotion-oriented coping (but not avoidance-oriented) were found as mediators in the association between life satisfaction and perceived stress for both W1 and W2. Table 6 demonstrates the goodness-of-fit indices for Model 3 (W1) and Model 4 (W2), which are the same as Model 1 and Model 2. According to the goodness-of-fit criteria, Model 3 and 4 (similar to Model 1 and 2) presents a satisfactory fit, taking into account SRMR (<0.08) CFI (>0.96), NFI (>0.95), and less acceptable for ML X2/*df* (>5 is unacceptable), RMSEA (acceptable <0.08 in Model 1 and 3, but unacceptable >0.08 for Model 2 and 4), and TLI (<0.90 is unacceptable).

**Table 7.** Parameter estimates for latent structural mediation models in cross-sectional approach.


Notes. W1 = wave 1 of the COVID-19 pandemic; W2 = wave 2 of the COVID-19 pandemic. The values in the table are standardized regression coefficients (β). \* *p* < 0.05, \*\*\* *p* < 0.001.

**Figure 4.** Path model of mediation for the effect of perceived stress on satisfaction with life, via coping styles; cross-sectional design (Model 3 and Model 4). \* *p* < 0.05, \*\*\* *p* < 0.001.
