Background: Nosophobia, an overwhelming anxiety about contracting a disease, amplified during the pandemic. Many individuals developed germ-related anxiety and reacted strongly to even minor health threats. However, some individuals appeared unbothered by the coronavirus. While this may be attributed largely to ignorance, it is also essential to consider that some individuals exhibited strong confidence in their health and fitness, placing them on the "not afraid of COVID-19 or any disease" spectrum.
Objectives: This study aimed to identify and compare psychology and non-psychology students in terms of their illness attitude and self-efficacy for exercise.
Methods: Sample 1 consisted of psychology students, and Sample 2 included students from non-psychology majors. Both male and female participants were included. A purposive sampling technique was adopted. Data collection was done through the following questionnaires: Illness Attitude Scale by Robert Kellner in 1987 and Self-Efficacy for Exercise (SEE) Scale by Resnick & Jenkins in 2000.
Results: Independent sample t-test results revealed that there is a significant difference in the mean of two groups in their illness attitude at p < 0.01, whereas the self-efficacy for exercise scores did not show a significant difference between the two groups.
Conclusion: There is a significant difference in illness attitude among students of science, and the presence of nosophobia was found among students of psychology.