Table 3 Moderating role of coping strategies on the relationship between perceived stress and symptoms severity among the study participants (n = 215)

Constant

27.85

1.28

21.61

< 001

25.31

30.39

20.59

0.928

22.17

< 0.001

18.76

22.42

Covariates

Gender

− 0.655

0.70

− 0.936

0.35

-2.03

0.725

− 0.336

0.504

− 0.667

0.50

-1.33

0.658

Age

− 0.001

0.025

− 0.014

0.988

− 0.05

0.049

0.003

0.018

0.210

0.83

− 0.032

0.039

Smoking

− 0.193

0.564

− 0.343

0.732

-1.307

0.920

0.590

0.407

1.45

0.14

− 0.211

1.39

Body mass index(Kg/m²)

0.295

0.092

3.204

0.001

0.113

0.477

0.136

0.066

2.04

0.04

0.004

0.267

Comorbidities

7.76

0.687

11.29

< 0.001

6.40

9.11

4.81

0.495

9.71

< 0.001

3.83

5.78

Handwork occupation^£

0.669

1.004

0.666

0.505

-1.31

2.64

0.390

0.723

0.539

0.59

-1.03

1.81

Employed^£

0.421

1.109

0.38

0.704

-1.76

2.61

0.907

0.799

1.13

0.25

− 0.670

2.48

Disease duration

0.091

0.132

0.686

0.493

− 0.170

0.352

− 0.035

0.095

− 0.369

0.71

− 0.223

0.153

Use of medicine

− 0.035

0.567

− 0.062

0.949

-1.15

1.08

0.296

0.409

0.725

0.46

− 0.510

1.10

Use of hand bandage or wrist brace

-1.42

0.778

-1.82

0.069

-2.95

0.114

-1.34

0.560

-2.39

0.01

-2.45

− 0.239

Traditional Chinese medicine

1.06

1.14

0.935

0.35

-1.183

3.31

0.746

0.822

0.90

0.36

− 0.875

2.36

Physiotherapy

− 0.396

0.594

− 0.666

0.505

-1.56

0.775

0.547

0.428

1.27

0.20

− 0.297

1.39

Surgery

− 0.651

0.903

− 0.721

0.47

-2.43

1.12

0.122

0.650

0.188

0.85

-1.16

1.40

Main effect

Perceived stress

0.148

0.038

3.86

< 0.001

0.072

0.223

0.218

0.027

7.90

< 0.001

0.164

0.273

Adaptive copping

− 0.091

0.038

-2.36

0.018

− 0.167

− 0.015

0.006

0.027

0.243

0.80

− 0.048

0.061

Maladaptive coping

0.130

0.042

3.08

0.0023

0.047

0.213

0.107

0.030

3.53

< 0.001

0.047

0.166

Interaction effect

XW: Perceived stress× adaptive copping

− 0.014

0.004

-3.49

< 0.001

− 0.023

− 0.006

− 0.0095

0.003

-3.11

0.002

− 0.015

− 0.003

XZ: Perceived stress× maladaptive copping

0.002

0.005

0.456

0.64

− 0.008

0.013

0.0022

0.003

0.581

0.56

− 0.005

0.009

R² = 0.723,F(18,126) = 28.48 *,p < 0.001*

XW: F(1,196) = 12.24, p < 0.001,R² change = 0.0173

XZ: F(1,196) = 0.208, p = 0.64,R² change = 0.001

BOTH: F(2,196) = 7.29, p < 0.001,R² change = 0.0206

R² = 0.717,F(18,126) = 27.64 ^*,p < 0.001^*

XW F(1,196) = 9.67, p = 0.002,R² change = 0.0140

XZ:F(1,196) = 0.338, p = 0.056,R² change = 0.001

BOTH: F(2,196) = 6.037, p = 0.0029,R² change = 0.0174