Coping Strategy, Social Support, and Psychological Distress Among University Students in Jakarta, Indonesia During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged the world for a year, where a study in China showed that the disease increased psychological distress among adolescents and college students, such as anxiety about the academic setback, economic effects, and impact on their daily life. However, a further study examining the impact of the disease on the mental health of students is required. Social support is the most vital psychosocial protective resource, where effective coping can reduce stress levels and prevent individuals from experiencing more severe psychological distress. Therefore, this study investigated the coping strategy, social support, and psychological distress among university students in Jakarta who are also the epicenter of COVID-19 in Indonesia. The psychological distress and coping strategy variable were measured through the Hopkins Symptoms Checklist-25 (HSCL-25) and the COPE Brief instrument, respectively. Meanwhile, the Multidimensional Perceived Social Support-12 instrument was used to measure the social support variable. The study was disseminated via an online form and the number of research subjects included 250 students who matched the research criteria, including DKI Jakarta domicile and active students registered in the area that were confirmed to be COVID-19 positive. According to the results, coping strategies and increased social support were significantly correlated with decreased psychological distress and may serve as the basis for interventions.

University Students’ Mental Health and Well-Being during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Findings from the UniCoVac Qualitative Study

“…Our finding on support, coping and resilience during the pandemic explains how most students have managed to overcome the mental health challenges brought in by the pandemic. Previous studies have shown how optimism and positive coping (which in turn are related to higher social support) among students can prevent mental health problems or vice-versa [ 9 , 58 , 59 ]. Furthermore, our research demonstrates how support from personal tutors in difficult times can help students cope, not only with the academic pressures, but also with the emotional burden and stresses that they face in their personal lives.…”

The COVID-19 Pandemic and Adolescents’ Psychological Distress: A Multinational Cross-Sectional Study

“…It is difficult to disentangle if the reportedly high impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on adolescents’ lives in Morocco and the USA is the main reason that these two countries’ adolescents also reported the highest level of psychological distress or that a higher “basic” level of psychological distress (mirroring cultural and national differences) may explain the two countries’ rankings. Other studies have focused on and investigated mediator variables, such as coping strategies, social isolation, social support from family and friends, access to the internet, and the use of social media, for their direct effect on adolescents’ psychological distress during the pandemic [ 65 , 66 , 67 , 68 ]. Li et al [ 69 ] showed that problem-based coping and online learning satisfaction fostered adolescents’ adjustment both directly and indirectly, serving as a buffer against the negative impact of stressors on adjustment.…”

Pharmacological Adherence Behavior Changes during COVID-19 Outbreak in a Portugal Patient Cohort

“…Social support plays a fundamental role in people's well-being. In difficult times, such as in times of pandemic, social support works as an element of protection that helps individuals to cope with stressful situations more efficiently [43][44][45]. Having this support from family, neighbours or friends was another reason why people adhered more (12.8%).…”