The COVID-19 pandemic challenged everyone. But for psychologists, the pressure was twofold—they supported struggling communities while also managing their own mental health. A new study from Universitas Padjadjaran and co-authors from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam reveals how Indonesian psychologists dealt with distress during the pandemic, and what strategies made the difference.

What Was the Study About?

Psychologists are the first line of defense in mental health crises. Yet, their own emotional well-being often goes unnoticed. This study followed 97 psychologists over two waves in 2021, measuring their psychological distress (symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress) and the coping strategies they used. The tools included the DASS-21 questionnaire (a standard test for distress) and the Brief COPE questionnaire (which categorizes coping strategies into adaptive vs. maladaptive).

What Are Coping Strategies?

Coping strategies are the methods people use to handle stress. They generally fall into two categories:

• Adaptive coping: Positive approaches like problem-solving, seeking support, planning, exercising, prayer, or acceptance.
• Maladaptive coping: Negative responses such as denial, substance use, self-blame, or disengagement.

Think of adaptive coping as healthy habits that reduce stress. On the other hand, maladaptive coping may offer short-term relief but worsen mental health in the long run.

Key Findings

The study uncovered three important insights:

1. Coping habits stick.

Psychologists who used adaptive strategies continued using them six months later. The same was true for maladaptive strategies. Once a coping style takes hold, it tends to persist.

1. Distress predicts distress.

Psychologists who experienced stress, anxiety, or depression at the start were more likely to feel the same later. In other words, distress has momentum. Therefore, it can be said that distress predicts distress.

1. Maladaptive coping is a red flag.

While adaptive coping was linked to lower stress, maladaptive coping was consistently tied to higher distress at both time points. Even if it didn’t directly predict future distress, the pattern showed it kept fueling negative emotions.

Why It Matters

This study highlights a crucial point that psychologists, just like their clients, need something to care for their mental health as well. Supporting them means helping them reduce maladaptive strategies and strengthening adaptive ones. In Indonesia, cultural and religious coping methods (e.g. prayer and family support) were particularly important. These community-driven strategies may help psychologists maintain resilience during crises.

The pandemic showed that caring for mental health professionals is just as important as caring for the public. By investing in programs that build adaptive coping and reduce maladaptive habits, we can safeguard not only psychologists’ well-being but also the quality of care they provide. For the Indonesian context, integrating culturally relevant approaches, such as family-based support and religious coping, could be particularly effective in building resilience. By strengthening these support systems, we can better equip psychologists to handle the stress of their vital work, especially during future crises.

This article was adapted from: Abidin, F. A., Prathama, A. G., Fitriana, E., Komala, E. S., & Tijdink, J. K. (2025). Psychological distress and coping strategies among Indonesian psychologists during the COVID-19 pandemic: A two-wave cross-lagged study. Health Psychology and Behavioral Medicine, 13(1), 2456662. https://doi.org/10.1080/21642850.2025.2456662