The Covid-19 infection that has occurred since March 2020 has caused concern. WHO considers the level of spread and severity alarming, so this incident is categorized as a pandemic (World Health Organization, 2020). Psychologists and mental health professionals have speculated that this pandemic will impact the mental health of the population globally (Kumar & Nayar, 2021). Mental health is a state of well-being in which individuals are aware of their abilities, can cope with the everyday stresses of life, work productively, and contribute to their community (World Health Organization, 2018). Furthermore, mental health is a condition with no psychopathology (Lukat et al., 2016). Thus, there are three mental health challenges for society: (1) to prevent the associated increase in mental disorders and decrease in mental well-being; (2) to protect people with mental disorders from Covid-19 and its consequences; and (3) to provide appropriate public mental health interventions for health workers (Campion et al., 2020). Poor mental health can be associated with rapid social change, stressful working conditions, gender discrimination, social exclusion, unhealthy lifestyles, poor physical health, and human rights violations, as with the current Covid-19 pandemic. Unfortunately, society still ignores mental health, which is harmful and detrimental in the long term (Cullen et al., 2020).
Some mental health disorders occur during early adulthood (Pedrelli et al., 2014). According to Hurlock (1986), early adulthood occurs from 18 years to 40 years. Based on this classification, students are in early adulthood. Many research results show that the prevalence of mental health problems in the university environment increases and is widespread. Some mental problems in college students include depression and anxiety associated with decreased GPA, increased self-injury behavior, withdrawal from college (Oswalt et al., 2018), and social phobia (Pedrelli et al., 2014). Oswalt et al. (2018) research results showed that the diagnosis of mental health conditions among college students increased significantly over six years. Furthermore, the research results of Son et al. (2020) concluded that as many as 71% of students experienced increased stress and anxiety due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Covid-19 pandemic in Indonesia made the government implement a policy to study from home (Kemendikbud, 2020) by Circular Number 15 of 2020. In the learning process at home, the learning in distance learning is online learning. Thus, educators began to use two popular types of learning, namely, synchronous and asynchronous. Synchronous learning uses media such as video conferencing, which has the potential to support students in developing a learning community (Hrastinski, 2008). Synchronous learning can also increase social interaction by synchronous learning interactions with each other (Warden et al., 2013). On the other hand, asynchronous learning uses media such as email (Hrastinski, 2008) and group discussions (Yamagata-lynch, 2014) that support the relationship between learners and educators even when both cannot be online at the same time. The success of asynchronous learning is related to how many students feel present in the shared space (Yamagata-lynch, 2014).
Synchronous and asynchronous learning uses learning applications provided by third parties, such as Google Classroom from Google, Microsoft Teams from Microsoft, and any other platform as alternatives to learn when doing online learning (Humas LLDIKTI Wilayah XI Kalimantan, 2020). This sudden change makes educators must innovate in providing learning. For example, in the implementation of work from home, lecturers often must do several tasks simultaneously. When in this state, the lecturer will use asynchronous learning. In addition, to support the implementation of student-centered learning, the lecturers will use more learning methods that require students’ activeness in learning activities. One of them is an assignment.
Not all students welcome the demands of student activities during the learning process by giving assignments. Many students complain about many assignments. The lack of student access to various books and learning resources is also an obstacle to completing assignments. This problem is an obstacle for some students. Such obstacles can cause stress for students. Stress is a stressful event in which a person is helpless and has a negative impact (Lubis et al., 2015).
Common mental health symptoms among college students can affect their academic performance (Bolinski et al., 2020). Academic stress is the body’s response to academic-related demands that exceed the student’s adaptive abilities (Alsulami et al., 2018). Academic learning is a source of stress for students. Low achievement, pressure to take exams, and the burden of studying are often associated with poor mental health. In addition, stress can increase drug use among young people (Pascoe et al., 2020). Three types of stressors generally cause stress: interpersonal, academic, and social (Hampel & Petermann, 2006).
Students generally experience ongoing stress related to education or academic stress (Pascoe et al., 2020). Academic stress is a significant contributor to various mental and behavioral disorders such as depression and anxiety (Sun et al., 2011). Sustained academic stress can harm students’ learning ability and educational attainment.
Stress can burden students and harm them. However, students also will not let these adverse effects last long. Therefore, students will take action to address this. These actions are called coping strategies (Maryam, 2017). In line with the research results of Oktaviani et al. (2020), who conclude that to create fun learning, students need coping strategies. Coping is a process used by a person in dealing with stressful demands (Rustiana & Cahyati, 2012). Coping strategies are a person’s ability to overcome various problems surrounding their life (Utami & Pratitis, 2013).
Maryam (2017) says that coping is a behavioral and thought response to stress that is carried out consciously by using resources that exist in the individual and the surrounding environment and aims to reduce or manage conflicts that arise so that they can improve a better life. Those means that the individual must feel that there is a problem that befell them first that can cause stress. Then they made an alternative to deal with the problem. Therefore, there will be a gap between the resources owned by the individual and something referred to as a problem. Rustiana & Cahyati (2012) stated that individuals would manage the gap between the demands they get and the resources they have. The process of managing this gap is known as coping.
Based on some of these opinions, coping is an individual’s response to dealing with stress caused by the problem he is facing. Coping strategy means the individual’s ability to deal with the stress of the problems that befall them so that it does not cause prolonged adverse effects for them. Coping strategies are considered like self-regulatory abilities (Sullivan, 2010). Self-regulation is an attempt by a person to control their behavior. As the nation’s next generation, students must be able to face the problems that exist today.
Several previous studies have discussed the relationship between mental health, academic stress, and coping strategies. Kim et al. (2015) conducted a descriptive study to confirm the effects of perceived stress, coping with stress, perfectionism, and self-esteem on mental health among college students. His results concluded that mental health has significantly correlated with perceived stress, task-centered and emotional coping strategies, societal-acquired perfectionism, and self-esteem. This study involved 220 students. However, he conducted this research before the Covid-19 pandemic. Students also carried out face-to-face learning usually, and the stress observed was a general stress condition.
Another study conducted by Nelson & Smith (2016) found that negative work characteristics and emotional-focused coping were associated with high levels of depression and anxiety, while positive work characteristics and work support were inversely related to depression but not anxiety. The sample used in this study was 134 police officers attending self-development training. However, this study has not linked the coping strategies used by the respondents with the problems they face.
Another study conducted by Yoo (2019) concluded that adolescent academic stress, self-esteem, self-deprecation, problem-focused coping strategies, behavior-focused coping strategies, and emotional-focused coping strategies were variables that mediate the effects of bonding capital. Social peers and parents on subjective well-being; and mediate the effects of peer and parental social capital bonding on suicidal ideation. This study analyzed the multidimensional model of coping strategies from 471 children.
Research of Hasan & Tumah (2019) results showed that respondents experienced moderate work stress and psychiatric disorders. In addition, respondents use different coping mechanisms from each other. This study uses 119 psychiatric nurses as samples. Stress management technique programs are very effective in helping psychiatric nurses to cope with work stress that may affect their well-being. Students need to study the effects and symptoms of stress so that their ability to develop effective coping strategies and problem-solving skills can improve. This study analyzes the stress caused by work in the health sector.
Further analysis needs regarding the relationship between academic stress and coping strategies for mental health. Therefore far, no research has discussed the effect of academic stress and coping strategies on students’ mental health. Thus, we need to conduct a study that links academic stress, coping strategies, and mental health so that the problems faced can be given the proper treatment.