Psychological Adjustment after the Cianjur Earthquake: Exploring the Efficacy of Psychosocial Support and Collaborative Leadership

Abstract

This study examines the psychological adjustment of disaster workers in relation to differences in stress management training, along with factors associated with psychosocial support and collaborative leadership during earthquake emergency response operations in Cianjur, West Java, on November 21, 2022. Using a mixed-methods approach, we recruited Indonesian Red Cross staff and volunteers who were assigned to the disaster response team after the earthquake. Data collection involved 59 disaster workers selected through accidental sampling. We measured the levels of perceived stress, anxiety, and depression, as well as professional quality of life, while also observing psychosocial support and collaborative leadership. Notably, the majority of respondents (79.7%) had never received stress management training for disaster workers before their assignment to the Cianjur earthquake. Untrained disaster workers exhibited higher levels of stress and burnout and lower levels of compassion satisfaction. Significant differences in perceived stress, depression, and burnout were observed between trained and untrained disaster workers regarding stress management. However, no differences were found in other variables (anxiety, secondary traumatic stress, and compassion satisfaction). This research revealed that volunteers who received a briefing generally reported feeling happier, with scores of 2.07 points for overall happiness, 1.82 points for satisfaction in their role as disaster helpers, and 1.86 points for their happiness in being able to assist people in disaster areas. On the other hand, volunteers who maintained intense communication with friends and family were relatively better at controlling stress and maintaining happiness, with a score of 2.27 points for those who stayed in touch with family and 2.06 points for those who interacted intensely with fellow volunteers. These findings emphasize the importance of friends and peer support, as well as family support, for disaster workers in handling double disasters. Overall, the results suggest that the mental health of disaster workers deployed in natural disasters during the Covid-19 pandemic requires further consideration, with stress management training being considered as a preventive program. This research also reveals the importance of the collaborative leadership paradigm in supporting disaster activism. Furthermore, there is a need for further research that delves into the cultural aspects of understanding the mental health of disaster workers.