Abstract

When COVID-19 appeared in Indonesia in early March, most residents were quarantined at home in an attempt by the government to prevent the spread of the virus. This study explores PTSD and depression in a sample of Indonesian people quarantined at home and to identify risk factors for psychological stress. Respondents involved in this study were 1,757 people who were investigated through the online questionnaire method using the scale of PTSD Check List-Civilian Version (PCL-C), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Data on sleep duration, exposure, quarantine duration at home, and socio-demographics were also collected. The prevalence of PTSD and depression was obtained by 65.6% and 56.3%. Subjectively, individuals who feel very afraid of being infected and have been exposed to messages from stressful media are significant risk factors for psychological problems, followed by short sleep duration, and the longest quarantine duration at home. Sleep duration and quarantine duration are mediators between exposure to psychopathology. The results of this study indicate that the psychological impact caused by COVID-19 can be a serious problem. Therefore, psychological interventions in reducing fear and increasing sleep duration need to be applied for people in Indonesia who are quarantined at home, and for those who have been exposed to messages from media that are stressful and have extreme fears that must be prioritized.

Key words: Exposure, psychopathology, sleep duration, home quarantine duration, covid-19