Perceived Individual, Partner, and Community Stressors Related to
Covid-19 Quarantine in Indonesia: A Qualitative Study
Pingkan C. B. Rumondor
1a
, Eilien Rosalie
1b
, Syifa Fauziah
1c
, Adriana S. Ginanjar
2d
,
Claudia Chiarolanza
3e
and Ashley K. Randall
4f
1
Department of Psychology, Bina Nusantara University, Jl. Kemanggisan Ilir III No. 45 Kemanggisan, Jakarta, Indonesia
2
Faculty of Psychology, University of Indonesia, Kampus Baru UI Depok, Jawa Barat 16424, Indonesia
3
Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, and Health Studies, Sapienza - University of Rome,
via dei Marsi, 7800185, Rome, Italy
4
Counseling and Counseling Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, 85287-0811, U.S.A.
Keywords: Stress, Covid-19 Quarantine, Romantic Relationship.
Abstract: COVID-19 was declared as a public health emergency of international concern on January 30, 2020.
Currently, this virus has spread to more than 193 countries in the world, including Indonesia. The spread of
the COVID-19 virus continues to negatively impact individuals’ health, economy, psychological well-being,
and social and family relationships. Although COVID-19 is considered an international concern, individual
perception, and reaction toward a stressor vary across countries. As such, this study aimed to highlight how
individuals living in Indonesia perceived stress related to the early phases of COVID-19. We examine this
across three contexts: perceived individual, interpersonal (i.e., their romantic partner’s stress), and community
stressors. Using inductive thematic analysis, qualitative data collected via an online survey from 422
individuals in a romantic relationship from March to June 2020 showed that participants’ answers could be
clustered to ten overarching themes. Interestingly, one theme describing an absence of stress or positive stress
emerged in the analysis. Results suggested that participants were experiencing vulnerability related to social
restriction due to the COVID-19 situation, offering an insight into future culture-appropriate practices related
to stress and coping responses for individuals in romantic relationships.
1 INTRODUCTION
The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the
2019 coronavirus (COVID-19) a public health
emergency of international concern; indeed, the virus
has spread to more than 190 countries worldwide.
Until August 13, 2021, COVID-19 cases have
reached 205,338,159 cases globally, and the death
cases have reached 4,333,094 deaths (WHO, 2020).
These data show that the COVID-19 virus can spread
easily, has taken many lives, and is a problem
worldwide.
a
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0778-929X
b
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1407-8592
c
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7864-2885
d
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6806-8456
e
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8726-4724
f
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3794-4163
Indonesia is currently dealing with the COVID-19
pandemic. As of August 11, 2021, COVID-19 cases
in Indonesia have reached 3,749,446 cases, and the
death cases have reached 112,198 deaths (WHO
Indonesia, 2021). COVID-19 cases in Indonesia have
spread in 34 provinces and 514 districts/cities in
Indonesia (WHO Indonesia, 2021). The spread of the
COVID-19 virus in Indonesia is happening rapidly in
various parts, which were classified as regional
categories related to the spread of COVID-19, the
high-risk areas marked with a red zone, medium risk
areas marked with an orange zone. Regions marked
Rumondor, P., Rosalie, E., Fauziah, S., Ginanjar, A., Chiarolanza, C. and Randall, A.
Perceived Individual, Partner, and Community Stressors Related to Covid-19 Quarantine in Indonesia: A Qualitative Study.
DOI: 10.5220/0010752800003112
In Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Emerging Issues in Humanity Studies and Social Sciences (ICE-HUMS 2021), pages 403-420
ISBN: 978-989-758-604-0
Copyright
c
 2022 by SCITEPRESS – Science and Technology Publications, Lda. All rights reserved
403

as an orange zone reflect several cases of COVID-19
with some local transmission. Regions marked as a
red zone reflect COVID-19 cases in one or more
clusters with a high increase in cases. In red zones,
strict health protocols are needed, such as closing
schools, places of worship, and businesses. In fact,
several provinces in Indonesia were in a red zone in
March 2020, such as Sumatra, Sulawesi, East Nusa
Tenggara, Maluku, Lampung, Kalimantan, West
Java, DKI Jakarta, DI Yogyakarta, Banten and Bali
(Satuan Tugas Penanganan COVID-19, 2020).
Apart from the health-related concerns associated
with COVID-19, its impact can be found in
community-level restrictions. The increase in
COVID-19 cases in Indonesia has prompted the
Government to implement a new policy, Pembatasan
Sosial Berskala Besar (PSBB) or Large-Scale Social
Restrictions April 10, 2020. This new policy was
implemented to reduce the spread of COVID-19. In
this new policy, the Government limits office
activities to 25% and closes recreational areas, city
parks, sports facilities, and wedding reception venues
(Tempo, 2020). The Government also suggested that
teaching and learning activities be carried out online.
Some companies have decided to employ their
employees remotely for mutual safety. However,
some activities cannot be carried out online. In that
case, the Government asks the public to adhere to
health protocols such as wearing masks, social
distancing when in public places and on public
transportation, and washing one’s hands properly.
This policy was implemented to prevent COVID-19
from spreading.
The social restrictions imposed regarding the
COVID-19 have strains individuals, their
interpersonal relationships, and their communities.
Prior research on social isolation has shown its effects
on loneliness and increased depressive symptoms
(Cacioppo, Hawkley, & Thisted, 2010). Moreover,
neuroscience studies of the long-term effects of social
restriction have shown that individuals may
experience several degenerative symptoms, including
neurocognitive and immune changes, fatigue, sleep
disturbances (Jacubowski et al., 2015; Pagel &
Choukèr, 2016). Indeed, being in quarantine and
lacking social interaction can disrupt a person’s
mood, cognitive performance, stress hormones, and
neurological activity (Cacioppo, Grippo, London,
Goossens, & Cacioppo, 2015; Friedler, Craser, &
McCullough, 2015). Additionally, given the
uncertainty individuals face with COVID-19, it is not
surprising that this uncertainty, ambiguity, and loss of
control, are known to trigger stress and emotional
distress, including symptoms of internalization, such
as anxiety and depression (Ensel & Lin, 1991;
Pearlin, Lieberman, Menaghan, & Mullan, 1981).
Lazarus and Folkman (1984) defined stress or
psychological stress as the result of a person’s
demands and existing resources to cope with such
demands. According to the transactional model of
stress and coping (Lazarus & Folkman, 1984), it is
essential to consider how individuals perceive and
appraise stressors and how their responses lead to
effective or maladaptive coping strategies. Thus,
understanding the perception of stressors can be a
valuable insight to inform stress management
strategies.
Social restrictions also strain one’s social
relationships, especially when quarantine with
romantic partners or family members. According to
Pietrabissa & Simpson (2020), the social restriction
can increase the risk of conflict and domestic
violence, increasing separation and divorce cases
during the COVID-19 pandemic in China (Pietrabissa
& Simpson, 2020). The divorce rate during the
COVID-19 pandemic has also increased in several
countries, such as China, Sweeden, the UK, and the
US (Savage, 2020). Meanwhile, in August 2020,
divorce cases in Indonesia had reached 306,688 cases
(Prihatin, 2020), comparable to the divorce rate in
2019 (480,618 cases). Despite the increasing divorce
rate from 2015, it is interesting that some divorce
cases in 2020 occurred in the COVID-19 red zone
(Permana, 2020). For example, in Brebes regency,
Central Java, Indonesia, a red zone, had reached
5.709 cases of divorce, of which 3.513 cases were
caused by economic factors (Kompas TV, 2021;
Wikanto, 2020). Financial factors can cause financial
stress and lower relationship satisfaction (Karademas
& Roussi, 2017). The data above implies that social
restrictions also have an impact on relationships.
In addition to the individual and relational effects
of COVID-19, associated restrictions can also impact
one’s community, broadly defined. One of the
COVID-19 pandemic impacts can be seen in the
economic sector, especially world financial markets.
The number of patients and deaths from COVID-19
increases daily, and the economy is becoming very
uncertain. Moreover, COVID-19 has affected 10% of
the stock index value in one day (Daube, 2021). The
market value of Europe, America, China, and Hong
Kong from January 1, 2020, to March 18, 2020,
experienced a significant decline and experienced a
drastic decline when COVID-19 approached its peak
in Western countries (Daube, 2021). The economic
crisis from COVID-19 impacts all countries exposed
to the COVID-19 virus, including Indonesia.
Companies that ultimately cannot operate so decide
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404

to lay off their employees. Data from the Central
Statistics Bureau (Biro Pusat Statistik/BPS) shows an
increase in the Unemployment Rate (Tingkat
Pengangguran Terbuka/TPT) by 7,07% in August
2020 (Badan Pusat Statistik, 2020).
Notably, stress is subjective, irrespective of whom
it affects (Lazarus & Folkman, 1984). Moreover,
perceptions and responses to stress occur in a broader
context, such as tradition, norms, and cultural beliefs
(Bodenmann, 1995). Thus, to suggest a culturally
appropriate couple’s stress management, it is
essential to understand the couple’s perception of
stress. Recent studies have approached the
psychological implication of COVID-19 with
quantitative approaches, specifically examining
protective factors (e.g., demographic and
psychological traits) that can predict levels of
perceived stress (Flesia et al., 2020). However, given
the complexity of the COVID-19 pandemic,
qualitative data can capture individuals’ unique
perspectives on the impact of the pandemic (Wa-
Mbaleka & Costa, 2020), which can be utilized as a
basis for contextual stress management.
Taken together, this study aims to describe the
perception of stress in one’s self, romantic partner,
and community. These data will advance
understanding of stress related to COVID-19 social
restriction in Indonesia’s context. Further, the results
have the potential to inform culturally appropriate
responses to help combat the adverse effects of stress
during pandemics in Indonesia.
2 METHODS
This study used inductive thematic analysis to
examine individuals’ perceptions of their own
(individual), their romantic partner, and their
community stressors during the early phases of the
COVID-19 pandemic.
2.1 Materials
In this study, participants were asked to respond to
demographic questions and three open-ended
questions and collected data using Qualtrics online
survey. The questions were derived from Lazarus and
Folkman’s stress theory (Lazarus & Folkman, 1984)
that explains stress as a subjective matter. Questions
used were:
1) What stressors are you experiencing due to
COVID-19?
2) What stressors do you think your romantic
partner is experiencing due to COVID-19?
3) What stressors do you think others in the
community (e.g., friends, neighbors) are
experiencing due to COVID-19?
Participants were asked to elaborate on their
responses as much as possible.
Participants had to be 18 years and older,
currently living in Indonesia, in a romantic
relationship for more than a year, and living together.
Exclusion criteria were having a partner who filled in
the survey, completed the survey more than 15
minutes and less than 24 hours (to rule out
participants who were not taking the survey
seriously).
2.2 Participants
A total of 2,021 participants accessed the survey from
April 22 to June 29, 2020. However, 856 of them did
not meet inclusion criteria; 637 participants
completed the survey in under 15 minutes, the other
9 participants completed the survey in more than 24
hours. Sixty-seven participants did not meet the
criteria because they answered “Yes” or “Do not
know” when asked whether their partner had
completed the survey. See Figure 1 for details
regarding data screening.
The number of participants who met the criteria in
the study was 452 participants. However, 30
participants did not complete the stress column for
individuals, perceived partners, and communities.
Thus, the final participants’ answer analyzed was 422
participants ranging in age 19 to 65 years old
(M=31.49, SD=7.43). Detailed information about
participant’s demographics can be seen in Table 1.
2.3 Procedures
This study was a part of a larger registered global
project examining COVID-19 stress and well-being
(https://osf.io/s7j52). Institutional review board
approval was obtained from Arizona State University
review board (IRB ID: STUDY00011717) and
supported by BINUS University’s board of ethics
(No: 021/VR.RTT/III/2020).
Eligible participants were directed to an online
survey, which contained a copy of the informed
consent and screening questions. If eligible,
participants were automatically directed to the
research survey, which took approximately 30
minutes to complete. Participants were asked to fill in
screening questions such as “Are you 18 years old or
older?”, “Do you currently live in Indonesia?”. The
questions were aimed to determine age, residence
place, romantic relationship, and how long they have
Perceived Individual, Partner, and Community Stressors Related to Covid-19 Quarantine in Indonesia: A Qualitative Study
405

been in a romantic relationship. Participants’ answers
will be filtered again according to inclusion criteria,
as described in Picture 1.
Eligible participants were asked to fill in
demographic questions such as age, gender, religion,
area of employment, and yearly income. Examples of
demographic questions are “How old are you?”,
“What is your gender identity”. Participants
responded to additional COVID-19 questions,
individual and relational well-being questions, and
coping responses following these questions. All
questions were presented in Bahasa Indonesia. This
survey is part of a more extensive study, wherein
results were prepared across nations (see Chiarolanza
et al., under review).
Figure 1: Participant screening.
Table 1: Participant’s demographic.
Gender Male
N (%)
Female
N (%)
Total
N (%)
Male
Female
Other
Blank
85
(20.14)
-
-
-
-
335
(79.38)
-
-
85 (20.14)
335
(79.38)
1 (0.24)
1 (0.24)
Yearly Income
IDR 0 to
49.999.999,-
IDR
50.000.000,-
to
119.999.999,-
IDR
120.000.000,-
to
249.999.999,-
IDR
250.000.000,-
to
499.999.999,-
IDR
500.000.000,-
to
999.999.999,-
IDR > 1
billion
Other/Blank
25 (5.92)
19 (4.50)
26 (6.16)
8 (1.90)
7 (1.66)
-
-
137
(32.46)
97 (22.99)
58 (13.74)
31 (7.35)
11 (2.61)
1 (0.24)
-
162
(38.39)
116
(27.49)
84 (19.90)
39 (9.24)
18 (4.27)
1 (0.24)
2 (0.47)
Child
Yes
No
Other/Blank
62
(14.69)
23 (5.45)
-
196
(46.45)
139
(32.94)
-
258
(61.14)
162
(38.39)
2 (0.47)
2.4 Data Analysis
Data from participants’ responses to the three open-
ended questions were analyzed using inductive
thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006).
Researchers followed the six-phase procedure of
inductive thematic analysis as suggested by Braun
and Clarke (2006): 1) data familiarization by reading
and re-reading; 2) initial code generation; 3)
searching for themes; 4) theme review; 5) defining
and naming themes; and 6) translation of theme map.
The first, second, and third authors fluent in Bahasa
Indonesia analyzed Indonesia’s data set, presented
here.
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3 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Self-report data from 422 participants in Indonesia
reflect the complexity and uniqueness of stressors
related to the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Our findings showed ten overarching themes,
eight of which were identical in individual, perceived
partner, and community stressors, whereas two others
only occur in individual and perceived partner’s
stressor. Eight themes reflected the perception of the
individual, partner, and community stressors were 1)
health-related concerns; 2) financial concerns; 3)
challenges and changes in managing personal life,
work, and study; 4) uncertain future; 5) limited
freedom, 6) stress from others, 7) neutral/positive
impact, and 8) emotional discomforts. Two other
themes, “Physical symptoms” and “Mal-adaptive
dynamic in the couple relationship” did not emerge in
the participant’s perception of community stressors.
3.1 Health-related Concerns
The first theme was associated with health-related
concerns. Participants reported being worried about
themselves and their family’s health. The health
concerns were not only related to COVID-19 but also
general health exacerbated by the pandemic and
related government policy. Participants (N= 63)
reported health-related concerns, such as being
worried they could get infected. This fear of infection
was also applied to their family being infected
because they still have to work outside the home.
“I am WFH, and my partner is still working. It makes
us worried about the possibility of him getting
infected because he is active outside.” -[woman, 28
years old, area of employment: education]
Participants also perceived their partner's
experiencing fear of getting infected because some
society members still consider COVID-19 as not
harmful and prefer not to obey health protocols (such
as social distance, masks).
“Lack of awareness of outsiders (other people) about
social distancing and maintaining health,
cleanliness” - [woman, 32, area of employment:
education]
Aside from COVID-19 related health concerns,
participants also reported that they were worried
related to general health. Concerns about general
health happened when they were caretakers of
parents/children with chronic illness. Due to large-
scale social restrictions, in late March-April 2021,
some hospitals in Indonesia were limiting their
services (Tempo, 2020). Moreover, there was a surge
in the price of health appliances (mask, hand
sanitizer), thus making it difficult to protect one’s
health. Concerns related to access to health
appliances were also reported from the perceived
community perspective.
"Soaring prices for masks and sanitizers, as
well as the availability of goods that often run out"
- [woman, 31, area of employment: business]
Participants also observed that their community
(i.e., neighbors) was worried about unclear media
coverage about dealing with the virus.
3.2 Financial Concerns
The second theme was associated with financial
concerns. Participants (N=30) reported facing
financial problems such as overdue unpaid
installments while having no income. This financial
concern was somehow related to their health
concerns. The increase in the price of medical devices
and the difficulty in getting health services are
perceived as stress by the participants. Moreover,
many of the participants still had to go to work, which
caused them to be concerned about bringing the virus
home.
“There is no income because of cutting off from work,
or you could say that laid off because of this epidemic
!!!!! “ -[woman, 23 years old, area of employment
information not available]
Participants also perceived their partner to be
experiencing financial stressors, such as being laid
off, difficulties finding work, and having no income.
“The office is closed, so s/he must be laid off” -[man,
34 years old, area of employment: business]
Similarly, participants also perceived financial
stressors in their community, such as losing a job,
having no income, and unable to pay installments.
"Stress about income and think about mortgage
payments" -[woman, 40 years old, area of
employment: business]
3.3 Challenges and Changes in
Managing Personal Life, Work,
and Study
The third theme was “challenges and changes in
managing personal life, work, and study”. This
participant’s (N=50) concern is perceived as one’s
own, partner’s, and community’s stressors. As a
Perceived Individual, Partner, and Community Stressors Related to Covid-19 Quarantine in Indonesia: A Qualitative Study
407

means to control virus spread, the Government
strongly suggested staying at home. During the first
months of the pandemic (March 2020), individuals
were asked to work and carry out activities at home.
This condition led to increased household load
and workload, which was likely associated with the
inability to manage the demanding roles. Increasing
household work could occur because, within large-
scale social boundaries, work and personal life
(household, child care/education) occur
simultaneously.
“Working at home is very difficult to manage time, in
the sense that working hours can extend into the
night.” -[man, 44 years old, area of employment:
education]
Participants also reported technology-related (i.e.,
internet) stressors experienced by partners.
“The internet is often down, which interferes with
work from home” -[man, 42 years old, area of
employment: education]
Similarly, participants perceived that their
community also found it challenging to adapt to
changes in their work routines and working hours.
“Difficulty adapting to work at home patterns.
Working hours may be longer. Dependence on the
internet network” -[man, 44 years old, area of
employment: education]
Most participants experienced difficulties and
remote working challenges, especially since working
at home was not common in Indonesia. Therefore, it
was uncommon to have a home office/dedicated
space to work. Moreover, the challenges in working
remotely also happen because they were lacking in
gadgets or experiencing poor internet connection.
Additionally, the new work-from-home orders
were also a challenge for couples, especially those
who were dual-earners. While both partners were
required to work, the domestic tasks are still
considered the wives/female’s tasks. Traditional
gender role explains why some husbands expressed
their concerns for wife’s stress (increased domestic
and work burden).
3.4 Uncertain Future
Feelings of uncertainty are felt in several areas of life,
such as future, work, study plans. Participants (N=12)
were unsure about travel and even wedding plans due
to large-scale social restrictions. The prominent
feeling of uncertainty was understandable, given that
no one knows when the pandemic will be over; even
the Government cannot guarantee when the large-
scale social restriction will be over. Most participants
also reported feelings of uncertainty related to travel
and wedding planning due to large-scale social
restrictions.
“The uncertainty will end the COVID-19 outbreak” -
[man, 33 years old, area of employment: Science and
Technology]
Participants also perceived that their partners
experienced stress related to uncertainty about their
future plans.
“Uncertainty in the continuation of the study” -
[woman, 26 years old, area of employment: Health
Care and Medicine]
Similar concerns were perceived in their
community, mainly as they related to future planning.
“Friend’s marriage without a reception (even
backward because the marriage fee is used to
survive)” -[woman, 25 years old, area of
employment: Law Enforcement and Armed Forces]
According to the Indonesian culture, weddings are
generally celebrated with a grand ceremony by
inviting many relatives and entire families to share
happiness by serving or offering food and drinks,
dancing, and singing songs together (Riyani, 2019).
Thus, it is understandable that uncertainty in the
future, such as an uncertain wedding date, can be a
stressor for the individual in a romantic relationship
during the COVID-19 pandemic.
3.5 Limited Freedom
Participants (N=36) reported a loss of personal
freedom for social, cultural, and spiritual activities as
a stressor. Due to the Government’s regulation,
participants needed to stay at home. When some of
the participants were still working from the office, it
is difficult for them to commute because less public
transportation was available. Moreover, participants
reported that they were not able to conduct social
activities. They also were unable to do leisure
activities/vacations outside the home, resulting in
boredom. Moreover, the Government’s tradition of
Mudik (back to hometown) and Eid prayers at the
Mosque is prohibited. “You have to stay at home
because you are usually busy outside the house. Spin
your brain so you can continue to be creative.” -
[man, 23 years old, area of employment: Arts and
Entertainment]
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Participants also perceived that their partner
experienced limited personal freedom as a stressor.
This limitation in mobility hinders some of the
participants from socializing with their neighbors or
family.
“Difficulty in getting along with family, neighbors
and other close relatives” -[man, 30 years old, area
of employment: education]
Participants also perceived that their community
experienced limited personal (i.e., unable to leave the
house freely without fear), social (i.e., unable to visit
family), spiritual (i.e., unable to go to
Mosque/Church), and cultural freedom (i.e., unable to
do ‘Mudik’).
“I want to gather, I want to worship, I want to go out,
and I hear about those complaints” -[woman, 29
years old, area of employment: education]
3.6 Stress from Others
Participants (N=25) felt they were responsible for
providing for their family’s needs but were also afraid
of spreading the virus to their families.
“Trying to please a partner who is less comfortable
at home” -[woman, 32 years old, area of
employment: education]
Moreover, participants perceived that their
partner felt pressured by the dishonesty of
government work and felt controlled by the
Government.
“Government strategy/response to outbreak
management that is considered slow / lacking
transparency” -[man, 44 years old, area of
employment: education]
Moreover, participants also reported domestic
violence as a form of stressor in their community.
Aside from stressors caused directly by another
person (i.e., violence), indirect stressors also occurred
in the form of fear of being infected because some
society members failed to follow health protocol (i.e.,
wearing a mask, physical distancing).
“Environmental safety is actually reduced.”-
[woman, 34 years old, area of employment: business]
3.7 Neutral or Positive Impact
Interestingly, despite the stressors associated with
COVID-19, some participants (N=7) reported not
experiencing stress or negative feelings. Moreover,
some of them even reported positive impacts, such as
more time to spend with family.
“There were almost no stressors during this
pandemic because working from home made
everyone gather at home and do activities that were
rarely done before” -[woman, 34 years old, area
of employment: education]
Some participants also perceived that their
partners did not experience stress. They even express
their gratitude to God because their family can
survive in times of COVID-19.
“Alhamdulillah [“praise be to God’], you can say
that we are still on the threshold of being stable to
support our little family.”-[woman, 23 years old]
Similarly, some participants also perceived that
no stress happens in their community.
“Nothing” -[woman, 28 years old, area of
employment: business]
3.8 Emotional Discomforts
Participants (N=19) experienced various unpleasant
emotions such as anxiety/worries, stress, and fear.
One of the triggers of this emotion was news related
to COVID-19 (i.e., increasing people infected).
“News related to the development of Covid,
especially related to the symptoms of Covid sufferers.
So that if there are slight symptoms (such as
coughing) to worry” -[woman, 29 years old, area of
employment: Science and Technology]
Participants also perceived that their partner
experienced emotional tension such as feeling more
paranoid and one of the triggers was news related to
COVID-19.
“Psychic only, more alert and paranoid” -[woman,
27 years old, area of employment: Health Care and
Medicine]
Moreover, psychological stressors, such as panic,
boredom, and anxiety, were also reported as
perceived community stressors.
“Actually, more of a psychological stressor, such as
panic, boredom. Nevertheless, for work, as far as I
know, most can still work from home. Some friends
who are young and live with their parents also seem
uncomfortable at home” -[woman, 32 years old, area
of employment: education]
Lastly, many participants expressed their anxiety
because of the news in the media, and many of them
Perceived Individual, Partner, and Community Stressors Related to Covid-19 Quarantine in Indonesia: A Qualitative Study
409

had difficulty trusting the Government of Indonesia’s
capital (Jakarta).
3.9 Physical Discomfort
Physical discomfort was perceived as an individual
and relational stressor; the theme only emerged for
perceptions of COVID-19 stress for self and partner.
Specifically, participants (N=6) reported
experiencing somatic complaints (e.g., fatigue). They
also felt worried whenever they experience physical
symptoms similar to COVID-19 symptoms, such as
coughing.
“Very tired because office work has become
increasingly difficult due to WFH.” -[woman, 32
years old, area of employment: education]
Participants also perceived their partner to
experience physical symptoms such as fatigue due to
uncertain working hours during ’working from home’
(WFH).
“Fatigue due to work from home that has no clear
limit to work” -[man, 28 years old, area of
employment: business]
Based on frequency, responses about physical
discomfort symptoms were relatively few compared
to other themes (i.e., four responses in this theme,
compared to 63 responses in health-related concerns
theme).
3.10 Maladaptive Dynamic in The
Couple Relationship
Lastly, participants (N=10) perceived maladaptive
dynamics in their relationship as a stressor. Couples
who lived together tend to developed maladaptive
dynamics, which can lower relationship quality and
personal well-being, such as conflict related to
financial and less sexual activity.
“Feeling cooped up at home. There were several
conflicts with partners because they were triggered
by feeling depressed at home. Have to work at home
while taking care of the house too” -[woman, 35
years old, area of employment: business]
Participants also perceived that their partner felt
that their sexual activity was being disturbed, and
relational conflict increased.
“Lack of freedom in sexual activity” -[woman, 23
years old, area of employment: Science and
Technology]
3.11 Discussion
Qualitative results based on 422 individuals living in
Indonesia during the early phase of the COVID-19
pandemic reflected common themes for how
individuals perceive stressors related to COVID-19
effects on their own, partners, and community. The
overlapping themes in individuals and partners may
result from partners’ shared experiences
(Bodenmann, Randall, & Falconier, 2016). Previous
research found that the experience of stress was not
only caused by one’s stress but also the couple-level
stress process (Wickrama, O’Neal, & Klopack,
2020).
This study found that the health and financial
stressors were prominent. Health-related concerns
were found in the majority of participants’ answers.
It is understandable due to the health-related nature of
the pandemic and as a consequence of social
restriction. Moreover, surge price in health aids (such
as masks) at the beginning of the pandemic likely
occurred due to the increase in demand, and shortage,
of these supplies. Indeed, some individuals were
hoarding these materials, a phenomenon that was not
unique to Indonesia (Wang & Hao, 2020).
The theme related to “challenges and changes in
managing personal life, work and education” revealed
the inevitable changes in the work organization and
academic world, accompanied by economic concerns
and financial troubles. Recent research on family
functioning in Italy has shown that the pandemic has
increased parenting stress, causing strains and a
higher risk for family health (Spinelli, Lionetti, Setti,
& Fasolo, 2020). Moreover, rapid changes in work
and family roles during the pandemic also lead to
more work-family conflict and less work-family
enrichment, especially for individuals who were
struggling pre-pandemic individuals (e.g., Vaziri,
Casper, Wayne, & Matthews, 2020)
The overlapping financial concerns perceived in
one’s self, partner, and community showed the scope
of economic problems in Indonesia. Like health-
related concerns, financial concerns can be
considered stress outside the relationship (Randall &
Bodenmann, 2017). However, if the external stress is
not dealt with properly, it can spill over into the
relationship, increase the possibility of conflict, and
reduce relationship quality (Barton, Beach, Bryant,
Lavner, & Brody, 2018).
Other themes were related to limited freedom and
an uncertain future. Aside from personal and social
freedom, data showed that participants in Indonesia
perceived limitations in spiritual/religious habits (i.e.,
unable to go to Mosque/Church) and cultural freedom
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410

(i.e., unable to do ‘mudik’ tradition). The data
collection time (22 April-29 June) co-occur with the
time of the fasting month (a religious ritual for
Muslims, the religion of the majority of Indonesians).
Fasting is carried out from April, 24 to May, 23, and
reaches the peak celebration on May 24-25, Eid al-
Fitr. In the fasting month and Eid al-Fitr, most
Indonesian practice the traditions of breaking the fast
together, returning home (‘Mudik’), and gathering
with the extended family.
‘Mudik’ is similar to homecoming/return to the
family tradition of Thanksgiving/Christmas/Chinese
New Year. However, there are some differences
(Yulianto, 2019): 1) although annual Mudik is done
in Eid al Firth/Lebaran season (Muslim celebration),
non-Muslim are also fully engaged with this tradition.
Indonesian people have a tradition to ask for
forgiveness (not only in Muslim); 2) There is an
exodus before and after the homecoming. People
from urban areas travel to their home towns/villages
using public or private transportation. After the
celebration is over, they move back to urban areas,
and some of them even bring their relatives to work
with them in urban areas. Thus, the Government
restricts ‘Mudik’ to avoid virus spread, which was a
stressor for both Muslims and non-Muslim in
Indonesia because social gatherings were an essential
part of Indonesian culture, which was reflected in our
collectivistic culture (Hofstede, 2011).
Understanding Indonesia as a collectivistic
culture can also explain the stressors perceived to
impact others. Indonesia has a high collectivism
cultural dimension, in which people are bone into
extended families which protect them in exchange for
loyalty (Hofstede, 2011). As a consequence, a person
could feel responsible for his parents and extended
family. In a challenging situation such as the COVID-
19 pandemic, this responsibility can be perceived as
a stressor.
Another theme that occurred was “maladaptive
dynamic in couple relationship”. This dynamic, such
as conflict or lower sexual interaction, happened for
several possible reasons. First, participants felt
cooped up at home, where they also live with
parents/in-laws; thus, their sexual activity was likely
affected. Second, if one partner felt depressed (or
other distress) because of reasons external to their
relationship, prior research has shown this stress
could spill over into the relationship, affecting their
partner and resulting in lower marital quality
(Randall & Bodenmann, 2017).
Participant’s response in the” maladaptive
dynamic in couple relationship” theme was not as
much as other themes (i.e., health and financial
concerns). However, it was still worthy to note, given
its impact on marital quality. The relatively small
number of responses about couple dynamics maybe
because it was considered private information. In
Indonesia, where most people have Muslim religion,
it is suggested not to bring up private “disgrace”
publicly.
Interestingly, some participants reported a neutral
or positive response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Compare to other themes, positive responses to
COVID-19 were relatively low (only five responses).
While small, these results imply resilience and
resources in challenging times. One possible resource
is a belief in God. A recent survey found that most
Indonesian (96%) agree that belief in God is
necessary to be moral and have good values (Tamir,
Connaughton, & Salazar, 2020). In line with (Lazarus
& Folkman, 1984) stress theory, not all individuals
perceived stress despite the global pandemic. There
were a small number of people who reported no
stress, even positive impact. They might have enough
resources to cope with challenges, so they did not
perceive COVID-19 related challenges as stressors.
Moreover, this study also showed that perception
of stress and the couple dynamic as a response of
stress in an individual within the romantic
relationship was influence by cultural context
(Bodenmann, 1995; Ogolsky, Rice, Theisen, &
Maniotes, 2017). Thus, coping strategies need to
consider the cultural context, such as local norms and
collectivistic cultural values. Given the importance of
belief in God, then “Reaching Up” or strategies
accessing spiritual, religious, and ethical values (i.e.,
daily devotions or prayer) might be practical to deal
with COVID-19 related stressors (Fraenkel & Cho,
2020). Similarly, given the high collectivistic cultural
value, “Reaching Around” or strategies utilizing
social support (i.e., video conference birthday
celebration to replace face to face meetings, sending
care packages to family or friends to show support
and foster connection) can be valuable for individuals
in a romantic relationship living in Indonesia.
Despite its strengths, this study has several
limitations that should be noted. First, participants in
this study were individuals in romantic relationships;
however, data were collected from one partner (i.e.,
not dyadic). Lastly, this study captured experiences in
the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic and
cannot be generalized/extrapolated to a later time or
current conditions (i.e., more than a year after
COVID-19 is considered a pandemic).
Perceived Individual, Partner, and Community Stressors Related to Covid-19 Quarantine in Indonesia: A Qualitative Study
411

4 CONCLUSIONS
Not surprisingly, individuals in Indonesia during the
early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic reported
subjective stress. The inductive thematic analysis
showed ten overarching themes that described an
individual’s own, partner’s, and community’s
stressors. Despite the limitations, results from this
study shed light on individuals’ perceptions of stress
during the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Further research can use the ten identified themes
to create a self-report assessment designed to evaluate
stressors in the face of global pandemics. This
instrument can be used both for research and
screening tools, informing further culturally
appropriate stress management intervention in the
pandemic. Further research is encouraged to analyze
perceived stressors related to COVID-19 across
dyadic and cross-cultural factors, such as gender role
and individualism-collectivism cultural values.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
ER and SF are currently final year undergraduate
students of Psychology at Bina Nusantara University.
PCBR is a lecturer at Bina Nusantara University, AG
is a lecturer in Universitas Indonesia, and CC is an
Assistant Professor at the Department of Dynamic
and Clinical Psychology and Health Studies,
Sapienza University of Rome. AKR is an Associate
Professor from Arizona State University. All authors
discussed the findings thoroughly, read, and approved
the final version of the manuscript.
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APPENDIX
Perceived Individual Stressor
Table 2: Themes, sub-theme, and answer example for individual, stressor.
Theme Sub-theme Answer Example
Maladaptive dynamic in
couple relationship
Interrupted activities with
partner
"Inability to travel freely. Currently my partner and I live in
the house of my partner's parents, so our sexual activity is
ex
p
eriencin
g
obstacles and even no activit
y
at all."
Conflict and boredom
with partner and family
"Feeling cooped up at home. There were several conflicts
with partners because they were triggered by feeling
depressed at home. Have to work at home while taking care
o
f
the house too"
Physical discomfort
symptoms
Physical discomfort
symptoms
"Very tired because office work has become increasingly
difficult due to WFH"
"Hard to slee
p
"
Psychosomatic
"News related to the development of Covid, especially related
to the symptoms of Covid sufferers. So that if there are a few
sy
m
p
toms
(
such as cou
g
h
)
to be worried"
Personal freedom for social,
cultural and spiritual
activities is limited
Disrupted social life
"I work from home but I can't interact with other people, I
can't go back to my hometown and can't meet old people in
the village"
"Can't han
g
out with
f
riends and meet new
p
eo
p
le"
Loss of personal freedom
(Kehilangan kebebasan
personal)
"Lack of entertainment at home. For me outside the home is
a thing to entertain myself"
"You have to sta
y
at home,
y
ou can't do activities outside"
Loosing spiritual and
cultural routines
"Can't go to the mosque"
"Can't go anywhere, can't go home"
Boredom resulting from
staying at home
"You have to stay at home, because you are usually busy
outside the house. Spin your brain so you can continue to be
creative"
"Bored because (I/we) can not travel"
Difficulties and worries
going to public places
"It is difficult to get public transportation when you have to go
to the office. Like at the beginning of the PSBB (large scale
social restriction), the unclear KRL (Electril Rail Train)
information, I left the office and arrived at the TJ. Barat
station at 5 o'clock, the security guard informed me that the
latest train had passed and I walked looking for no public
transportation, until finally I cried on the side of the road and
asked my husband to pick you up to the ANTAM area because
I
had to walk (no motorcycle taxis, busways and public
transportation)"
"Alwa
y
s cautious
(p
aranoid
)
when leavin
g
the house"
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Emotional well-being
Anxiety about news
related to COVID-19
"The news is very dark and negative makes panic."
"News related to the development of Covid, especially related
to the symptoms of Covid sufferers. So that if there are slight
s
ymptoms (such as coughing) to worry"
Emotional tension
"Anxious"
"Stress"
"Afraid"
Perceived neutral and
positive impact of COVID-
19
No stress and more time to
spend with family
"There were almost no stressors during this pandemic
because working from home actually made everyone gather
at home and do activities that were rarely done before"
Uncertainties and obstacles
for future plans
Uncertainty about the
future, jobs, study plans,
and the sustainability of
the outbreak
"The uncertainty will end the covid-19 outbreak"
"Initial stress due to uncertainty in handling and running
business"
Future
p
lans disru
p
ted "Must cancel vacation
p
lans with
p
artner"
Challenges and changes in
managing personal life,
work and study
Increased domestic and
work burden
"Provide food for the whole family from waking up untill
nite"
"Since there was the COVID-19 outbreak, I feel much more
pressure because I currently have 2 children under five and
this outbreak my husband was forced to be at home (not
working) which required me to work extra (household)
because besides having to take care children, must also serve
the husband."
Job Loss "Job loss"
Difficulty in doing work
and continuing study
"Work because my job is freelance, many projects are not
finished and are delayed"
"Unable to do the thesis in the lab on time (for reasons of
PSBB and so on
)
"
Difficulty in dividing time
between work and
p
ersonal life
"Working at home is very difficult to manage time, in the
sense that working hours can extend into the night."
Changes in personal and
work/educational routines
"The working hours when working from home are often more
than 8 hours, compared to when working from the office.
Often do not follow the 8.00-17.00 rule"
"The e-learning model that is currently being worked on also
has many challenges, I have to be a dynamic teacher and
read
y
to learn new thin
g
s."
Strains due to
work/business
"I can't do my business activities, because I work in a
developer, so construction has stopped and property sales
have been temporarily halted"
"There is pressure, a lot of work is done from home. But I did
well. Because I realize this is happening beyond our control"
Perceived Individual, Partner, and Community Stressors Related to Covid-19 Quarantine in Indonesia: A Qualitative Study
415

Strain related to
education, parenting, and
child development
"Worried that children do not get enough stimulus / education
because even though we are at home but busy with work, it
seems that there is an increase in the duration of playing
gadgets because we cannot continue to play with them (the
only child who likes to play in groups)"
"Guidin
g
children to school
f
rom home"
Financial strains due to
decreasing income
Anxious about economic
condition
"Price increases and shortages of goods"
"There is no income because of cut off from work or you
could sa
y
that laid o
ff
because o
f
this e
p
idemic !!!!! "
Difficulties in surviving
due to financial
p
roblems
"Terminated from work. It is difficult to meet the necessities
o
f
li
f
e because there is no income"
Health related concerns,
both for self and family
Worried about self one's
and family's health
"Keeping the family healthy, stay at home but try to keep the
children from losing their freedom. There are still some parts
of the house that need to be repaired before moving
(currently they are still under contract) but are worried
because this situation will certainly affect the husband's job
as the only breadwinner in the house. family and family
economy."
"I am WFH and my partner is still working. This makes us
worried about the possibility of him getting infected because
he is active outside."
Lack of public awareness
in adhering to health
p
rotocols
Lack of awareness of outsiders (other people) about social
distancing and maintaining health, cleanliness
Lack of access to health
service, both general and
specific for COVID-19
rising prices for masks and vitamins,
fear and confusion to the rs when the child is sick or for
vaccination
Stress from others (family,
society, goverment)
Responsibility toward
others: Family and society
"Trying to please a partner who is less comfortable at
home"
"Fear of being a virus carrier for your family or partner at
home"
Difficulties from inner
circle
"Confused about how to convince parents and in-laws that
we can't often visit them because we are in the red zone city,
while in-laws are in the village and think we are insecure or
over reactin
g
"
Strains due to
Government’s working
methods and regulations
"Uncertainty, the government's dishonesty about the data"
"All lifestyles seem to be controlled by the government"
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Perceived Partner Stressor
Table 3: Themes, sub-theme and answer example for partner’s, stressor.
Theme Sub-theme Answer Exam
p
le
Physical discomfort symptoms
Physical discomfort
symptoms
"fatigue due to work from home that has no clear
limit to work"
Emotional well-being
Anxiety about news related
to COVID-19
"News related to the development of Covid,
especially related to the symptoms of Covid
sufferers. So that if there are a few symptoms (such
as cough) to be worried"
Emotional tension "Psychic only, more alert and paranoid"
Similar Stres Similar Stres
"We live in apartments, where we have direct
contact with residents or other guests, such as an
elevator. All residents must use the elevator. My wife
is also pregnant, in March I was stressed because of
that, but many sources who say that babies in the
womb & toddlers have a very small risk of
contracting Covid .. However, it turned out that in
early June there was news saying that the virus had
mutated and started to infect toddlers, this is what
made me think negative again"
Maladaptive dynamic in couple
relationship
Interrupted activities with
p
artner
"Lack of freedom in sexual activity"
Conflict and boredom with
partner and family
"Because I am only at home and face children who
are also bored with home situations, I often get
angry easily because my husband also needs rest so
it is impossible for me to ask my husband for help to
accompany my child while I make orders because I
s
ell product online"
Perceived neutral and positive
impact of COVID-19
No stress and more time to
spend with family
"Alhamdulillah ["praise be to God'], you can say
that we are still on the threshold of being stable to
s
u
pp
ort our little
f
amil
y
"
Personal freedom for social,
cultural and spiritual activities is
limited
Disrupted social life
"Difficulty in getting along with family, neighbors
and other close relatives"
Loss of personal freedom
"Miss traveling (usually within 1 month there can be
3-4 tri
p
s out o
f
town or abroad
)
"
Loosing spiritual and
cultural routines
"Not free to worship"
Boredom resulting from
sta
y
in
g
at home
"Suddenly have to be at home continuously / work
f
rom home
(
because he used to
g
o to the o
ff
ice
)
"
Stress from others (family, society,
g
overment
)
Responsibility toward
others: Famil
y
and societ
y
"This fear of pandemics affects their partner's job"
Perceived Individual, Partner, and Community Stressors Related to Covid-19 Quarantine in Indonesia: A Qualitative Study
417

Strains due to Government's
working methods and
re
g
ulations
"Government strategy / response to outbreak
management that is considered slow / lacking
trans
p
arenc
y
"
Challenges and changes in
managing personal life, work and
study
Increased domestic and work
b
urden
"Children with schoolwork, and i have to cook
ever
y
da
y
"
Difficulty in doing work and
continuing study
"The internet is often down, which interferes with
work from home"
Difficulty in dividing time
between work and personal
life
"Divide time between work and children, because of
work and home school"
Changes in personal and
work/educational routines
"WFH, which means that even though you don't go
to the office, the working hours are actually longer,
even on Saturdays, work is still being charged"
Strains due to work/business "Many companies layoff."
Strain related to education,
parenting, and child
develo
p
ment
"Pressure to take care of children (school, play)"
Uncertainties and obstacles for
future plans
Uncertainty about the future,
jobs, study plans, and the
sustainability of the outbreak
"Uncertainty in the continuation of the study"
Future
p
lans disru
p
ted "When
p
re
p
arin
g
f
or a weddin
g
"
Health related concerns, both for
self and family
Worried about self one's and
famil
y
's health
"Concerns of family members catching COVID-19"
Lack of public awareness in
adhering to health protocols
"Lack of awareness of outsiders (other people)
about social distancing and maintaining health,
cleanliness"
Lack of access to health
service, both general and
specific for COVID-19
(Minimnya akses layanan
kesehatan, baik umum
mau
p
un khusus COVID-19
)
"Difficulty obtaining drugs on the market and if they
are available they will be very expensive"
Financial strains due to decreasing
income (Tekanan finansial karena
penurunan penghasilan)
Anxious about economic
condition (Cemas terhadap
keadaan ekonomi)
"Worried because we were afraid that our savings
would run out due to no additional income other
than salary"
Difficulties in surviving due
to financial problems
"Financial condition because since the Covid-19
epidemic it has been difficult to find jobs"
Job loss "The o
ff
ice is closed so it must be laid o
ff
"
ICE-HUMS 2021 - International Conference on Emerging Issues in Humanity Studies and Social Sciences
418

Perceived Community Stressor
Table 4: Themes, sub-theme and answer example for community, stressor.
Theme Sub-theme Answer Exam
p
le
Personal freedom for social, cultural
and spiritual activities is limited
Disrupted social life
"Because of social distancing, we rarely meet and
are a little afraid, suspicious when we meet what
else is not wearing a mask"
Loss of personal freedom
"I want to gather, I want to worship, I want to go ou
t
and I hear about those complaints"
Loosing spiritual and cultural
routines
"The habit of doing worship in a house of worship is
hindered"
Boredom resulting from
staying at home
"Inexplicability to travel causes boredom in itself"
Difficulties and worries going
to
p
ublic
p
laces
"Afraid to leave the house"
Emotional well-being
Anxiety about news related to
COVID-19
"Anxious because the news is spread excessively,
which is not necessaril
y
true"
Emotional tension
"Actually more of a psychological stressor, such as
panic, boredom. But for work, as far as I know, mos
t
can still work from home. Some friends who are
young and live with their parents also seem
uncomfortable at home"
Uncertainties and obstacles for
future plans
Uncertainty about the future,
jobs, study plans, and the
sustainabilit
y
of the outbreak
"Economic pressure of course, job and income
uncertainty"
Future plans disrupted
"Friend's marriage without a reception (even
backwards because the marriage fee is used to
s
urvive)"
Perceived neutral and positive
impact of COVID-19)
No stress and more time to
spend with family
"Nothing"
Challenges and changes in
managing personal life, work and
study
Increased domestic and work
burden
"Difficulty adapting to work at home patterns.
Working hours may be longer. Dependence on the
internet network"
Changes in personal and
work/educational routines
"Office work that knows no time"
Strains due to work/business "His business has decreased turnover"
Strain related to education,
parenting, and child
develo
p
ment
"Anxiety about family health, especially children
related to changing school patterns to distance
learnin
g
"
Financial strains due to decreasing
income
Anxious about economic
condition
"Stress about income and think about mortgage
p
a
y
ments"
Perceived Individual, Partner, and Community Stressors Related to Covid-19 Quarantine in Indonesia: A Qualitative Study
419

Difficulties in surviving due
to financial problems
"Lost job / business"
Job Loss
"Trying to make money in a way that is not as
usual, housing installments that still have to be paid
amid the di
ff
icult
y
o
f
makin
g
mone
y
"
Health related concerns, both for
self and family
Worried about self one's and
famil
y
's health
"Their lack of knowledge about Covid-19, so they
are alwa
y
s consumed b
y
f
alse news"
Lack of public awareness in
adhering to health protocols
"There are still many people who go home to their
hometowns, even though my friends and neighbors
have sincerely not gone home"
Lack of access to health
service, both general and
s
p
ecific for COVID-19
"Soaring prices for masks and sanitizers, as well as
the availability of goods that often run out"
Stress from others (family, society,
goverment)
Responsibility toward others:
Famil
y
and societ
y
"Worried about being a virus carrier to people
around
y
ou"
Difficulties from inner circle
"Have to stick with old people who are verbally
abusive"
Strains due to Government’s
working methods and
regulations
"Environmental safety is actually reduced"
ICE-HUMS 2021 - International Conference on Emerging Issues in Humanity Studies and Social Sciences
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