The Storm Within: Anxiety, Depression, and Spiritual Help-Seeking among Indonesian Maritime Cadets in the Shadow of Post-Pandemic Seafarer Mental Health Crises

Abstract

Seafarer mental health has become a global priority following the COVID-19 pandemic, yet the upstream question of how future officers learn to seek help for psychological distress during their formation years remains unaddressed. This mixed-methods study examined anxiety and depressive symptom prevalence and help-seeking pathways among thirty cadets at Sekolah Tinggi Ilmu Pelayaran (STIP) Jakarta, drawn equally from the nautical, engineering, and port and shipping management majors, together with five lecturers, three veteran seafarers, and two veteran port masters. Data were collected through validated screening items, semi-structured interviews, and focus groups, and analysed through thematic analysis, cross-group comparison, and narrative synthesis. The findings show that a notable minority of cadets experience moderate or moderately severe symptoms, that spiritual coping is the most common first response while professional help-seeking is the least common, and that the relationship between the two follows three patterns: complementary, substitutive, and delayed. Trusted lecturers emerge as the most valued bridge between spiritual coping and professional support, with significant implications for maritime welfare provision.