Navigating the shadows: The impact of mindfulness, cognitive fusion, and coping strategies on psychological distress among mental health workers in Timor Leste
A cross-sectional study design was employed, involving a convenience sample of 37 mental health workers from PRADET and the national referral hospital in Dili. Mindfulness was assessed using the Toronto Mindfulness Questionnaire (TMQ), psychological flexibility using the Acceptance and Action Questi...
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Springer Nature
2025
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| Online Access: | https://eprints.ums.edu.my/id/eprint/45005/1/FULLTEXT.pdf https://eprints.ums.edu.my/id/eprint/45005/ https://doi.org/10.1007/s44192-025-00253-y |
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| author | Gaspar Quintao Noviyanti Carla Tilman Leite Tze, Nicholas Ping Pang Boon, Eugene Yau Koh Jhia, Mae Woo Marina Abdul Rahman Sabri Kah, Mun Wan Noor Melissa Noor Hadi Ming, Gui Tan Assis Kamu Chong, Mun Ho |
| author_facet | Gaspar Quintao Noviyanti Carla Tilman Leite Tze, Nicholas Ping Pang Boon, Eugene Yau Koh Jhia, Mae Woo Marina Abdul Rahman Sabri Kah, Mun Wan Noor Melissa Noor Hadi Ming, Gui Tan Assis Kamu Chong, Mun Ho |
| author_sort | Gaspar Quintao |
| building | UMS Library |
| collection | Institutional Repository |
| content_provider | Universiti Malaysia Sabah |
| content_source | UMS Institutional Repository |
| continent | Asia |
| country | Malaysia |
| description | A cross-sectional study design was employed, involving a convenience sample of 37 mental health workers from PRADET and the national referral hospital in Dili. Mindfulness was assessed using the Toronto Mindfulness Questionnaire (TMQ), psychological flexibility using the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (AAQ-II), cognitive fusion was measured using the Cognitive Fusion Questionnaire (CFQ), and coping strategies were evaluated using the DBT-Ways of Coping Checklist (DBT-WCCL). Depression, anxiety, and stress were measured using the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21). All scales were using English validated versions. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation coefficients, and multiple regression analyses were used to analyze the data. Significant positive correlations were found between Depression and Anxiety (Spearman’s rho = 0.649, p < 0.001), and between Depression and Stress (Spearman’s rho = 0.753, p < 0.001). Depression was also significantly correlated with Cognitive Fusion (Spearman’s rho = 0.445, p = 0.006) and Blaming Others (Spearman’s rho = 0.422, p = 0.009), and negatively correlated with Coping Strategies (Skills Use) (Spearman’s rho =– 0.341, p = 0.039). Anxiety and Stress were highly correlated (Spearman’s rho = 0.855, p < 0.001), and both were significantly associated with Cognitive Fusion, General Dysfunctional Coping, and Blaming Others. Mindfulness (De-Centering) showed a strong positive correlation with Mindfulness (Curiosity) (Spearman’s rho = 0.770, p < 0.001), and was also weakly associated with General Dysfunctional Coping (Spearman’s rho = 0.343, p = 0.038). Overall, the results suggest that higher levels of depression, anxiety, and stress are linked to greater cognitive fusion and dysfunctional coping, while effective coping skills are negatively associated with depression. The findings highlight the critical roles of cognitive fusion and coping strategies in predicting psychological distress among mental health workers in Timor Leste. Cognitive fusion and dysfunctional coping strategies were associated with higher levels of depression, anxiety, and stress. Adaptive coping strategies, such as skills use, were linked to lower levels of depression. Given the high risk of vicarious trauma, compassion fatigue, and secondary traumatic stress disorder in this population, targeted interventions promoting mindfulness and adaptive coping skills are essential. Addressing these factors can enhance resilience and well-being among mental health professionals, ultimately improving the quality of care provided to their clients. |
| format | Article |
| id | my.ums.eprints-45005 |
| institution | Universiti Malaysia Sabah |
| language | en |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publisher | Springer Nature |
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| spelling | my.ums.eprints-450052025-08-20T02:39:16Z https://eprints.ums.edu.my/id/eprint/45005/ Navigating the shadows: The impact of mindfulness, cognitive fusion, and coping strategies on psychological distress among mental health workers in Timor Leste Gaspar Quintao Noviyanti Carla Tilman Leite Tze, Nicholas Ping Pang Boon, Eugene Yau Koh Jhia, Mae Woo Marina Abdul Rahman Sabri Kah, Mun Wan Noor Melissa Noor Hadi Ming, Gui Tan Assis Kamu Chong, Mun Ho RD151-498 Military and naval surgery A cross-sectional study design was employed, involving a convenience sample of 37 mental health workers from PRADET and the national referral hospital in Dili. Mindfulness was assessed using the Toronto Mindfulness Questionnaire (TMQ), psychological flexibility using the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (AAQ-II), cognitive fusion was measured using the Cognitive Fusion Questionnaire (CFQ), and coping strategies were evaluated using the DBT-Ways of Coping Checklist (DBT-WCCL). Depression, anxiety, and stress were measured using the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21). All scales were using English validated versions. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation coefficients, and multiple regression analyses were used to analyze the data. Significant positive correlations were found between Depression and Anxiety (Spearman’s rho = 0.649, p < 0.001), and between Depression and Stress (Spearman’s rho = 0.753, p < 0.001). Depression was also significantly correlated with Cognitive Fusion (Spearman’s rho = 0.445, p = 0.006) and Blaming Others (Spearman’s rho = 0.422, p = 0.009), and negatively correlated with Coping Strategies (Skills Use) (Spearman’s rho =– 0.341, p = 0.039). Anxiety and Stress were highly correlated (Spearman’s rho = 0.855, p < 0.001), and both were significantly associated with Cognitive Fusion, General Dysfunctional Coping, and Blaming Others. Mindfulness (De-Centering) showed a strong positive correlation with Mindfulness (Curiosity) (Spearman’s rho = 0.770, p < 0.001), and was also weakly associated with General Dysfunctional Coping (Spearman’s rho = 0.343, p = 0.038). Overall, the results suggest that higher levels of depression, anxiety, and stress are linked to greater cognitive fusion and dysfunctional coping, while effective coping skills are negatively associated with depression. The findings highlight the critical roles of cognitive fusion and coping strategies in predicting psychological distress among mental health workers in Timor Leste. Cognitive fusion and dysfunctional coping strategies were associated with higher levels of depression, anxiety, and stress. Adaptive coping strategies, such as skills use, were linked to lower levels of depression. Given the high risk of vicarious trauma, compassion fatigue, and secondary traumatic stress disorder in this population, targeted interventions promoting mindfulness and adaptive coping skills are essential. Addressing these factors can enhance resilience and well-being among mental health professionals, ultimately improving the quality of care provided to their clients. Springer Nature 2025-08-07 Article NonPeerReviewed text en https://eprints.ums.edu.my/id/eprint/45005/1/FULLTEXT.pdf Gaspar Quintao and Noviyanti Carla Tilman Leite and Tze, Nicholas Ping Pang and Boon, Eugene Yau Koh and Jhia, Mae Woo and Marina Abdul Rahman Sabri and Kah, Mun Wan and Noor Melissa Noor Hadi and Ming, Gui Tan and Assis Kamu and Chong, Mun Ho (2025) Navigating the shadows: The impact of mindfulness, cognitive fusion, and coping strategies on psychological distress among mental health workers in Timor Leste. Discover Mental Health, 5 (115). pp. 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1007/s44192-025-00253-y |
| spellingShingle | RD151-498 Military and naval surgery Gaspar Quintao Noviyanti Carla Tilman Leite Tze, Nicholas Ping Pang Boon, Eugene Yau Koh Jhia, Mae Woo Marina Abdul Rahman Sabri Kah, Mun Wan Noor Melissa Noor Hadi Ming, Gui Tan Assis Kamu Chong, Mun Ho Navigating the shadows: The impact of mindfulness, cognitive fusion, and coping strategies on psychological distress among mental health workers in Timor Leste |
| title | Navigating the shadows: The impact of mindfulness, cognitive fusion, and coping strategies on psychological distress among mental health workers in Timor Leste |
| title_full | Navigating the shadows: The impact of mindfulness, cognitive fusion, and coping strategies on psychological distress among mental health workers in Timor Leste |
| title_fullStr | Navigating the shadows: The impact of mindfulness, cognitive fusion, and coping strategies on psychological distress among mental health workers in Timor Leste |
| title_full_unstemmed | Navigating the shadows: The impact of mindfulness, cognitive fusion, and coping strategies on psychological distress among mental health workers in Timor Leste |
| title_short | Navigating the shadows: The impact of mindfulness, cognitive fusion, and coping strategies on psychological distress among mental health workers in Timor Leste |
| title_sort | navigating the shadows: the impact of mindfulness, cognitive fusion, and coping strategies on psychological distress among mental health workers in timor leste |
| topic | RD151-498 Military and naval surgery |
| url | https://eprints.ums.edu.my/id/eprint/45005/1/FULLTEXT.pdf https://eprints.ums.edu.my/id/eprint/45005/ https://doi.org/10.1007/s44192-025-00253-y |
| url_provider | http://eprints.ums.edu.my/ |