The COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia has forced college students to
undergo online learning. Various problems that arise due to this
pandemic, especially those related to academic achievement, can
disrupt the students' psychological well-being. This study
investigated coping strategies' role in predicting college students'
psychological well-being during the pandemic's first wave. Two
hundred eleven students participated online in this quantitative study
and completed the shortened version of the Psychological Well-Being
Scale and the Brief Cope Inventory. The regression analysis results
show that problem-focused coping strategies, such as planning and
the use of instrumental support, significantly predict the increase in
female students' psychological well-being. In contrast, only active
coping positively predicts psychological well-being in male students.
Dysfunctional coping strategies, such as behavioral disengagement
and denial, significantly predict the decline in female students'
psychological well-being. On the other hand, venting showed a
significant role in predicting the increased psychological well-being
of female students. Emotion-focused coping strategies do not
significantly predict psychological well-being in female and male
students. Therefore, regarding the psychological well-being of
college students during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic,
coping strategies, especially problem-focused and dysfunctional
strategies, contribute differently to female and male students