THE EFFECT OF MINDFULNESS TECHNIQUES TO REDUCE ACADEMIC STRESS AMONG STUDENTS AT SMA NEGERI 18 MAKASSAR
KLASIKAL JOURNAL OF EDUCATION LANGUAGE TEACHING AND SCIENCE April 10, 2026 S Whal Fadilah, Akhmad Harum, Aswar Aswar
Students at SMA Negeri 18 Makassar with high academic stress—marked by emotional symptoms, exam anxiety, concentration difficulties, and feelings of incompetence—received a mindfulness intervention through group counselling. Before the intervention, all 9 students in the experimental group were in the very high stress category; afterward, all moved to the low stress category. The intervention included conscious breathing exercises, emotional and cognitive awareness, and mindful movement with self-reflection. The findings indicate that mindfulness techniques effectively reduce academic stress and can serve as a preventive and curative strategy for maintaining emotional balance in school.