Pengalaman Homesickness Siswa SMP Boarding School Sebelum dan Sesudah Konseling: Studi Kualitatif

Abstract

Pendidikan di sekolah berasrama (boarding school) semakin menjadi pilihan strategis bagi keluarga yang menginginkan pendidikan holistik, namun transisi dari rumah ke lingkungan asrama menimbulkan tantangan psikologis berupa homesick. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengeksplorasi dinamika psikologis siswa SMP Global Islamic Boarding school dalam menghadapi homesick serta strategi coping yang mereka gunakan untuk beradaptasi. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode kualitatif dengan jenis pendekatan studi kasus yang berfokus pada eksplorasi pengalaman subjektif siswa SMP yang mengalami homesickness sebelum dan sesudah konseling. Partisipan adalah siswa kelas VII yang mengalami homesick pada masa awal tinggal di asrama dan telah mengikuti sesi konseling, dengan data dikumpulkan melalui wawancara mendalam dan observasi, kemudian dianalisis menggunakan analisis tematik.  Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa subjek N dan S mengalami homesick dengan intensitas tinggi sebelum konseling, namun keduanya mampu menemukan strategi koping yang lebih adaptif setelah menjalani konseling, sedangkan subjek NM justru merasakan peningkatan homesick meskipun sudah mencoba strategi distraksi. Temuan ini menunjukkan bahwa konseling berperan penting dalam membantu siswa menemukan strategi coping, meskipun efektivitasnya bergantung pada kesesuaian metode dengan kondisi individual. Kesimpulan penelitian ini menegaskan perlunya pendekatan konseling yang lebih personal, fleksibel, serta memperhatikan dukungan sosial dan religiusitas agar siswa dapat beradaptasi secara optimal dengan kehidupan asrama.

Abstract

Boarding schools are increasingly chosen by families seeking holistic education, yet the transition from home to dormitory life often creates psychological challenges such as homesickness. his study aims to explore the psychological dynamics of junior high school students at Global Islamic Boarding School in experiencing homesickness and the coping strategies they use to adapt. This research employed a qualitative case study approach focusing on the subjective experiences of students who experienced homesickness before and after counseling. Participants were seventh-grade students selected purposively based on criteria of experiencing homesickness during the early period of living in the dormitory and having attended counseling sessions. Data were collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews and supported by observation, then analyzed using thematic analysis. The results showed that subjects N and S experienced high-intensity homesickness before counseling but were able to develop more adaptive coping strategies after attending counseling, while subject NM reported an increase in homesickness intensity despite applying distraction strategies. These findings highlight that counseling plays an important role in helping students manage homesickness, although its effectiveness depends on the compatibility of strategies with individual conditions. The study concludes that counseling in boarding schools needs to be more personal, flexible, and attentive to social support and religiosity so that students can optimally adapt to dormitory life.