Effectiveness of Group Guidance Services Using Mindfulness Training in Reducing Academic Stress among Grade XI Students at MAN Asahan

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of group guidance services using mindfulness training in reducing academic stress among Grade XI students at MAN Asahan. A quantitative approach with a pre-experimental one-group pretest-posttest design was employed. The participants were 35 Grade XI Science 2 students selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected using a 52-item academic stress questionnaire measured on a five-point Likert scale. Data analysis involved descriptive statistics, the Shapiro-Wilk normality test, and a paired-samples t-test using SPSS 26. The descriptive results showed that the mean score increased from 163.06 at pretest to 196.86 at posttest, with the standard deviation decreasing from 15.28 to 6.61. The paired-sample t-test revealed a statistically significant difference between pretest and posttest scores (t = −11.116, df = 34, p < 0.001). These findings indicate that group guidance services using mindfulness training were effective in improving students' academic stress conditions. The intervention provides a promising approach for strengthening students' awareness, emotional regulation, and adaptive responses to academic demands.