The Effectiveness of Cognitive Restructuring-based Group Counseling in Reducing Academic Stress among Generation Z Vocational High School Students

Dona Fitri  Annisa; Prio  Utomo; Tiara  Agustine; Yahya Muhammed  Bah; Adaobi Jennifer  Iloakasia

doi:10.32939/ijcd.v8i1.7036

Authors

Dona Fitri Annisa Institut Keguruan dan Ilmu Pendidikan Siliwangi
Prio Utomo Institut Keguruan dan Ilmu Pendidikan Siliwangi
Tiara Agustine Institut Keguruan dan Ilmu Pendidikan Siliwangi
Yahya Muhammed Bah University of the Gambia
Adaobi Jennifer Iloakasia Nwafor Orizu College of Education Nsugbe

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.32939/ijcd.v8i1.7036

Keywords:

Cognitive restructuring, Group counseling, Academic stress, Generation Z, new vocational high school students

Abstract

Generation Z vocational high school students encounter complex academic and social pressures that frequently induce overwhelm and overachievement tendencies, thereby elevating their risk of academic stress. This study evaluated the effectiveness of cognitive restructuring-based group counseling in reducing academic stress among Generation Z students in a vocational high school context. Employing a mixed-methods approach with an explanatory sequential design, the study purposively selected nine tenth-grade students from the Fashion Department at SMKN 3 Cimahi who exhibited high levels of academic stress. Quantitative data were gathered using an academic stress questionnaire based on Gadzella’s theory and analyzed via the Shapiro-Wilk test and paired samples t-test. The findings revealed that the cognitive restructuring intervention significantly reduced academic stress, as evidenced by a mean score decrease from 75 (high category) to 45 (low category), with a p-value of 0.000 (t = 57.553; df = 8). These results indicate that cognitive restructuring-based group counseling serves as an effective, evidence-based guidance strategy, enabling Generation Z students to develop emotional regulation, adaptive cognitive patterns, and coping skills to mitigate academic pressures in vocational education

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