Psychological Distress Across Grade Levels in Cadet-Based Boarding Senior High School Students: A Comparative Study of Depression, Anxiety, and Stress
Abstract
This study aimed to examine differences in depression, anxiety, and stress across grade levels among students in a cadet-based boarding senior high school. The study employed a quantitative approach with a comparative design. The participants were 423 students from grades X, XI, and XII, with an equal number of respondents in each grade. Data were collected using the 42-item Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-42), which measures three psychological dimensions: depression, anxiety, and stress. Data analysis was conducted through descriptive statistics and group comparison tests using ANOVA and Welch tests according to the characteristics of the data, followed by the Games-Howell test for variables showing significant differences. The findings revealed that grade-level differences emerged only for depression: grade XI students reported higher mean depression scores (M = 6.45, SD = 7.73) than grade X students (M = 4.35, SD = 5.62), Welch’s F(2, 275.7) = 3.62, p = .028, with the Games–Howell test confirming a significant grade X–grade XI difference (p = .027); anxiety and stress did not differ significantly across grades. Across all grades, the group mean scores for the three dimensions remained within the normal-to-mild range of the DASS-42 norms. This study concludes that students’ mental health dimensions in a cadet-based boarding school do not develop uniformly across grade levels. Therefore, guidance and counseling services need to strengthen promotive and preventive efforts that are more responsive to students’ developmental phases, particularly in monitoring depressive symptoms among more vulnerable groups
Downloads
References
Asri, Y. (2024). Depression Among Islamic Boarding Schools Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic in East Java, Indonesia. Kesmas Jurnal Kesehatan Masyarakat Nasional (National Public Health Journal), 19(1), 51–58. https://doi.org/10.21109/kesmas.v19i1.7437
Aza, I. N., Atmoko, A., & Hitipeuw, I. (2019). Kontribusi Dukungan Sosial, Self-Esteem, Dan Resiliensi Terhadap Stres Akademik Siswa SMA. Jurnal Pendidikan Teori Penelitian Dan Pengembangan. https://doi.org/10.17977/jptpp.v4i4.12285
Bahri, M., Kholidin, F. I., & Yandri, H. (2024). The impact of self compassion and emotion regulation on social anxiety in college students. KONSELI: Jurnal Bimbingan dan Konseling (E-Journal), 11(1), 65-76.
Becker, S. J., & Börnert-Ringleb, M. (2025). Stress and anxiety in schools: A multilevel analysis of individual and class-level effects of achievement and competitiveness. Frontiers in Education, 9, 1519161. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2024.1519161
Cruz, I. N. (2025). Connecting the Dots: Examining Stressful Life Events, Campus Climate, and School Engagement on Academic Achievement and Psychological Distress in a Predominantly Latine Sample. Journal of Research on Adolescence. https://doi.org/10.1111/jora.70096
Dong, T., Wang, Y., & Lin, Y. (2025). Prevalence and determinants of depression, anxiety, and stress among secondary school students. PLOS ONE, 20(9), e0328785. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0328785
Fathonah, D. Y., Hernawaty, T., & Fitria, N. (2017). Respon Psikososial Siswa Asrama Di Bina Siswa Sma Plus Cisarua Jawa Barat. Jurnal Pendidikan Keperawatan Indonesia. https://doi.org/10.17509/jpki.v3i1.7487
Gibson, D., & Myers, J. (2006). Perceived Stress, Wellness, and Mattering: A Profile of First-Year Citadel Cadets. Journal of College Student Development, 47, 647–660. https://doi.org/10.1353/csd.2006.0065
Hengky Irawan, Yuni Asri, Dian Pitaloka Priasmoro, & Erik Irham Lutfi. (2025). Prevalence of Mental Health Stress among Indonesian Islamic Boarding Schools Students in the Early Post-COVID-19: A Cross-Sectional Study. Journal Of Nursing Practice, 8(4), 782–794. https://doi.org/10.30994/jnp.v8i4.854
Hidaayah, N., Yunitasari, E., Nihayati, H. E., Faizah, I., Makhsusoh, H. A., & Purwanti, N. (2021). Relationship Between Stress Levels and Online Game Addiction in Adolescents. Nurse and Health Jurnal Keperawatan. https://doi.org/10.36720/nhjk.v10i2.320
Husna Siregar, R. Y., & Syarqawi, A. (2023). Strategies for Fostering High School Students’ Mental Health Through Counseling Guidance Services. Scaffolding Jurnal Pendidikan Islam Dan Multikulturalisme. https://doi.org/10.37680/scaffolding.v5i3.3660
Kaligis, F., Ismail, R. I., Wiguna, T., Prasetyo, S., Gunardi, H., Indriatmi, W., Pasaribu, M. M., Pandia, V., Minayati, K., Magdalena, C. C., Nurraga, G. W., Pramatirta, B., Calvin, N., & Sourander, A. (2023). Effectiveness of an Online Mental Health Strengthening Module to Build Resilience and Overcome Stress for Transitional Aged Medical Students. Frontiers in Digital Health. https://doi.org/10.3389/fdgth.2023.1207583
Karyati, E., Agustina Julisawati, E., & Selatan, J. (2025). Kesehatan Mental Mahasiswa di Era Digital: Tinjauan Literatur Psikologi Klinis dan Sosial. https://doi.org/10.63822/pmx2a928
Li, H., Law, W., Zhang, X., & Xiao, N. (2023). Social support and emotional well-being among boarders and day school students: A two-wave longitudinal study. Children and Youth Services Review, 155, 107217. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2023.107217
Li, X. (2025). The Impact of Secondary School Students’ Perceptions of Parental Academic Involvement and Academic Stress on Internalizing Problem Behaviors: The Mediating Roles of Psychological Resilience and Materialism. Frontiers in Psychology. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1582493
Liu, X., Zhang, L., Wu, Y., Xin, Y., Wang, Y., & Su, X. (2025). The impact of school bullying on the mental health of boarding secondary school students: The mediating roles of school belongingness and resilience. Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health, 19(1), 32. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13034-025-00887-4
Lu, B., Lin, L., & Su, X. (2024). Global burden of depression or depressive symptoms in children and adolescents: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Affective Disorders, 354, 553–562. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.JAD.2024.03.074
Marsidi, S. R. (2021). Identification of Stress, Anxiety, and Depression Levels of Students in Preparation for the Exit Exam Competency Test. Journal of Vocational Health Studies. https://doi.org/10.20473/jvhs.v5.i2.2021.87-93
Najich, M. A., Rahman, D. H., & Atmoko, A. (2024). Analisis faktor yang berkontribusi terhadap kecemasan sosial pada siswa: A systematic literature review. Ideguru: Jurnal Karya Ilmiah Guru, 9(3), 1653–1662.
Nawangsari, A. S. (2025). Resiliensi Anak Dalam Pengasuhan Institusional: Pendekatan Ekologi Sosial dan Kapital Sosial. Star Digital Publishing.
Ningsih, S., Yandri, H., Sasferi, N., & Juliawati, D. (2020). An analysis of junior high school students’ learning stress levels during the Covid-19 outbreak: Review of gender differences. Psychocentrum Review, 2(2), 69-76.
Petta Solong, N., & Busa, I. (2020). Pembinaan Disiplin Pola Semi Militer dan Keagamaan dalam Sistem Boarding School di SMA Terpadu Wirabhakti Gorontalo. Jurnal Ilmiah AL-Jauhari: Jurnal Studi Islam Dan Interdisipliner, 5(2), 210–225. https://doi.org/10.30603/jiaj.v5i2.1807
Pham, M. D., Wulan, N. R., Sawyer, S. M., Agius, P. A., Fisher, J., Tran, T., Medise, B. E., Devaera, Y., Riyanti, A., Ansariadi, A., Cini, K., Kennedy, E., Wiweko, B., Luchters, S., Kaligis, F., Wiguna, T., & Azzopardi, P. S. (2024). Mental Health Problems Among Indonesian Adolescents: Findings of a Cross-Sectional Study Utilizing Validated Scales and Innovative Sampling Methods. Journal of Adolescent Health, 75(6), 929–938. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2024.07.016
Ramadianto, A. S., Kusumadewi, I., Agiananda, F., & Raharjanti, N. W. (2022). Symptoms of Depression and Anxiety in Indonesian Medical Students: Association With Coping Strategy and Resilience. BMC Psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-022-03745-1
Skinner, E. A., Pitzer, J., & Steele, J. S. (2016). Can Student Engagement Serve as a Motivational Resource for Academic Coping, Persistence, and Learning During Late Elementary and Early Middle School? Developmental Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1037/dev0000232
Steare, T., Gutiérrez Muñoz, C., Sullivan, A., & Lewis, G. (2023). The association between academic pressure and adolescent mental health problems: A systematic review. Journal of Affective Disorders, 339, 302–317. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2023.07.028
Sun, Y., Yu, H., Xiaoguang, W., & Ma, C. (2023). Sense of Hope Affects Secondary School Students’ Mental Health: A Moderated Mediation Model. Frontiers in Psychology. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1097894
Tiara Pertiwi, S., Fransiska Moeliono, M., Kendhawati, L., Studi Magister Profesi Psikologi, P., Psikologi, F., Padjadjaran Jl Raya Bandung-Sumedang, U. K., -Sumedang, J., Barat, J., & untuk Korespondensi, P. (2021). Depresi, Kecemasan, dan Stres Remaja selama Pandemi Covid-19. 6(2). https://doi.org/10.36722/sh.v%vi%i.497
Hidayat, A. (2012). Uji ANOVA - One Way Anova dalam SPSS. https://www.statistikian.com/2012/11/one-way-anova-dalam-spss.html
Waters, L., & Johnstone, A. (2022). Embedding Well-Being Into School: A Case Study of Positive Education Before and During COVID-19 Lockdowns. Journal of School and Educational Psychology. https://doi.org/10.47602/josep.v2i2.15
Waters, L., & Loton, D. (2019). SEARCH: A Meta-Framework and Review of the Field of Positive Education. International Journal of Applied Positive Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41042-019-00017-4
Xing, J., Leng, L., & Ho, R. T. H. (2021). Boarding school attendance and mental health among Chinese adolescents: The potential role of alienation from parents. Children and Youth Services Review, 127, 106074. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.CHILDYOUTH.2021.106074
Yandri, H., Juliawati, D., Valdez, A. V., Yuzarion, Y., Rasmita, R., Daflaini, D., & Fidya, Y. (2025). An Islamic Spiritual Response to the Psychological Effects of Loneliness, Academic Stress, and Bullying on Students in Islamic Boarding Schools (Pesantren). Psikis: Jurnal Psikologi Islami, 11(1), 137-149.
Yan, L. (2025). Balanced Time Perspective, Time Management Disposition, and Resilience: A Moderated Mediation Model of Academic Performance. Frontiers in Psychology. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1484152
Yi Chan, W., & Trail, T. E. (2019). Integrating Psychological Counseling into National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Programs: Insights and Recommendations from Current Practices. www.rand.org/giving/contribute
Copyright (c) 2026 Afifah Army Age, Diniy Hidayatur Rahman, Zamroni Zamroni
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
