Cited by 1Psychological Treatments and AssessmentsStudent Stress and CopingAnxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 4 of the 4 references it cites were found in a registry or an index; none of the 20 sources its claims cite is checked for support yet.

Effectiveness of Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) for Lowering Academic Anxiety in Graduate Students Completing Thesis

Open access
Farahmita, Nadia, Paramita, Pramesti Pradna·2024·Psikostudia : Jurnal Psikologi

Abstract

One of the tasks of students in achieving their academic degree is completing their final assignment. Postgraduate students who are completing their thesis are expected to be able to produce scientific work, both written and oral. Students experience various difficulties that can potentially cause anxiety. Anxiety in an academic environment is called academic anxiety. This condition can reduce academic performance and achievement. One psychological assistance that can overcome this problem is Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) counseling. This research aims to determine the effectiveness of Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) in reducing levels of academic anxiety. This research uses a single case experimental design with research subjects namely postgraduate students who are completing their thesis. The results showed that participants experienced a decrease in academic anxiety scores, were able to evaluate negative automatic thoughts and dysfunctional assumptions and found positive things. Therefore, it can be concluded that Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) effectively reduces academic anxiety in a graduate student.Salah satu tugas mahasiswa pascasarjana dalam mencapai gelar akademik yaitu menyelesaikan tugas akhir. Pada mahasiswa pascasarjana yang menyelesaikan tesis diharapkan dapat membuat karya ilmiah baik tulisan maupun lisan. Kenyataannya, mahasiswa mengalami berbagai kesulitan yang dapat berpotensi menimbulkan kecemasan. Kecemasan dalam lingkup akademik disebut kecemasan akademik. Kondisi tersebut dapat menurunkan kinerja dan pretasi akademik. Salah satu bantuan psikologis yang dapat mengatasi permasalahan tersebut yaitu dengan konseling Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT). Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui efektivitas dari Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) dalam menurunkan tingkat kecemasan akademik. Penelitian ini menggunakan desain eksperimen kasus tunggal dengan subjek penelitian mahasiswa pascasarjana yang sedang menyelesaikan tesis. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa partisipan mengalami penurunan skor kecemasan akademik, mampu mengevaluasi pikiran negatif otomatis dan asumsi yang disfungsional, dan menemukan hal positif di dalam dirinya. Oleh karena itu, dapat disimpulkan bahwa Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) efektif untuk menurunkan kecemasan akademik pada mahasiswa.

Overview

AI snapshot

Written from the paper’s full text.

TL;DR

This single-case study reports that six sessions of Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) reduced academic anxiety in a postgraduate student completing a thesis. The participant’s academic anxiety scale score dropped from 86 (high) to 48 (low), with positive changes maintained at a two-week follow-up.

Key findings

  • The total academic anxiety score decreased by 38 points, from 86 before intervention to 48 after intervention, moving the participant from the high to low category.
  • Subscale scores decreased as follows: mental activity/feelings of insecurity and self-criticism 23→13; misdirected attention 20→10; physical distress 35→22; inappropriate behavior such as procrastination/overcaution 8→3.
  • Evaluation data showed reduced worry from 3–4 times per week to 2 times per week, self-criticism from 3 times per week to 1 time per week, and sleep difficulty from 3 times per week to once every 2 weeks; the participant reported no crying for the last 2 months and began writing one page of the thesis daily.
  • At two-week follow-up, the participant rated maintained positive changes as relaxation/calm 8, more positive thinking 7, feeling less afraid/more confident 7, and acknowledging competence despite shortcomings 6; she continued using ABC+D forms and breathing control.

Methods

  • Design: single-case experimental design measuring behavior change in one individual, using baseline and treatment phases with visual inspection.
  • Participant: one female postgraduate student, age 26, semester 5, completing a thesis at a state university in Surabaya; recruited via social media flyer and informed consent.
  • Data and intervention: interviews, observation, psychological tests (SSCT, EPPS, graphic tests DAP/BAUM/HTP), academic anxiety scale, and secondary data (GPA, proposal examination feedback, external service feedback); CBT was delivered in 6 sessions targeting NATs, dysfunctional assumptions, core beliefs, homework, and breathing control, with pre-test, post-test, and 2-week follow-up.

Limitations

  • Stated by the authors: the duration of each session was minimal, and it was difficult to control the participant’s environment.
  • Stated by the authors: further studies should add monitoring forms, for example monthly, to check how long CBT effectiveness lasts, and use a larger sample so effectiveness can be demonstrated quantitatively.
  • Evident from the text: the single-case design with one participant limits generalizability, and the findings rely heavily on self-report and researcher-administered evaluation with only a two-week follow-up and no control/comparison group.

Model-written summary. Check it against the paper before relying on it.

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.30872/psikostudia.v13i2.14134

Cites

4 of 4 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Nothing to recompute.

Verification

Claims the paper makes

16 Own result · 9 Sources not found · 7 Not checked yet · 7 Own interpretation · 2 Own method

Verify all 7 references — free account
  • The quote only partly states this claim. 2
  • Probably not a substantial claim. 11
  • It may state two separate claims as one. 13
20 of 20
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The decrease in the subject's academic anxiety scores is attributable to the CBT intervention rather than to other factors.

    “Therefore, it can be concluded that Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) effectively reduces academic anxiety in a graduate student.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The CBT intervention was implemented with fidelity as described.

    “Metode Intervensi yang diberikan yaitu Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT).”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Mahasiswa pascasarjana yang menyelesaikan tesis mengalami berbagai kesulitan yang dapat berpotensi menimbulkan kecemasan.

    “Kenyataannya, mahasiswa mengalami berbagai kesulitan yang dapat berpotensi menimbulkan kecemasan.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Kecemasan akademik dapat menurunkan kinerja dan prestasi akademik.

    “Kondisi tersebut dapat menurunkan kinerja dan pretasi akademik.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Konseling Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) dapat mengatasi permasalahan kecemasan akademik.

    “Salah satu bantuan psikologis yang dapat mengatasi permasalahan tersebut yaitu dengan konseling Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT).”
5 of 5

Self-check

Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.

Each contradiction between two passages listed here was confirmed by an independent check.

2 of 2

Citations

Cites

Show all 4 references

Research works printed but not linked: 18

  1. Adriansyah, M. Al., Rahayu, D., & Prastika, N. D. (2015). Pengaruh terapi berpikir positif Dan Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) terhadap penurunan kecemasan pada mahasiswa Universitas Mulawarman. Jurnal Psikostudia Universitas Mulawarman, 4(2), 105-125.
  2. Asmawan, M. C. (2016). Analisis kesulitan mahasiswa menyelesaikan skripsi. Jurnal Pendidikan Ilmu Sosial, 26(2), 51-57.
  3. Beck, J. S. (2021). Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Basics and Beyond (3 ed.). The Guilford Press.
  4. Corey, G. (2009). Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy (8 ed.). Belmont, CA.
  5. Etika, N., & Hasibuan, W. F. (2016). Deskripsi masalah mahasiswa yang sedang menyelesaikan skripsi. Available online at www.journal.unrika.ac.id Jurnal KOPASTA Jurnal KOPASTA, 3(1), 40- 52. www.journal.unrika.ac.id
  6. Hooda, M., & Saini, A. (2017). Academic anxiety: An overview. Educational Quest: An Int. J. of Education and Applied Social Science, 8(3), 807-810. https://doi.org/10.5958/2230-7311.2017.00139. · DOI
  7. Istiantoro, D. (2018). Identifikasi faktor penyebab kecemasan akademik pada siswa kelas xi di sma negeri 3 Bantul. Jurnal Riset Mahasiswa Bimbingan dan Konseling, 4(10), 626-636.
  8. Kennerley, H. , Kirk, J. , & Westbrook, D. (2016). An Introduction to Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (3 ed.). SAGE Publications.
  9. Kuswardani, H. P., Suprapti, V., & Paramita, P. P. (2023). Efektivitas pendekatan intervensi gabungan untuk meningkatkan kelancaran membaca pada siswa sekolah dasar. Psikostudia Jurnal Psikologi, 12(3), 341-348. https://doi.org/10.30872/psikostudia.v12i3 · DOI
  10. Mirawdali, S., Morrissey, H., & Ball, P. (2018). Academic anxiety and its effects on academic performance. International Journal of Current Research, 10(06). http://www.journalcra.com
  11. Nanie, T. F. D., & Widyorini, E. (2023). Peran perceived control sebagai mediator dalam hubungan antara parental overprotection dan kecemasan pada remaja. Psikostudia Jurnal Psikologi, 12(3), 440-445. https://doi.org/10.30872/psikostudia.v12i3 · DOI
  12. Novinta, D. N., & Mastuti, E. (2023). Apakah Rational-Emotive Behaviour Therapy (REBT) dapat menurunkan kecemasan akademik pada siswa sekolah menengah atas? Psikostudia Jurnal Psikologi, 12(1), 123-131. https://doi.org/10.30872/psikostudia.v12i1 · DOI
  13. Oktaviani, M. A., Rahmi, A. S., Khatimah, H. H., Nur, M. O., & Lubis, H. (2016). Musik kejien dalam menurunkan tingkat kecemasan, stres, dan depresi. Jurnal Psikostudia Universitas Mulawarman, 5(1), 39-64.
  14. Pratiwi, D. E., & Roosyanti, A. (2019). Analisis faktor penghambat skripsi mahasiswa jurusan pendidikan guru sekolah dasar Universitas Wijaya Kusuma Surabaya. Jurnal Pendidikan Dasar, 101-114. https://doi.org/10.21009/JPD.010. · DOI
  15. Rismen, S. (2015). Analisis kesulitan mahasiswa dalam penyelesaian skripsi di prodi pendidikan matematika STKIP PGRI. LEMMA, 1(2), 57-62.
  16. Shaughnessy, J. J., Zechmeister, E. B., & Zechmeister, J. S. (2015). Research Methods in Psychology, Tenth Edition (10 ed.). Mc-Graw Hill.
  17. Situmorang, D. D. B. (2018). Academic anxiety sebagai distorsi kognitif terhadap skripsi : Penerapan konseling cognitive behavior therapy dengan musik. Journal of Innovative Counseling : Theory, Practice & Research, 2(2), 100-114. http://journal.umtas.ac.id/index.php/innovative_counseling
  18. Susilo, T. E. P., & Eldawaty. (2021). Tingkat kecemasan mahasiswaa dalam penyusunan skripsi di prodi penjaskesrek fakultas ilmu keolahragaan Universitas Negeri Padang. Jurnal Ilmiah BK Consilia, 4(2), 105-113. https://ejournal.unib.ac.id/index.php/j_consilia Universitas Airlangga. (2018). Peraturan Rektor Universitas Airlangga Nomor 27 Tahun 2018. Sekretaris Universitas Airlangga. https://pendidikan.unair.ac.id/v2/wp- content/uploads/2018/12/Pedoman-Pendidikan-2018_2019.pdf

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Metadata

Authors
Farahmita, N., & Paramita, P. P.
Affiliations
Universitas Airlangga (ID)
Venue
Psikostudia : Jurnal Psikologi
Published
2024-05-15
Volume
13
Issue
2
Pages
184
ISSN
  • 2302-2582 (ISSN-L)
  • 2657-0963
OpenAlex
W4400163897
Cited by
1
References
4
Citations by year
2025: 1
FWCI
0.36
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Psikostudia Jurnal Psikologi (publishedVersion, cc-by-sa)
  • Psikostudia Jurnal Psikologi (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychological Treatments and Assessments
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Student Stress and Coping
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
Keywords
cognitive behavioral therapy, academic anxiety, graduate students, thesis completion, negative automatic thoughts, counseling effectiveness

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