Anxiety Levels Related to the Impact of COVID-19 among Junior High School Students in Makassar, Indonesia
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.58526/jsret.v5i4.1263Keywords:
COVID-19, Anxiety, Adolescents, Junior High School StudentsAbstract
This study sought to identify the distribution of anxiety levels among students at SMP Negeri 12 Makassar, Indonesia, during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. A quantitative descriptive approach was employed, involving 287 students from Grades VII to IX who were selected through stratified random sampling. Information was obtained through an online questionnaire using the 14-item Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HARS). The collected data were examined using descriptive statistical analysis and summarized as frequencies and percentages. The findings revealed that 196 students (68.3%) were categorized as having no anxiety, 53 (18.4%) had mild anxiety, 21 (7.3%) had moderate anxiety, and 17 (6.0%) had severe anxiety. Although the majority of participants showed no anxiety, approximately one-third (31.7%) experienced varying degrees of anxiety. These results underscore the relevance of school-based psychological support and counseling services in addressing students’ mental health needs during public health emergencies. Nevertheless, because the study was conducted at a single school using a descriptive design, the findings cannot establish that the pandemic directly caused the anxiety experienced by the participants.
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