MINDFULNESS PRACTICE AS AN ACADEMIC STRESS COPING STRATEGY AMONG STUDENT ORGANIZATION ACTIVISTS

Abstract

University students who are actively involved in campus organizations often carry a dual role that exposes them to elevated academic stress, arising from the simultaneous demands of coursework and organizational responsibilities. Left unmanaged, this condition can affect students' physical, psychological, and social well-being. Mindfulness, understood as an emotion-focused coping strategy grounded in present-moment awareness without judgment, is regarded as a promising approach for helping students regulate this stress in a healthy way. This study aims to (1) identify the forms of stress experienced by students who are active in campus organizations, (2) describe the mindfulness practices they apply as a coping strategy for academic stress, and (3) explore the cognitive and affective changes they experience after practicing mindfulness. A qualitative descriptive approach was employed, involving eight student informants selected through purposive sampling from three student organizations at the Faculty of Teacher Training and Education, Tadulako University. Data were collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews, observation, and documentation, and were analyzed through a phenomenological procedure comprising description, reduction, essence, and intentionality. The findings are expected to enrich the empirical literature on Guidance and Counseling interventions and to provide practical guidance for school and university counselors in designing accessible, evidence-based strategies to help students manage academic stress