<![CDATA[ABSTRACT Adapting to life in a boarding school presents a substantial challenge for students of Sekolah Rakyat, as they are required to develop independence while adjusting to a new social environment and daily routines away from their families. Within this context, perceived social support is often regarded as a psychological resource that facilitates adjustment, although previous empirical findings have produced inconsistent evidence regarding its role. This study investigated the relationship between perceived social support and self-adjustment among 85 students of Sekolah Rakyat Banjarbaru using a quantitative correlational approach. Data were collected through the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) and the Self-Adjustment Scale, and subsequently analyzed using simple linear regression. The findings revealed that perceived social support had a statistically significant effect on self-adjustment (p < 0.01), but the relationship was negative. Moreover, the coefficient of determination (R² = 0.08) indicated that perceived social support accounted for only 8% of the variance in students' self-adjustment, suggesting that other factors play a more substantial role in shaping their adaptive capacity. Therefore, the observed negative association should be interpreted cautiously and should not be taken to imply that social support impedes adjustment. Rather, the findings highlight the complexity of the adjustment process in boarding school settings and underscore the importance of fostering students' independence alongside strengthening their adaptive skills through targeted educational programs. ABSTRAK Proses adaptasi menjadi salah satu tantangan utama bagi siswa Sekolah Rakyat yang menjalani kehidupan di lingkungan boarding school, terutama karena mereka harus membangun kemandirian sekaligus menyesuaikan diri dengan sistem kehidupan yang berbeda dari lingkungan keluarga. Dalam konteks tersebut, persepsi terhadap dukungan sosial sering dipandang sebagai sumber daya psikologis yang membantu proses penyesuaian, meskipun bukti empiris mengenai perannya masih belum konsisten. Penelitian ini mengeksplorasi keterkaitan kedua aspek tersebut pada 85 siswa Sekolah Rakyat Banjarbaru melalui pendekatan kuantitatif korelasional. Pengukuran dilakukan menggunakan Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) dan Self Adjustment Scale, sedangkan hubungan antarvariabel dianalisis dengan regresi linear sederhana. Analisis memperlihatkan bahwa perceived social support memiliki pengaruh yang signifikan terhadap self adjustment (p < 0,01), tetapi dengan arah hubungan negatif. Besarnya kontribusi variabel tersebut relatif terbatas, ditunjukkan oleh koefisien determinasi sebesar R² = 0,08, sehingga hanya mampu menjelaskan sekitar 8% variasi penyesuaian diri siswa. Kondisi ini mengindikasikan bahwa kemampuan beradaptasi di lingkungan boarding school lebih banyak dipengaruhi oleh faktor lain di luar persepsi dukungan sosial. Oleh sebab itu, hubungan negatif yang ditemukan tidak dapat dimaknai bahwa dukungan sosial menghambat penyesuaian diri, melainkan perlu dipahami secara kontekstual sesuai karakteristik kehidupan di Sekolah Rakyat. Temuan ini memperkuat pentingnya pengembangan program yang tidak hanya memperhatikan dukungan sosial, tetapi juga memfasilitasi pembentukan kemandirian serta keterampilan adaptasi siswa.]]>
