<![CDATA[ ABSTRACT Stunting remains a major public health concern that affects not only children's physical growth and development but also the psychological well-being of mothers as primary caregivers. Previous studies have predominantly focused on biological and nutritional determinants, while mothers' subjective psychological experiences in caring for children with stunting have received limited attention. This study aimed to explore and understand the psychological experiences of mothers caring for children with stunting in Kemejing Village, Gunungkidul Regency. A qualitative study employing the Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) approach was conducted. Three mothers of stunted children aged 18–34 months were recruited through purposive sampling. Data were collected using semi-structured in-depth interviews and analyzed following the established IPA analytical procedures. The findings revealed three major themes: feelings of maternal failure reinforced by social stigma, emotional conflict during child feeding, particularly when children refused to eat, and passive coping mechanisms leading to self-isolation and reduced utilization of social support. These findings indicate that mothers' psychological burden represents a complex experience that influences the consistency of caregiving practices and child-feeding behaviors. The study concludes that maternal psychological well-being is a crucial factor affecting caregiving quality and should be integrated into comprehensive, family-centered, and sustainable stunting prevention and management programs. ABSTRAK Stunting merupakan permasalahan kesehatan masyarakat yang tidak hanya berdampak pada pertumbuhan dan perkembangan anak, tetapi juga memengaruhi kondisi psikologis ibu sebagai pengasuh utama. Berbagai penelitian lebih banyak menyoroti faktor biologis dan gizi, sedangkan pengalaman subjektif ibu dalam merawat anak stunting masih belum banyak dieksplorasi. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk memahami secara mendalam pengalaman psikologis ibu dalam merawat anak stunting di Kelurahan Kemejing, Kabupaten Gunungkidul. Penelitian menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif dengan desain Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Partisipan berjumlah tiga orang ibu yang memiliki anak stunting berusia 18–34 bulan dan dipilih menggunakan teknik purposive sampling. Data dikumpulkan melalui wawancara mendalam semi-structured dan dianalisis mengikuti tahapan analisis IPA. Hasil penelitian mengidentifikasi tiga tema utama, yaitu perasaan gagal sebagai ibu yang diperkuat oleh stigma sosial, konflik emosional selama proses pemberian makan terutama ketika anak mengalami Gerakan Tutup Mulut (GTM), serta mekanisme koping pasif yang mendorong isolasi diri dan berkurangnya pemanfaatan dukungan sosial. Temuan tersebut menunjukkan bahwa beban psikologis ibu merupakan pengalaman yang kompleks dan berpengaruh terhadap konsistensi pengasuhan serta praktik pemberian makan anak. Penelitian ini menyimpulkan bahwa aspek psikologis ibu perlu diintegrasikan dalam upaya pencegahan dan penanganan stunting agar intervensi yang diberikan lebih komprehensif, berpusat pada keluarga, dan berkelanjutan.]]>
