<![CDATA[Forgiveness is an important character strength for adolescents because difficulties in forgiving may negatively affect psychological well-being, interpersonal relationships, and academic functioning. This study examined the effect of Minangkabau culture-based reframing technique group counseling on forgiveness among high school students. A quantitative one-group pretest-posttest design was employed with 20 students purposively selected from a population of 240 students at Salimpaung 1 Public High School, Tanah Datar Regency, West Sumatra. Participants were Minangkabau students with low forgiveness scores who met the study criteria. Forgiveness was assessed using a researcher-adapted forgiveness scale based on the Enright Forgiveness Inventory, which demonstrated high internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = 0.969). Data were analyzed using the Shapiro–Wilk test, paired-samples t-test, and N-Gain analysis. The results demonstrated a substantial increase in forgiveness scores, from a mean of 158.15 at pretest to 268.00 at posttest, with a mean difference of 109.85. The paired-samples t-test indicated a statistically significant improvement, t (19) = −10.894, p < .001. The N-Gain score was 0.79 (79%), indicating a high level of improvement. These findings suggest that integrating Minangkabau cultural values, particularly raso jo pareso, into reframing-based group counseling can effectively strengthen students’ forgiveness. The study highlights the importance of culturally responsive counseling interventions in promoting character development among adolescents. Keywords: group counseling, forgiveness, Minangkabau culture-based, reframing technique]]>
