<![CDATA[The university years represent a transitional phase from adolescence to adulthood, characterized by various changes and demands in the academic, social, and psychological spheres. Course-related burdens such as assignments, examinations, and presentations frequently trigger psychological stress in the form of anxiety; if left unaddressed, this can impair concentration, diminish learning motivation, and negatively affect a student's overall mental health. This study aims to examine the effectiveness of the Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) self-talk technique in reducing academic anxiety among students at Universitas 'Aisyiyah Yogyakarta. This study used a quantitative, quasi-experimental pretest-posttest control-group design involving 21 students: 11 in the intervention group and 10 in the control group. Data were collected using the Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety and analyzed through the Paired Samples T-Test and Mann-Whitney U Test. The findings indicated that the mean anxiety score in the intervention group decreased from 33.73 before the intervention to 15.73 after the intervention, while the control group showed a slight decrease from 34.10 to 34.00. The statistical analysis produced a p-value of 0.000 (p < 0.05), demonstrating a significant difference in anxiety levels between the two groups. Therefore, the NLP self-talk technique was found to be effective in reducing academic anxiety among students at Universitas 'Aisyiyah Yogyakarta. This study contributes to providing an alternative psychological intervention for managing academic anxiety and may support the development of counseling services in educational settings. The findings may also serve as practical input for applying self-talk techniques to assist students in managing negative thoughts and academic anxiety.]]>
