Bisma The Journal of Counseling
Vol. 10 No. 1 (2026): April

The Dynamics of Students’ Independence and Basic Psychological Needs: A Comparative Study of General Boarding Schools and Islamic Boarding Schools

Ranni Rahmayanthi (Guidance and Counseling Program, Universitas Lampung, Bandar Lampung, Indonesia)
Syarifuddin Dahlan (Guidance and Counseling Program, Universitas Lampung, Bandar Lampung, Indonesia)
Diah Utaminingsih (Guidance and Counseling Program, Universitas Lampung, Bandar Lampung, Indonesia)
Ratna Widiastuti (Guidance and Counseling Program, Universitas Lampung, Bandar Lampung, Indonesia)



Article Info

Publish Date
25 Apr 2026

Abstract

The achievement of independence is a crucial developmental task during adolescence; however, boarding school environments often create a dilemma between collective disciplinary control and students’ need for individual autonomy. Imbalances in the fulfillment of basic psychological needs at school may lead to low initiative, maladaptive behavior, and disciplinary violations due to weak self-regulation. This study aimed to analyze differences in the level of independence and fulfillment of basic psychological needs between students in general boarding schools and Islamic boarding schools. The study employed a comparative descriptive quantitative approach involving 175 students as research participants, consisting of 90 students from general boarding schools and 85 students from Islamic boarding schools. Data were collected using the Adolescent Independence Scale and the validated Basic Psychological Needs Scale. Data analysis was conducted using the Independent Sample t-test. The results revealed significant differences in the level of independence (p = 0.002) and basic psychological needs (p = 0.000), in which students from general boarding schools showed higher scores than students from Islamic boarding schools. These findings indicate that environments providing greater autonomy support are more effective in facilitating students’ independence. In conclusion, institutional parenting patterns that balance social regulation with opportunities for personal choice serve as an important foundation for psychological well-being. The implications of this study highlight the need for Self-Determination Theory based guidance and counseling services focused on strengthening decision-making skills in boarding school environments.

Copyrights © 2026






Journal Info

Abbrev

bisma

Publisher

Subject

Education Social Sciences

Description

Bisma The Journal of Counseling ISSN: Print 2598-3199 –Online 2598-3210 is a peer-reviewed, published by Universitas Pendidikan Ganesha in collaboration with Indonesian Counselor Association (IKI). The list of the journal was associated with Indonesian Counselor Association (IKI) is list here. ...