<![CDATA[Correctional institutions impose sustained psychological burdens on inmates, including social isolation, fractured family bonds, and disrupted identity development, which collectively heighten the risk of mental health deterioration. Unlike preventive psychoeducational approaches, group counseling operates as a curative, therapeutically structured service that enables participants to process shared difficulties through interpersonal dynamics. This community service study implemented group counseling within a Participatory Action Research (PAR) framework involving 50 early adult inmates at Lapas Kelas III Rangkasbitung. PAR was operationalized as an implementation framework in which each counseling cluster cycle followed the Plan-Act-Observe-Reflect sequence, enabling iterative refinement of therapeutic content. Pre-service needs assessment using the Alat Ungkap Masalah (AUM) Umum Masyarakat instrument identified dominant problems in family relations (13.33%), personal self (12.97%), and social relations (10.76%). Group counseling was conducted across three thematic clusters. Program evaluation revealed improvements in social interaction, self-acceptance, and emotional regulation among participants, with the PAR reflective cycle enabling context responsive adaptation of each session. These findings affirm that PAR-grounded group counseling constitutes a contextually adaptive model for psychosocial rehabilitation in correctional settings.]]>
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