The Emotional State of the Firstborn Batak Child in Handling Family Expectations

Dira Kaniya (Universitas Islam Negeri Sumatera Utara, Indonesia)
Syawaluddin Nasution (Universitas Islam Negeri Sumatera Utara, Indonesia)

Journal of Society Counseling
Vol. 4 No. 3 (2026): Journal of Society Counseling

The emotional condition of the first-born son in Batak culture is influenced by the high expectations of the family, which are rooted in the patrilineal kinship system. This study aims to analyze the emotional condition of the first-born sons of the Batak Mandailing and Angkola in carrying their family's expectations while pursuing education at the Faculty of Da'wah and Communication, State Islamic University of North Sumatra, and to examine the relationship between emotional condition and physical aspects, cognitive aspects, and the influence of the patrilineal structure on their psychological experiences. The study uses a qualitative approach with a case study type. The research informants were six undergraduate students of the Faculty of Da'wah and Communication at the State Islamic University of North Sumatra, Class of 2022, selected using purposive sampling. Data were collected through observation, in-depth interviews, and documentation, then analyzed using the interactive model of Miles, Huberman, and Saldaña. The research results show that the first-born boys experience emotional dynamics such as pride, responsibility, motivation, anxiety, fear of disappointing their parents, and inner conflict due to high family expectations. These pressures affect physical aspects, like fatigue, sleep disturbances, headaches, and heart palpitations, as well as cognitive aspects, including overthinking, difficulty concentrating, indecision, and fear of failure. In addition, the patrilineal structure and Batak cultural values, namely hamoraon, hagabeon, and hasangapon, shape their identity as family successors while also serving as sources of motivation and emotional pressure. The informants manage these conditions through religiosity, social support, and commitment to achievement. This study shows that the emotional state of the first-born Batak boy is the result of the interaction between family expectations, cultural values, and individual psychological experiences. These findings contribute to the development of cultural psychology studies and form the basis for strengthening culturally-based guidance and counseling services in universities.