<![CDATA[Twelfth-grade students participating in the state university (PTN) independent entrance selection face high academic pressure and future uncertainty, making them vulnerable to psychological distress. This study aims to examine the relationship between social support and psychological distress among twelfth-grade students at SMAN 1 Salatiga participating in the PTN independent entrance examination. This quantitative correlational study involved 261 twelfth-grade students selected through purposive sampling techniques. Data were collected using two main instruments: a social support scale adapted from Sarafino's (1994) dimensions and a psychological distress scale measuring depression, anxiety, and stress based on Lovibond and Lovibond (1995). Hypothesis testing was conducted using Karl Pearson's Product-Moment correlation analysis. The results revealed a significant negative relationship between social support and psychological distress (r = -0.434, p = 0.000, p < 0.01). The negative correlation indicates that higher perceived social support is associated with lower levels of psychological distress. Descriptive analysis showed that the majority of respondents fell into the moderate category for both variables, with social support at 42.53% and psychological distress at 38.31%. The findings support the buffering hypothesis, confirming that social support acts as a protective factor in mitigating the impact of academic stress among students preparing for university entrance exams.]]>
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