ABSTRACT Emotional neglect is a form of emotional abandonment that occurs when parents or caregivers fail to meet a child's emotional needs such as attention, affection, support, and validation of feelings. This condition can impact an individual's psychological development, manifesting, among other things, as anxiety. This study aims to describe the characteristics of emotional neglect and examine the application of forgiveness therapy in reducing anxiety levels among Grade X students at SMA Negeri 2 Slawi. The study involved four students selected through purposive sampling. This study employed a qualitative approach with a case study method through observation, interviews, documentation, and triangulation involving the four students. Data were analyzed through data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion drawing using descriptive qualitative analysis. The results indicate that students experiencing emotional neglect exhibit characteristics such as a lack of attention and affection, minimal communication and emotional closeness with parents, and a tendency to suppress their feelings. These conditions lead to the emergence of anxiety, manifesting as excessive worry, difficulty concentrating, low self-confidence, social withdrawal, and physical symptoms such as heart palpitations and restlessness. The application of forgiveness therapy helps students identify the sources of their emotional wounds, express suppressed emotions, foster acceptance of past experiences, and alleviate emotional burdens, thereby reducing anxiety levels. This study confirms that forgiveness therapy can serve as an alternative guidance and counseling service to assist students experiencing emotional neglect. ABSTRAK Emotional neglect merupakan bentuk pengabaian emosional yang terjadi ketika orang tua atau pengasuh tidak mampu memenuhi kebutuhan emosional anak, seperti perhatian, kasih sayang, dukungan, dan penghargaan terhadap perasaannya. Kondisi ini dapat berdampak pada perkembangan psikologis individu, salah satunya berupa kecemasan. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mendeskripsikan karakteristik emotional neglect serta mengetahui penerapan forgiveness therapy dalam menurunkan tingkat kecemasan pada peserta didik kelas X SMA Negeri 2 Slawi. Penelitian ini melibatkan empat peserta didik yang dipilih melalui teknik purposive sampling. Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif dengan metode studi kasus melalui observasi, wawancara, dokumentasi, dan triangulasi terhadap empat peserta didik. Data dianalisis melalui reduksi data, penyajian data, dan penarikan kesimpulan secara deskriptif kualitatif. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa peserta didik yang mengalami emotional neglect memiliki karakteristik berupa kurangnya perhatian dan kasih sayang, minimnya komunikasi dan kedekatan emosional dengan orang tua, serta kecenderungan memendam perasaan. Kondisi tersebut berdampak pada munculnya kecemasan, seperti rasa khawatir berlebihan, sulit berkonsentrasi, rendahnya kepercayaan diri, menarik diri dari lingkungan sosial, dan gejala fisik berupa jantung berdebar serta kegelisahan. Penerapan forgiveness therapy membantu peserta didik mengenali sumber luka emosional, mengungkapkan emosi yang dipendam, mengembangkan penerimaan terhadap pengalaman masa lalu, serta mengurangi beban emosional sehingga tingkat kecemasan menurun. Penelitian ini menegaskan bahwa forgiveness therapy dapat menjadi alternatif layanan bimbingan dan konseling dalam membantu peserta didik yang mengalami emotional neglect.
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