TRAPPED BEHIND THE SCREEN: GROUP COUNSELING TO REDUCE SMARTPHONE ADDICTION AMONG JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN SURABAYA

Excessive smartphone use in early adolescents can interfere with academic activities, sleep patterns, social interactions, and self-control skills. This study aims to describe the tendency of smartphone use in grade VIII students and evaluate changes after being given interventions in the form of psychoeducation and group counseling. The study used a quantitative method with one group pre and post test design involving seven students who had a fairly high smartphone addiction score in one of the junior high schools in Surabaya who were identified as having complaints related to difficulties in controlling smartphone use. Assessments were carried out through interviews, observations, Smartphone Addiction Scale–Short Version (SAS-SV), Focus Group Discussion (FGD), graphic test and CFIT Scale 3. The intervention was carried out through psychoeducation and two group counseling sessions that focused on self-awareness, identification of patterns and triggers of use, self-control, and commitment to change. The results of the evaluation showed that there was an increase in students' awareness of smartphone use patterns and their impacts, as well as the implementation of self-control strategies, such as limiting the duration of use, reducing use before and during study, setting use alarms, and alternative activities. These findings show that group counseling and psychoeducation are effective in reducing smartphone addiction by increasing awareness and self-regulation in smartphone use in early adolescents. ABSTRAK Penggunaan smartphone yang berlebihan pada remaja awal dapat mengganggu aktivitas akademik, pola tidur, interaksi sosial, serta kemampuan mengendalikan diri. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menggambarkan kecenderungan penggunaan smartphone pada siswa kelas VIII serta mengevaluasi perubahan setelah diberikan intervensi berupa psikoedukasi dan konseling kelompok. Penelitian menggunakan metode kuantitatif dengan one group pre and post test design dengan melibatkan tujuh siswa yang memiliki skor kecanduan smartphone cukup tinggi di salah satu SMP di Surabaya yang teridentifikasi memiliki keluhan terkait kesulitan mengontrol penggunaan smartphone. Asesmen dilakukan melalui wawancara, observasi, Smartphone Addiction Scale–Short Version (SAS-SV), Focus Group Discussion (FGD), tes grafis dan CFIT Skala 3. Intervensi dilakukan melalui psikoedukasi dan dua sesi konseling kelompok yang berfokus pada kesadaran diri, identifikasi pola dan pemicu penggunaan, kontrol diri, serta komitmen perubahan. Hasil evaluasi menunjukkan adanya peningkatan kesadaran siswa terhadap pola penggunaan smartphone dan dampaknya, serta mulai diterapkannya strategi pengendalian diri, seperti pembatasan durasi penggunaan, mengurangi penggunaan sebelum tidur dan saat belajar, pengaturan alarm penggunaan, serta aktivitas alternatif. Temuan ini menunjukkan bahwa konseling kelompok dan psikeodukasi efektif untuk menurunkan kecanduan smartphone dengan meningkatkan kesadaran dan regulasi diri dalam penggunaan smartphone pada remaja awal.