Positive Self-Talk among Senior High School Students: A Descriptive Quantitative Study

Adolescents in secondary schools begin to face various challenges and social demands that can trigger negative emotions such as guilt, shame, and social withdrawal. This condition requires the ability to manage thoughts and emotions in a healthy way. One effective psychological strategy is positive self-talk, a form of positive thinking that can enhance psychological well-being. Low levels of positive self-talk may negatively affect adolescents’ mental health. This study aimed to determine the level of positive self-talk among high school students in Kupang City. The research employed a quantitative descriptive method with a cross-sectional survey design. A total of 342 high school students were selected as participants using simple random sampling. Data were collected using a psychological scale instrument, specifically the Self-Talk Scale, and analyzed using IBM SPSS software through descriptive statistical analysis. The results showed that, in general, the positive self-talk level of high school students was in the moderate category. This indicates that students’ positive self-talk still requires special attention from guidance and counseling (BK) teachers or school counselors to strengthen students’ positive internal narratives. Enhancing students’ positive self-talk can help maintain their mental well-being, particularly when facing academic and social challenges. The findings of this study have important implications for school counseling practice. The results can serve as a reference for BK teachers in developing strategies and interventions to improve students’ positive self-talk and can also serve as a foundation for future researchers to design relevant interventions addressing positive self-talk issues among adolescents.