Changes in Anxiety Scores After Butterfly Hug Sessions Among Grade XII Students in Banjar

Introduction: Brief relaxation activities may support adolescent wellbeing, but evidence for butterfly hug in schools remains limited. Objective: To examine changes in anxiety questionnaire scores before and after butterfly hug sessions among Grade XII students at SMA Negeri 1 Banjar. Method: This exploratory one-group pretest-posttest study included 40 students aged 17–18 years selected from 81 screened students. Anxiety was assessed using an electronic self-report HARS adaptation without established adolescent validity. Six 15-minute sessions with music and breathing were delivered three times weekly on April 10-22, 2026; attendance was 100%. Posttest was on April 23. The paired t test was supplemented by Shapiro–Wilk and Wilcoxon analyses of reconstructed pairs. Result: Mean anxiety scores decreased from 18.15 to 16.00, with a mean reduction of 2.15 points (95% CI: 1.338–2.962; p < 0.001). After the intervention, most students were classified as having mild anxiety (80%), while the proportion with moderate anxiety decreased from 45% to 20%. Conclusion: Following six butterfly hug sessions accompanied by breathing exercises and music over two weeks, 40 Grade XII students at SMA Negeri 1 Banjar showed a decrease in mean anxiety scores from 18.15 to 16.00, representing a reduction of 2.15 points. The paired-samples t test indicated a statistically significant difference (p < 0.001). The proportion of students with moderate anxiety decreased from 45% to 20%, while the proportion with mild anxiety increased from 55% to 80%. These findings provide preliminary support for further evaluation of butterfly hug as a supportive activity for anxiety management in schools.