Abstrak
Habibi Alfajri, Student ID 2230108021. Thesis Title: “The Effect of Group Counseling with Self-Management Techniques to Reduce Online Game Addiction Among Grade VIII Students at SMPN 1 Salimpaung”. Faculty of Tarbiyah and Teacher Training, Guidance and Counseling Study Program, Mahmud Yunus State Islamic University Batusangkar. The main problem in this study is that students experience online game addiction. The characteristics include constantly thinking about playing online games, playing time that keeps increasing and never feels enough, and using online games as an escape. Students also become easily angry, anxious, and unable to focus on studying when they are prohibited from playing online games. In fact, some of them have promised several times to reduce their playing time but always failed and returned to their old habits. As a result, conflicts with parents arise due to disrupted study and worship time, academic achievement declines drastically, and students experience headaches, eye strain, and withdraw from social interaction and school assignments. The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of group counseling with self-management techniques to reduce online game addiction among Grade VIII students at SMPN 1 Salimpaung. The research method used was quantitative experimental research with a one-group pretest-posttest design to determine whether there was a change before and after the treatment of group counseling with self-management techniques. Data collection technique used an online game addiction scale. The population of this study was Grade VIII.1 and VIII.2 students, totaling 34 students, with a sample of 8 Grade VIII students at SMPN 1 Salimpaung. The experimental group was determined using purposive sampling technique, by selecting students who obtained scores in the high and moderate categories. The results showed that group counseling with self-management techniques had a significant effect on reducing students’ online game addiction. This was proven by the statistical test results that t-calculated ≥ t-table at a 5% significance level, which means there was a decrease in students’ online game addiction through group counseling with self-management techniques. In conclusion, group counseling with self-management techniques can reduce online game addiction among students