“Mental disorder is not something that should be hidden”: Self-Disclosure Experiences of Students with Mental Disabilities in Higher Education

Nafisa Kaniz Az Zahra, Elga Andriana, S.Psi, M.Ed., Ph.D.

2023 | Skripsi | PSIKOLOGI

Banyak penderita gangguan mental yang enggan mengungkapkan kondisinya kepada orang lain karena stigma negatif yang selalu menyertai gangguan mental di mata masyarakat. Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan fenomenologis untuk mengeksplorasi pengalaman pengungkapan diagnosis gangguan mental di perguruan tinggi. Penelitian ini melibatkan tiga subjek dengan diagnosis gangguan mental yang berbeda. Wawancara semi terstruktur digunakan untuk mengumpulkan data, yang kemudian dianalisis menggunakan Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Ditemukan tiga tema yang menggambarkan keseluruhan dinamika pengalaman pengungkapan: (a) Establishment of Self-Identity, yang menggambarkan bagaimana proses seseorang dapat menerima identitas baru, (b) Unfolding Journey of Self-disclosure in Higher Education, yang menjelaskan faktor motivasi dan pertimbangan yang terjadi dalam pengalaman pengungkapan, dan (c) Post-Disclosure Dynamics, yang menggambarkan pengalaman yang dirasakan setelah pengungkapan. Penelitian ini diharapkan dapat memberikan gambaran tentang proses pengungkapan diri dalam kehidupan nyata dan menjadi bahan pertimbangan bagi mereka yang ingin mengungkapkan diagnosa mentalnya, khususnya di lingkungan kampus. Selanjutnya, diharapkan temuan penelitian ini dapat bermanfaat dalam menentukan faktor-faktor apa yang harus dipertimbangkan dalam menciptakan lingkungan perguruan tinggi yang lebih inklusif.

Many people with mental illnesses are reluctant to disclose to others about their condition because of the negative stigma that always accompanies mental disorders in the eyes of the public. This study used a phenomenological approach to explore the experience of disclosing mental disorder diagnoses in higher education. This study included three subjects with different mental illness diagnoses. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data, which was then analyzed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Three themes were discovered that describe the overall dynamics of the disclosure experience: (a) Establishment of Self-Identity, which describes how a person's process can accept a new identity, (b) Unfolding Journey of Self-disclosure in Higher Education, which explains the motivational factors and considerations that occur in the disclosure experience, and (c) Post-Disclosure Dynamics, which describes the experience felt after the disclosure. It is intended that this research would provide an overview of the process of self-disclosure in real life and become a consideration for those who want to disclose their mental illnesses, particularly on campus. Furthermore, it is expected that the findings of this study would be valuable in determining what factors should be considered in creating a more inclusive college environment.

Kata Kunci : mental disorder, self-disclosure, higher education