PENGARUH CHILDHOOD EMOTIONAL NEGLECT TERHADAP SELF-EXPRESSION PADA DEWASA AWAL

Abstract

Self-expression ability in young adulthood is an important aspect of psychological development, as it relates to an individual’s capacity to convey thoughts, emotions, and needs in an adaptive manner. However, many individuals still experience difficulties in expressing their emotions effectively. One factor that is presumed to influence this condition is the experience of Childhood Emotional Neglect (CEN), although studies specifically linking CEN to self-expression remain limited. This study aims to examine the effect of Childhood Emotional Neglect (CEN) on self-expression ability in young adults. The participants in this study consisted of 296 individuals aged 18–25 years. This study employed a quantitative approach using purposive sampling, and data were collected online through Google Forms. The instruments used included a self-expression scale and a CEN scale, both measured using a Likert scale. Data analysis included tests of normality, linearity, correlation, regression, and group differences. The results showed that participants’ levels of self-expression were in the moderate category, as were their experiences of CEN. Correlation analysis revealed that CEN had a significant negative relationship with self-expression (r = –0.177; p = 0.002), indicating that higher levels of CEN were associated with lower self-expression ability. Dimensional analysis showed that emotional needs had the strongest negative relationship with self-expression, followed by cognitive needs and supervision needs, while physical needs did not show a significant relationship. Regression analysis indicated that CEN had a significant effect on self-expression, although its contribution was relatively small (R² = 0.031). In addition, independent samples tests based on gender showed no significant differences in CEN or self-expression scores between males and females. Overall, this study concludes that experiences of emotional neglect during childhood contribute to lower self-expression ability in young adulthood.

ABSTRAK

Kemampuan self-expression pada dewasa awal merupakan aspek penting dalam perkembangan psikologis, namun masih banyak individu yang mengalami kesulitan dalam mengekspresikan emosi secara adaptif. Salah satu faktor yang diduga memengaruhi kondisi tersebut adalah pengalaman Childhood Emotional Neglect (CEN), meskipun kajian yang secara spesifik menghubungkan CEN dengan self-expression masih terbatas. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengidentifikasi pengaruh Childhood Emotional Neglect (CEN) terhadap kemampuan self-expression pada individu dewasa awal. Partisipan dalam penelitian ini berjumlah 296 orang dengan rentang usia 18–25 tahun. Penelitian menggunakan pendekatan kuantitatif dengan teknik purposive sampling, dan pengumpulan data dilakukan secara daring melalui Google Forms. Instrumen yang digunakan terdiri atas skala self-expression dan skala CEN yang diukur menggunakan skala Likert. Analisis data meliputi uji normalitas, linearitas, korelasi, regresi, dan uji beda. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa tingkat self-expression partisipan berada pada kategori sedang, demikian pula pengalaman CEN yang juga berada pada kategori sedang. Uji korelasi menunjukkan bahwa CEN memiliki hubungan negatif yang signifikan dengan self-expression (r = –0,177; p = 0,002), yang berarti semakin tinggi tingkat CEN yang dialami individu, semakin rendah kemampuan self-expression yang dimilikinya. Analisis berdasarkan dimensi menunjukkan bahwa emotional needs memiliki hubungan negatif paling kuat dengan self-expression, diikuti oleh cognitive needs dan supervision needs, sedangkan physical needs tidak menunjukkan hubungan yang signifikan. Hasil uji regresi menunjukkan bahwa CEN berpengaruh signifikan terhadap self-expression, meskipun kontribusinya relatif kecil (R² = 0,031). Uji beda berdasarkan jenis kelamin menunjukkan tidak terdapat perbedaan signifikan pada skor CEN maupun self-expression antara laki-laki dan perempuan. Secara keseluruhan, penelitian ini menyimpulkan bahwa pengalaman pengabaian emosional pada masa kanak-kanak berkontribusi terhadap rendahnya kemampuan self-expression pada dewasa awal.