p–ISSN: 2723 – 6609 e-ISSN: 2745-5254
Vol. 5, No. 12, December 2024 http://jist.publikasiindonesia.id/
Indonesian Journal of Social Technology, Vol. 5, No. 12, December 2024 5583
The Role of Family Communication in Insecure Adolescents
in the City of Bandung
Dian Yohana Giovani Lumban Siantar
1*
, Rita Destiwati
2
Universitas Telkom, Indonesia
Email: [email protected]
1*
2
*Correspondence
ABSTRACT
Keywords: family
communication;
insecure teenagers;
democratic
communication patterns.
The phenomenon of insecurity is an issue that is often faced
by today's teenagers, characterized by feelings of
dissatisfaction with themselves and fear of the surrounding
environment. The purpose of this study is to find out the role
of family communication in adolescents who experience
insecurity in the city of Bandung. This research uses a
qualitative approach (Kriyantono, 2012), which investigates
social phenomena that occur in humans. The results of the
study showed that there was a relationship between feelings
of insecurity and decision-making in late adolescence.
Adolescents who experience insecurity tend to be hesitant in
making their own decisions and often seek validation from
others. This study emphasizes the importance of the role of
communication in the family, especially democratic
communication patterns, which have been proven to help
adolescents overcome feelings of insecurity. The three main
dimensions that contribute to feelings of insecurity in
adolescents are failure or rejection, social anxiety, and the
drive for perfectionism. The experience of failure or
rejection causes adolescents to feel inferior and incapable in
various aspects, which if it happens constantly, can increase
feelings of insecurity. It can be concluded that family
communication with a good pattern can help adolescents
who feel insecure.
Introduction
Insecurity is a phenomenon that often occurs among teenagers at this time. Feelings
of insecurity are characterized by fear or anxiety about the surrounding environment that
can arise from dissatisfaction with oneself (Li & Wright, 2014). This can be interpreted
as a feeling of insecurity. Insecurity is a mental condition that causes a person to feel
insecure, anxious, and fearful excessively, which can occur in various Rahmah situations
(2019). This feeling of insecurity and excessive anxiety will then lead to a lack of
confidence. Communication in the family is usually one of the factors that affect the onset
of insecure feelings. One example is when parents deliberately say harsh words,
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physically insult and never appreciate the child's achievements. The importance of good
family communication in improving the mental well-being of adolescents, adolescents
whose level of family communication is low tend to have a higher level of insecurity
(Soedjono, Fitriani, Rahman, & Wijaya, 2018).
The term insecure refers to inequality or anxiety about oneself that arises from
feelings of dissatisfaction. (Zubaidillah & Nuruddaroini, 2021). This is a feeling of fear
and anxiety about the surrounding environment that comes from self-dissatisfaction. In
line with research conducted by (Mas Rahmah & MH, 2019), "insecure" is a mental
condition that makes a person feel insecure, anxious, and afraid excessively, which can
have an impact on various aspects of life. According to Abraham Maslow (1942), an
American psychologist, in his work entitled "The Dynamics of Psychological Security",
insecurity refers to a state in which individuals experience feelings of insecurity, see the
world as a scary environment, and believe that the majority of humans are evil and selfish.
Individuals who experience feelings of insecurity often experience loneliness, rejection,
anxiety, sadness, guilt, inequality, and selfishness. In their view, efforts are being made
to restore that feeling of security. A clinical psychologist, Melanie Greenberg, quoted in
Psychology Today, stated that three factors can cause individuals to experience feelings
of insecurity, namely failure or rejection, social anxiety, and the urge to achieve perfect
standards.
Hurlock (2011) categorizes adolescent growth into three stages: early adolescence,
which lasts between the ages of 12-15 years; middle adolescence, which occurs between
the ages of 15-18 years; and late teens, which run between the ages of 19-21. At this stage,
individuals are considered to have reached maturity and have a clear understanding of
their direction and purpose in life. By learning from various experiences during this
period, they form a new outlook on life with a mature mindset. In addition to physical
changes, this phase also marks significant emotional and behavioral development.
Therefore, adolescence is often considered a period of self-identity search for individuals.
Emotional development in adolescents, as described by Santrock (2017), is a
complex transition phase from childhood to adulthood, in which significant changes occur
in social, emotional, and cognitive aspects. Specifically from an emotional perspective,
research shows that adolescents have difficulty developing social interaction skills, as
evidenced by low levels of communication, the use of harsh words, the existence of
hateful and vengeful attitudes, and a tendency to be prejudiced against newly known
individuals. The impact of conflict on their social development is low academic
achievement, lack of confidence, aggressiveness, low social acceptance, lack of
independence, low cooperation, anti-social, social interaction communication that
experiences obstacles, lack of sportsmanship, and solving problems with violence
(Rifayanti, Sofia, Purba, Amanda, & Merary, 2022). They begin to seek self-identity and
develop independence, while also building more mature relationships with peers and
determining their social role as a man or woman (Doyan, Taufik, & Anjani, 2018). This
process is often fraught with challenges, but it also provides opportunities for growth and
learning that are essential for their personal and social development. The importance of
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communication in the family to the emotional development of adolescents has a
significant impact on their growth. Open, understanding and supportive communication
can help teens feel more accepted and supported as they explore and discover their
identity. It can also help reduce levels of insecurity and anxiety in adolescents. According
to research conducted by the Department of Applied Psychology (2021), adolescents who
experience good communication interactions in the family tend to have higher levels of
confidence.
The American Psychological Association (APA) states that feelings of insecurity
can result in mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, and stress that last for a
long time. Adolescents who feel insecure often experience high levels of stress and have
difficulty dealing with the pressures of daily life. The lack of space for discussion due to
feelings of anxiety and insecurity can cause adolescents to make mistakes in making
decisions, which can ultimately cause them to experience depression as a negative impact
of feelings of insecurity. (Hedo & Katmini, 2022). This finding is also reinforced by the
results of the Basic Health Research of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia
in 2018 which stated that 6.1% of the Indonesian population aged 15 years and older
experienced depression, but only 9% sought treatment or medical care.
According to research conducted by (Ramadhana & Hussein, 2022) And the results
of interviews with Dr. Amalia, a clinical psychologist at Boromeus Hospital in Bandung,
found that around 80% of adolescents aged 17-21 years seek help to overcome excessive
lack of self-confidence. The impact of this is the appearance of excessive anxiety and
difficulty in managing their own emotions. Adolescents in this age range are considered
to be entering a more mature phase, characterized by strong ambition and vitality.
However, many of them have difficulty expressing their emotions, which causes them to
tend to hide their feelings and not take full advantage of their potential. This study
emphasizes the importance of understanding and handling insecurity problems in late
adolescents so that they can develop their potential optimally. Help from a psychologist
or mental health professional is considered to be able to help late teens cope with these
problems and help them build a healthier sense of self-confidence. In addition, support
from the community and the environment around late adolescents is also considered
important to create a positive environment and provide space for healthy emotional
expression, so that late adolescents can grow and develop optimally in psychological and
social aspects. (Ramadhana & Hussein, 2022).
The purpose of this study is to find out the role of family communication in
adolescents who experience insecurity in the city of Bandung.
Method
In this study, the author uses a research method with a qualitative approach. The
qualitative approach is a research and understanding process based on a methodology that
investigates social phenomena that occur in humans. Qualitative methods are used to
achieve an understanding of how humans carry out their life processes, how to give
meaning, and describe how humans can interpret their experiences (Sugiyono, 2017).
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Therefore, this research was conducted through critical/descriptive analysis that involved
collecting data/facts and deepening material to gain a deep understanding of insecure
behavior in adolescents in the city of Bandung.
The phenomenological approach was chosen in this study because it aims to
understand how individuals experience a phenomenon and what that experience means to
the (Creswell, 2018). Phenomenology is suitable for this study because the researcher
wants to describe the research subject clearly through the experiences experienced by
informants related to insecure behavior. The phenomena described are based on real
conditions, giving a naturalistic impression according to the phenomenological definition.
Research Subject
The subject in this study refers to the individual who is the source of data and
information in a study. In the context of qualitative research, what is more important than
the number of subjects is the quality of the information provided by them, not how much.
Based on this description, the researcher chose a research subject for adolescents in the
city of Bandung who experienced insecurity.
Research Object
The object of research refers to the entity to be researched or analyzed in a study.
The object of research can be a specific issue or phenomenon, work, event, or even the
result of an interview or survey. According to Suharsimi (in Ananda, 2021), the object of
research is a central part of the research problem. The core part of the problem is the focus
of the problem to be identified, analyzed, and researched. Therefore, it can be concluded
that the research object is a scientific subject that is the target of analysis to obtain data
and solutions to the problem being studied. The research object chosen by the researcher
in this study is family communication in insecure adolescents in the city of Bandung.
Research Time and Location
a. Research Time
The study began in February 2024 and is expected to collect and analyze data from
March to July 2024. During this period of time, it is hoped that this research will produce
data that is in accordance with the situation in the field.
b. Research Location
Based on the subject and object of this research, the research will be conducted in
the city of Bandung, West Java through in-depth interviews or focus group discussions
with participants who have direct experience related to feelings of insecurity.
Research Analysis Unit
To be able to see the components or focus being studied, the researcher must
determine a research analysis unit that can be in the form of a group, individual, object,
or event background that is taken into account as the subject of the research (Hamidi in
(Aisah & Soedarsono, 2022). The sub-analysis in this study refers to a more detailed data
analysis process to understand the dynamics of insecure behavior in adolescents in the
city of Bandung. In conducting a sub-analysis, researchers will identify, classify, and
analyze various aspects related to insecure behavior. This helps to dig deeper into the
The Role of Family Communication in Insecure Adolescents in the City of Bandung
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understanding of how and why feelings of insecurity arise, as well as their impact on the
teen's life.
Data Collection Methods
Interview
The method of collecting data through in-depth interviews is often the main
approach in qualitative research. Kriyantono (in Ardianto, 2014:132) explained that in-
depth interviews are a data collection technique that is carried out directly through an
intense and thorough face-to-face dialogue between researchers and resource persons to
gather all relevant information or explore aspects that have not been previously revealed.
In the in-depth interview process, the researcher and the resource person are involved in
a focused discussion that does not deviate from the research topic, but the researcher
needs to maintain neutrality and not judge the response of the resource person (Rojabi,
2019).
Study Book
The researcher uses the Literature study method to collect various materials and
references that are relevant to the research problem. George (in Djiwandono, 2015: 201)
revealed that a literature study is an effort to find information or the views of experts on
a topic related to the purpose of research. The purpose of conducting a literature study is
to ensure that scientific works have a solid and quality basis. The sources used as literature
studies in this study include research journals, books, and internet articles.
The selection of research journals as one of the sources of literature study is carried
out because these journals tend to have high-quality standards and have gone through an
accreditation process both at the national and international levels. Meanwhile, books are
chosen because they are usually intended for general readers so that the language used
tends to be easier for many people to understand. Then, the internet is also chosen as a
source of literature study because of its ease of access in finding the latest references and
information. In today's digital era, the internet has become an indispensable source of
information and is relied on by the public.
Data Analysis Techniques
Qualitative data analysis is an essential process for researchers in compiling and
organizing data obtained through interviews, field notes, and documentation. This process
is carried out to find certain patterns and categorize the data so that it is easier for readers
and other researchers to understand, according to Sugiyono's explanation as mentioned
by Aisah & Soedarsono (2022). The data analysis technique in the research "The Role of
Family Communication in Insecure Adolescents in the City of Bandung" is a thematic
analysis. In this technique, data obtained from in-depth interviews or focus group
discussions will be compiled, organized, and analyzed thematically. Researchers will
look for patterns that appear repeatedly in the data, be it in the form of words, phrases, or
certain concepts related to insecure behavior. After the identification of patterns is carried
out, the researcher will conduct an in-depth interpretation and analysis of the findings to
understand more deeply the role of family communication in adolescents in the city of
Bandung.
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Results and Discussion
Supporting Informant Data 1
Bayu Rizky is the eldest of 3 siblings. Currently, Bayu has the status of a fresh
graduate and is waiting for the time for graduation to look for job vacancies. Bayu has
just completed his final project from Telkom University by taking the Communication
Science study program. Bayu often experiences insecurity in terms of achievements. He
often compares and feels insecure when he sees other people who are the same age as him
but can get things that he has not been able to get. Meanwhile, in family communication,
Bayu always receives support and support from parents, he considers that communication
in the family is very active and open. Bayu's family communication often occurs through
family WhatsApp groups, where they exchange stories and inform them of their situation,
position, and others.
Table 1
Supporting Informant Data 1
Name
Bayu Rizky
Age
23 Years
Department/University
Communication Sciences/Telkom
University
Parents
Shekinah
Interview Time
July 27, 2024 at 15.30 WIB
Interview Location
Google Meeting
Supporting Informant Data 2
Sarah is the eldest of 4 siblings. Currently, Sarah is a final student in Law at
Parahyangan Catholic University. He had said that he often felt insecure about the lecture
he was currently undergoing. Sarah often compares her achievements to those of her
peers. As for communication within the family, he assessed that his communication with
his family tends to be closed because his family still implements an authoritarian
parenting style.
Table 2
Supporting Informant Data 2
Name
Sarah Naibaho
Age
22 Years
Department/University
Law/Parahyangan Catholic University
Parents
Ask Yuliana Siregar
Interview Time
July 25, 2024, at 19.30 WIB
Interview Location
Sarah Cost
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Supporting Informant Data 3
Ceila is the first of 2 children. Currently, he is a fresh graduate and waiting for
graduation time to find a job. Ceila studied D3 majoring in English at the Bandung State
Polytechnic for 3.5 years. Often Ceila feels insecure when she sees that her peers have
gotten things that she has not been able to get. Ceila assessed that communication in the
family was very open because Ceila's parents always gave time and space for discussion.
Table 3
Supporting Informant Data 3
Name
Ceila Herliani Putri
Age
21 Years
Department/University
English/Bandung State Polytechnic
Parents
Leila Persian
Interview Time
July 26, 2024, at 19.00 WIB
Interview Location
Ceila House
Supporting Informant Data 4
Rizky Yasir is the eldest of 3 siblings. Currently, he is a fresh graduate from the
Department of Communication Sciences at Pasundan University and is waiting for
graduation. Rizky is also looking for a job while waiting for graduation time in
November. Rizky often experiences insecurity regarding his achievements. He admitted
that as a man he was very insecure when it came to his career. Meanwhile, Rizky assessed
that his communication with his family tended to be closed and his parents' parenting
style was very based on Islamic law.
Table 4
Supporting Informant 4
Name
Rizky Yasir
Age
22 Years
Department/University
Communication Sciences/Pasundan
University
Parents
Hudaepah
Interview Time
July 27, 2024
Interview Location
Google Meeting
Expert Informant Data
Mrs. Septiani Ayu Nawangsari is a family clinical psychologist at a family learning
center in Nganjuk Regency, East Java. He has been a psychologist since 2022. In addition
to being a psychologist at a family learning center, she also became a psychologist and
opened an online practice at WorkLife Balance Indonesia.
Table 5
Expert Informant Data
Name
Septiani Ayu Nawangsari, M.Psi.,
Age
28 Years
Interview Time
July 25, 2024 at 16.00 WIB
Interview Location
Google Meeting
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After interviews with three key informants, three supporting informants, and one
expert, the researchers managed to gather the necessary data for the study. Interviews are
conducted both in person and via Zoom, with different schedules. All interviews were
conducted according to the availability of informants to participate in this study.
In this section, the researcher will explain "The Role of Family Communication in
Insecure Students in Bandung" Next, the researcher will explain the analysis of the results
of the interviews that have been conducted.
Rejection or Failure
Rejection or failure is an experience that can be one of the factors for someone
experiencing insecurity (Melanie in Science, 2022)
Bayu said that he once felt a failure in his environment which caused Bayu to feel insecure
and made it difficult for Bayu to take action or decisions.
Rejection or Failure
Failure or rejection can be one of the causes of a person feeling insecure or insecure
(Melanie in Imi, 2022). This can lower an individual's self-esteem and affect changes in
attitudes and sentiments. In this study, adolescents often felt unsuccessful in their social
environment. This is due to overthinking and fear that they will not be able to achieve
their desires according to their expectations. As a result, late adolescents tend to be
reluctant to try new things because of the more dominant shadow of failure and rejection.
This is felt by Bayu's informant, who often feels like a failure because when he is
about to do something for the first time and does not meet his target, he immediately feels
that he has failed. Meanwhile, informant Sarah feels that failure comes from her social
environment which can achieve things faster than her, but this is triggered by a family
communication pattern where her parents always have high expectations of her. However,
this is not in line with the way of communication of Sarah's family who do not listen to
Sarah's wishes and impose what they want, so Sarah does this without having a passion
for it. Meanwhile, Ceila's informant feels like a failure when something does not meet her
expectations. In line with Ceila's informant, Rizky also often feels like a failure when
everything he does does not meet his expectations. From the perspective of parents as
informants, they stated that they have tried to always discuss with teenagers before
making decisions. They believe that understanding and getting to know children is an
effective solution that parents can do to reduce adolescents' doubts when making
decisions, to minimize the fear of failure or rejection.
Furthermore, this study found a new concept that shows a link between feelings of
insecurity and decision-making in late adolescence. When teenagers experience feelings
of insecurity, they tend to hesitate to make their own decisions because they are worried
that the decision will lead to failure. As a result, they often seek validation and
encouragement from others to feel more confident in their own opinions. This opinion
was reinforced by an expert informant, Mrs. Nawang, who stated that teenagers who feel
insecure tend to be hesitant in making decisions and often feel insecure when faced with
situations that require choices. This causes when they are faced with a choice and
experience doubts, it will be difficult to communicate by asking their parents' opinions.
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So when they experience doubts but cannot communicate with parents who may provide
good insight and when children ask for opinions from their friends who are not necessarily
friends who give good opinions.
Ibu Nawang, a family clinical psychologist, also stated that failure or rejection can
affect a person's self-perception. If adolescents often feel defeated and rejected, they may
develop a perception that they have no value and think the world is evil to them, as well
as feel insecure because they consider themselves unreliable and unable to rely on anyone.
Therefore, the role of parents is very important to overcome this from an early age.
Parents need to build consistent communication between mom and dad and provide
affection and motivation. The goal is to help teens change their perspective and realize
that they are valuable and have potential.
The Existence of Social Anxiety
Social anxiety can be one of the factors that cause a person to feel insecure (Melanie
in Ilmi, 2022). This is due to the fear of being judged by others. This anxiety can cause
fear that makes a person avoid social environments because they feel uncomfortable. In
this study, the informants shared their experiences about the anxiety they experienced.
Although the feelings of anxiety they feel vary, many experience them, especially in an
academic context. Each informant also has a different way of coping with anxiety. Bayu
chose to take a break from social media and do self-reflection, remembering the
achievements that have been achieved to be grateful. Unlike Bayu, Sarah usually reads
verses from her religious book to remind herself that everyone has their own time.
Meanwhile, Ceila and Rizky prefer to keep themselves busy and interact with others,
because according to them, the more alone they are, the greater the insecurity they feel.
In addition, feelings of insecurity can cause individuals to experience anxiety in
communicating with others. This communication anxiety is also known as
communication apprehension, which is a feeling of fear, nervousness, and anxiety when
trying to communicate or interact with others. Based on the results of the study, a new
concept was found that showed that social anxiety was related to family communication
patterns. The communication pattern received can create positive relationships in
adolescents. Research shows that communication between late teens and parents tends to
be positive and open, which helps reduce feelings of insecurity in teens.
This is supported by the opinion of Nawang's mother, a family clinical psychologist,
who said that during adolescence, parents need to establish communication more often
because this is a crucial period for children to explore themselves. Even though teenagers
can make their own decisions, parents still need to provide direction for those decisions.
In addition to implementing positive communication, it is also important to give children
the opportunity to make decisions. Parents must try to put themselves in the child's shoes
so that they can understand what they are thinking and feeling. If communication in the
family is not positive, for example, adolescents are rarely appreciated, often compared
and not allowed to make their own decisions, this can make them insecure because they
feel they have no control over their lives, so it can trigger feelings of insecurity in
adolescents.
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In a study by (Shobur, 2022), anxiety is considered a part of every individual,
especially when faced with unclear and uncertain situations. Meanwhile, research by
Imelia and Oxianus Jeffrey (2020) on family communication reveals that effective
communication is characterized by understanding, which can generate fun, influence
attitudes, improve good social relationships, and ultimately generate action. One of the
important needs of a child is to have good and quality communication with parents. From
this, it can be concluded that social anxiety can affect individual feelings and moods, so
the role of parents is needed in building communication when adolescents experience
anxiety.
Perfectionism Push
The urge for perfectionism can be one of the causes of a person feeling insecure.
This feeling will arise when an individual sets very high standards in all aspects, but it
turns out that the results obtained are not to his expectations. If this happens continuously,
it will cause feelings of disappointment and a tendency to blame yourself when you don't
achieve this. In this study, the four informants who experienced insecurity agreed that
their feelings of insecurity indirectly made them perfectionists because they were afraid
to receive criticism and opinions from others about themselves or what they were doing.
This causes them to set their standards and maximize their ability to do things so as not
to get criticism from others.
The study found a new concept that suggests that the drive for perfectionism can
influence family communication patterns and foster feelings of insecurity in late
adolescence. (Krisnana, Rachmawati, Kurnia, Ubudiyah, & Putri, 2021). This happens
because of the differences in communication patterns between parents and children who
come from different generations, which often makes parents have high expectations for
their children. As a result, adolescents feel the need to meet these expectations, which
then triggers feelings of perfectionism. From a parent's point of view, three of them argue
that they do not place high demands on their children, although they admit that they have
high expectations. They feel that every parent wants their children to be better in various
ways and be proud. However, Celia's parents have a different view; They do not set high
expectations or demands, as long as the child is willing to try, it is enough for them.
(Lopez-Zafra et al., 2019).
The study found a new concept that suggests that the drive for perfectionism can
influence family communication patterns and foster feelings of insecurity in late
adolescence. This happens because of the differences in communication patterns between
parents and children who come from different generations, which often makes parents
have high expectations for their children. As a result, adolescents feel the need to meet
these expectations, which then triggers feelings of perfectionism. From a parent's point
of view, three of them argue that they do not place high demands on their children,
although they admit that they have high expectations. They feel that every parent wants
their children to be better in various ways and be proud. However, Ceila's parents have a
different view; They do not set high expectations or demands, as long as the child is
willing to try, it is enough for them.
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The research is supported by the opinion of Nawang's mother, a clinical
psychologist, who states that to overcome feelings of insecurity, late teens often set very
high standards for themselves to look perfect. To overcome this feeling of perfectionism,
support from parents is needed who can explain so that the impact of feelings of insecurity
is not more negative. In addition, the tendency to be a perfectionist can also stem from
previous experiences where adolescents felt rejected by their environment when they
were in the exploration phase. These experiences can form the tendency of perfectionism
in adolescents.
Research published in the Journal of the Post (2023) also supports this view,
showing that feelings of insecurity often make a person feel dissatisfied with their
accomplishments. As a result, the individual tends to be a perfectionist and tries to perfect
everything to feel satisfied. Therefore, it can be concluded that perfectionist tendencies
indirectly contribute to the development of feelings of insecurity in adolescents.
The Role of Family Communication in Insecure Adolescents
Family communication is the initial foundation of the socialization process.
Through observation and interaction with family members, individuals begin to learn
about communication. In family communication, there is a pattern based on parental
parenting. Differences in communication patterns in family communication, especially
parent-to-child communication, also affect how children communicate with their parents.
In contrast to the communication pattern applied by informants Bayu and Ceila,
informant Sarah considers that the communication pattern between her and her parents is
authoritarian. This communication pattern tends to be controlling and has strict rules. So
when Sarah's informant's insecure feelings began to bother her very much, Sarah was not
free to convey these feelings to her parents. Where parents should be our first place when
we need opinions and exchange ideas. However, unlike Mrs. Pinta's view as Sarah's
mother, Mrs. Pinta feels open with her child and she considers that whenever her child
needs a storymate, she will open a discussion room when her child needs it.
On the other hand, informant Rizky felt that his parents had an ignorant
communication pattern, too liberating Rizky to do anything to the point where Rizky felt
neglected by his parents. Based on the communication pattern carried out by Rizky's
parents, Rizky's parents apply a permissive communication pattern, where parents who
apply this communication pattern provide more independence to their children but tend
to ignore their children. In line with the results of the study, where when Rizky was
experiencing insecurity, he could not express what he felt because the response he got
from his parents did not by his expectations, and finally Rizky's feelings of insecurity
could not be overcome.
Based on the results of the research, it can be considered that the role of
communication in the family is very important. But besides being important, parents must
be able to choose and apply which communication pattern is best for their child. From the
results of the research, the democratic communication pattern is the communication
pattern that is best applied in family communication. Based on the results of interviews
Dian Yohana Giovani Lumban Siantar, Rita Destiwat
Indonesian Journal of Social Technology, Vol. 5, No. 12, December 2024 5594
with the four informants who experienced insecurity, informants Bayu and Ceila were
better able to overcome their feelings of insecurity.
This is supported by the opinion of Mrs. Nawang an expert informant who said that
in family communication, parents must be able to provide an open discussion space to
their children so that when children feel insecure, parents are the first place to discuss.
This is also to prevent children from bad things that can come from others when the child
cannot get comfort from his parents. Authoritarian communication patterns are
communications that tend to hurt children, because in the opinion of Mrs. Nawang as an
expert informant, this authoritarian communication pattern is a one-way communication
pattern where parents always manage children according to their wishes only. This has a
negative impact because when parents are not around, a child who experiences insecurity
will be more confused in making decisions.
Morrison (in Nurunnisa, 2015) explained that meeting children's needs should be
done in a family environment because parents' experience and guidance will shape
children's lives. The family should ideally be a place where children get affection,
protection, health, education, and even conflict that will enrich their experiences. Social
interaction in the family does not happen out of nowhere but is driven by shared goals
and needs among family members. Therefore, this interaction requires a good
communication pattern.
Conclusion
Based on the results of research involving interviews, observations, and literature
studies on "The Role of Family Communication in Insecure Adolescents in the City of
Bandung," it can be concluded that family communication with a good pattern can help
adolescents who feel insecure. Adolescents interpret insecurity as a feeling of insecurity
and insecurity. The study identified three main dimensions that contribute to feelings of
insecurity in adolescents: failure or rejection, social anxiety, and the drive for
perfectionism. Based on the results of the interviews conducted, researchers found that
the experience of failure or rejection felt by adolescents can cause them to feel inferior.
This then continues with feelings of inadequacy in various aspects, and if it occurs
continuously, can increase feelings of insecurity. For social anxiety, adolescents feel
pressure from their social environment to meet certain expectations. These feelings cause
fear, anxiety, and overthinking, which makes late adolescents avoid social environments
because they feel uncomfortable. Lastly, the drive for perfectionism causes teens to set
very high standards for themselves. When they feel incapable of achieving these
standards, they experience feelings of insecurity. Indirectly, this feeling of insecurity
makes late adolescents become perfectionists because they are afraid of criticism and
other people's opinions about themselves. In addition, the study reveals new findings that
show a link between feelings of insecurity and decision-making processes in adolescents.
Teens who feel insecure tend to need validation and support from others to feel confident
in their own decisions. They often seek opinions and encouragement from friends and
The Role of Family Communication in Insecure Adolescents in the City of Bandung
Indonesian Journal of Social Technology, Vol. 5, No. 12, December 2024 5595
family to make sure that the choices they make are the right ones. The involvement of
others in this decision-making process provides a sense of security and reduces the doubts
they feel. These findings emphasize the importance of positive social and environmental
support in helping adolescents develop confidence and independence in making
decisions. As well as the family communication patterns accepted by late adolescents can
also increase the chances of creating positive relationships with them. Based on the results
of the study, communication between late adolescents and parents tends to be positive
and open. This openness allows teens to feel heard and valued, which ultimately helps
reduce feelings of insecurity. When teens feel comfortable talking to their parents about
various issues and concerns, they are more likely to develop confidence and a sense of
security. Open and supportive communication patterns create an environment where teens
can share their thoughts and feelings without fear of being judged. This not only
strengthens the relationship between adolescents and parents but also helps adolescents
form stronger identities and confidence.
Dian Yohana Giovani Lumban Siantar, Rita Destiwat
Indonesian Journal of Social Technology, Vol. 5, No. 12, December 2024 5596
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