Sangkan Paraning Dumadi: Penguatan Meaning of Life pada Generasi Z melalui Intervensi Berbasis Kearifan Lokal

Abstract

The acceleration of information flow, shifting social dynamics, and increasing academic and career demands in the era of disruption have positioned Generation Z in the midst of increasingly complex developmental challenges. These conditions contribute to a crisis of meaning in life, manifested in identity confusion, weak future orientation, and low quality of career decision-making. This study aims to conceptually examine the strengthening of meaning in life within school Guidance and Counseling services, particularly in the individual planning component, through the integration of a Javanese philosophical framework, Sangkan Paraning Dumadi. This study employs a literature review method, drawing on theories of meaning in life, existential psychology, adolescent development, and the implementation of school-based Guidance and Counseling services. The findings indicate that guidance and counseling services, which are often oriented toward technical and instrumental aspects, have not fully addressed students’ existential needs. The integration of Sangkan Paraning Dumadi offers a holistic framework that emphasizes self-awareness, the construction of life purpose, and contextually grounded self-actualization rooted in cultural values. This approach has the potential to strengthen students’ life orientation and enhance the quality of career decision-making in ways that are aligned with their personal values and cultural backgrounds. These findings provide a conceptual contribution to the development of meaning of life based guidance and counseling services that integrate local wisdom in addressing the developmental challenges faced by Generation Z.