Reluctance Towards Counseling in Indonesian Fatherless Young Adults

The presence of both parents is essential for a child’s development, yet various factors can lead to fatherlessness, placing individuals at risk of mental health issues. However, despite the risks faced, fatherless Indonesian young adults display relatively low participation in counseling. This study aimed to assess the impact of fatherlessness on Indonesian young adults aged 19-29 years and investigate their reluctance towards counseling. Through semi-structured qualitative interviews with 10 participants, this research seeks to explore the nature of fatherlessness, its emotional and social impacts, coping mechanisms, and attitude toward mental health and counseling while also determining the barriers faced by the participants to attend counseling, which includes stigma and negative perception, lack of information and awareness, financial barriers, and procedural complexities were identified as barriers to attend counseling programs. Recommendations include increased promotion of free counseling programs and the development of more accessible mental health programs. This study contributes to enriching the literature on fatherlessness, highlights the need for better mental health awareness, and provides insights for improving counseling services for Indonesian fatherless young adults.