The Phenomenon of Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) as a Mental Health Challenge for the Young Generation: Integration of Basandi Syarak Traditional Values, Syarak Basandi Kitabullah in Modern Counseling

Abstract

The development of digital technology has given rise to the phenomenon of Fear of Missing Out, which poses a significant challenge to the mental health of the younger generation. Western-based counseling approaches ften face cultural barriers, as they do not fully address the roots of clients' local wisdom. In contrast to previous studies that tend to discuss the philosophy of Adat Basandi Syarak, Syarak Basandi Kitabullah in a normative manner or FoMO solely from a clinical perspective, the novelty of this research lies in its effort to translate these traditional values into clinical psychological constructs. This study aims to formulate an equocultural counseling intervention model through a synthesis of literature from seven recent studies. The findings indicate that ABS-SBK values have the potential to be operationalized into contextually relevant counseling techniques. Raso Pareso is translated as a cognitive empathy technique to reduce upward social comparison, while Baso Basi is formulated as an emotional regulation strategy to manage digital impulsivity. In addition, the concept of qana'ah is understood as a form of mindfulness and an internal locus of control, which conceptually can help reduce dependence on external validation. Thus, this integrative framework offers an alternative approach to counseling assessment and intervention that is more contextually grounded in addressing mental health challenges in the digital era.