The Influence of Family Communication on the Independence and Decision-making of the Youngest Child Among 12th-grade Students at SMA Xaverius Bandar Lampung

This study aims to analyze the influence of family communication on the independence and decision-making of the youngest child among 12th-grade students at SMA Xaverius Bandar Lampung. The youngest child often treated differently within the family structure, which can influence their ability to develop autonomy and make responsible decisions. Family communication plays a crucial role in shaping a child’s confidence, behavior, and mental readiness in facing various life situations. This study adopts a quantitative research approach with a survey method. Data werw collected through questionnaires distributed to 58 12th-grade students who are the youngest children in their families. The data were the analyzed using multivariate regression to examine the relationship between family communication, independence, and decision-making. The analysis revealed that family communication has a significant effect on both variables. For the independence variable, the t-value was 5,827 with a significance level of 0,000, indicating a statistically significant relationship. Similarly, for the decision-making variable, the t-value was 7,673 with significance of 0,000, confirming a strong influence. Furthermore, simultaneous testing using Wilk’s Lambda resulted in a value of 0,467 with a significance level of 0,000, demonstrating that family communication significantly affects bot independence and decision-making together. Based on these findings, the study concludes that there is a significant positive relationship between effective family communication and the development of independence and decision-making abilities in the youngest child.