POLA KOMUNIKASI KELUARGA DALAM MENENTUKAN STUDI LANJUT SISWA SMKN 1 MATARAM

In the midst of the growing interest among vocational high school (SMK) students to pursue higher education, the role of communication within the family becomes highly significant, especially in the educational decision-making process. This study aims to describe the patterns of family communication in determining further study choices among students at SMKN 1 Mataram. The research employs a descriptive qualitative approach using a case study method. The subjects consist of three families of Accounting Department students at SMKN 1 Mataram, selected purposively. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and observation, and then analyzed using the interactive analysis technique by Miles and Huberman.
The results show that family communication patterns are divided into three categories according to the Family Communication Patterns theory by Elizabeth Ellis: authoritarian, permissive, and democratic. Each pattern has a different impact on students’ motivation, self-confidence, and decisions to continue their education to a higher level. These findings emphasize the importance of open, supportive, and dialogical communication patterns in the digital era to help students optimally determine their educational future.