Neurology & Neuroscience

Aromatherapy is a method of body care and disease treatment using essential oils. Aromatherapy is able to deliver a relaxing sensation that can affect psychic condition, memory and emotions of an individual. Within stable psychic condition, memory and emotions can indirectly increase concentration. Increased concentration will make it ease to focus when doing something, such as doing a test. Academic Potential Test is one of the method for measuring general cognitive ability that is specifically designed to predict learning potential in college. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of lavender aromatherapy towards Academic Potential Test scores of XII’s class senior high school student in Makassar. This study used a quasi-experimental design with a equivalent control group, one group pre-test and post-test group design. Sampling method used in this study is cluster random sampling method. The sample consisted of 28 students, enrolled in the class XII students of SMA Negeri 21 Makassar academic year of 2017/2018. The essential oil used was lavender. Using paired T test, this study found that there are significant effects between lavender aromatherapy application and potential academic test scores of class XII students of SMA Negeri 21 Makassar academic year of 2017/2018 with p value of p=0,000 (p<0,05). As much as 89,28% samples experience an increased results from the first to the second Academic Potential Test. Based on our experiment's findings, we suggest that aromatherapy can be a tool for increased concentration among student.