The Role of Self-Leadership in Public Health: Controversies in Stunting Prevention Efforts by Village Development Non-Commissioned Officers (Babinsa)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.59888/ajosh.v4i4.663Keywords:
Self-Leadership, Public Health, Controversy, Indonesian Army, Village Officers, Stunting PreventionAbstract
Stunting is a significant health problem in Indonesia, particularly in rural areas. This study emphasizes the self-leadership of Babinsa (village supervisory non-commissioned officers)—as street-level actors—in stunting prevention in Indonesia. It aims to explore the role of village development non-commissioned officers (NCOs) of the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI), known as Babinsa, in stunting prevention efforts by examining how a self-leadership model can enhance their effectiveness in addressing this public health challenge. This study used a qualitative approach with a case study design, focusing on Babinsa in Magelang Regency, Central Java. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with key informants, including Babinsa, Posyandu cadres, village midwives, village officials, and families of stunting sufferers. Thematic analysis was used to identify key themes and insights from the data. The findings revealed that Babinsa (village-based non-commissioned officers) who applied self-leadership principles demonstrated increased adaptability in implementing stunting prevention strategies tailored to community needs. However, challenges such as bureaucratic constraints and limited resources impacted the effectiveness of these efforts. Collaboration between Babinsa, health workers, and community members proved crucial for successful interventions, highlighting the importance of cultural sensitivity and community engagement. The study concluded that implementing a self-leadership model by Babinsa could significantly improve their effectiveness in stunting prevention. Insights from this study can inform policymakers and practitioners in designing better training programs and support systems to reduce the prevalence of stunting in Indonesia.
References
Abera, M., Hardy-Johnson, P., Abdissa, A., Workicho , A., Ali, R., Weller, S., Fall, C., Kehoe, S.H., Barker, M., & Haileamlak , A. (2020). Influence social , economic and cultural to nutrition and activity physique adolescents in Jimma, Ethiopia: perspectives from teenagers and caregivers They . Public Health Nutrition , 24(16), 5218–5226. https://doi.org/10.1017/s1368980020001664
Abdurachman , D., Ramdhan, R.M., Karsoma, A., Winarno, A., & Hermana, D. (2023). Integration of Leadership in Job Demand-Resources (JD-R) for Personal Performance in Military Institutions. Sustainability , 15(5), 4004. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15054004
Ahmad, S., Lavin, A., Purdy, S., & Agha, Z. (2017). Unsupervised real-time anomaly detection for streaming data. Neurocomputing, 262, 134–147. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neucom.2017.04.070
Amundsen, S., & Martinsen, Ø. L. (2014). Empowering leadership : Clarification construct , conceptualization , and validation scale new . The Leadership Quarterly , 25(3), 487–511. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.leaqua.2013.11.009
Amundsen, S., & Martinsen, Ø. L. (2015). Connect Leadership Empowerment with Job Satisfaction , Work Effort , and Creativity . Journal Leadership & Organizational Studies , 22(3), 304–323. https://doi.org/10.1177/1548051814565819
Arifin , Z. (2022). The Role of Babinsa in Flood Disaster Management Efforts and Its Implications for Regional Resilience (Study on Babinsa Kodim 0501/Central Jakarta BS). National Resilience Journal, 28(2), 241. https://doi.org/10.22146/jkn.77296
Bakker , L. (2016). Organized Violence and the State. Bijdragen Tot de Taal-, Land- En Volkenkunde / Journal Knowledge Southeast Asian Humanities and Social Sciences , 172(2–3), 249–277. https://doi.org/10.1163/22134379-17202001
Barnes , CY, & Henly, JR (2018). “They’re Underpaid and Understaffed”: How Clients Interpret Encounters with Street Bureaucrats. Journal Administrative Research and Theory Public , 28(2), 165–181. https://doi.org/10.1093/jopart/muy008
Bau er, M.S., Damschroder, L., Hagedorn, H., Smith, J., & Kilbourne, A.M. (2015). Introduction knowledge implementation for non- specialists . BMC Psychology , 3(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-015-0089-9
Baum er , EPS, Mimno , D., Guha, S., Quan, E., & Gay, G.K. (2017). Comparing grounded theory and modeling topic : Divergence extreme or uncontrolled convergence Maybe ? Journal of the Association for Information Science and Technology , 68(6), 1397–1410. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1002/asi.23786
Be al, T., Tumilowicz , A., Sutrisna , A., Izwardy , D., & Neufeld, L.M. (2018). Review factor Determinants of stunting in children in Indonesia . Maternal & Child Nutrition , 14 (4). Portico . https://doi.org/10.1111/mcn.12617
Belotto , M. (2018). Data Analysis Methods for Study Qualitative : Managing Coding Challenges , Inter-Rater Reliability , and Analysis Thematic Report Qualitative . https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2018.3492
Bendell, BL, Sullivan, DM, & Marvel, MR (2018). A Gender-Aware Study of Self -Leadership Strategies Among Businessman Develop Fast . Journal Small Business Management , 57(1), 110–130. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1111/jsbm.12490
Benn, S., Todd, L.R., & Pendleton, J. (2010). Corporate Social Responsibility in Interview Public Relations [ dataset ]. In PsycTESTS Dataset. American Psychological Association (APA) . https://doi.org/10.1037/t35767-000
Bhutta , Z.A., Akseer, N., Keats, E.C., Vaivada, T., Baker, S., Horton, S.E., Katz, J., Menon, P., Piwoz, E., Shekar, M., Victora, C., & Black, R. (2020). How countries can reduce child stunting at scale: lessons from exemplary countries. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition , 112, 894S-904S. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/nqaa153
Bjornestad , A., Olson, S., & Weidauer, L. (2021). Improving officer-soldier communication through active listening skills training with Army ROTC cadets. Military Psychology, 33(3), 205–215. https://doi.org/10.1080/08995605.2021.1902179
Boerma , T., AbouZahr , C., Evans, D., & Evans, T. (2014). Monitoring Intervention Coverage in the Context of Universal Health Coverage. PLoS Medicine , 11(9), e1001728. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1001728
Bracht , E.M., Keng-Highberger, F.T., Avolio, B.J., & Huang, Y. (2021). Taking a "Selfie": Examining How Leaders Emerge from Leader Self-Awareness, Self-Leadership, and Self-Efficacy. Frontiers in Psychology , 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.635085
Carpino , C., Mora, D., & De Simone, M. (2019). Regarding the use of questionnaires in residential buildings. Review of collected data, methodology, and objectives. Energy and Buildings , 186, 297–318. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2018.12.021
Caste llano, S., Chandavimol, K., Khelladi, I., & Orhan, M.A. (2021). The impact of self-leadership and shared leadership on the performance of virtual R&D teams. Journal of Business Research , 128, 578–586. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2020.12.030
Chabibah , IFA, Anggraeny, D., & Irot, RA (2023). Optimizing the Role of Posyandu Cadres in Providing Nutrition Education and Stimulation as Prevention and Handling of Stunting. ABDIMAS: Jurnal Pengabdian Masyarakat, 6(3), 4086–4092. https://doi.org/10.35568/abdimas.v6i3.3487
Coast , J., Al? Janabi , H., Sutton, E.J., Horrocks, S.A., Vosper, A.J., Swancutt, D.R., & Flynn, T.N. (2011). Using qualitative methods for attribute development in discrete choice experiments: issues and recommendations. Health Economics , 21(6), 730–741. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1002/hec.1739
Cohen , E. (2022). Printable Table of Contents: Informing Science Journal, Volume 25, 2022. Informing Science: An Emerging Transdisciplinary International Journal , 25 , . i - iii. https://doi.org/10.28945/4904
Colo vic , A. (2022). Leadership and business model innovation in SMEs entering the internationalization phase. Long-Term Planning , 55(1), 102083. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lrp.2021.102083
Cranmer , G.A., Goldman, Z.W., & Houghton, J.D. (2019). I'll do it myself: self-leadership, proactivity, and socialization. Leadership & Organization Development Journal , 40(6), 684–698. https://doi.org/10.1108/lodj-11-2018-0389
Daniel s, MA, & Greguras , GJ (2014). Exploring the Nature of Power Distance. Journal of Management , 40(5), 1202–1229. https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206314527131
Dannh auer , P. (2022). Elite role conceptions and Indonesia's role in the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific: reclaiming leadership. The Pacific Review , 37(1), 30–55. https://doi.org/10.1080/09512748.2022.2125999
De Onis, M., & Branca, F. (2016). Stunting in children : a global perspective . Maternal & Child Nutrition , 12(S1), 12–26. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1111/mcn.12231
De Weger, E., Van Vooren, N., Luijkx , K.G., Baan, C.A., & Drewes, H.W. (2018). Achieving successful community engagement: a rapid realist review. BMC Health Services Research , 18(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-018-3090-1
Den is, J.-L., Langley, A., & Sergi, V. (2012). Leadership in Plural Forms . Academy of Management Annals , 6(1), 211–283. https://doi.org/10.5465/19416520.2012.667612
Dhali wal , I., & Hanna, R. (2014). Deal with the Devil: The Successes and Limitations of Bureaucratic Reform in India. National Bureau of Economic Research . https://doi.org/10.3386/w20482
Head , BW, & Alford, J. (2013). Problems complicated . Administration & Society , 47(6), 711–739. https://doi.org/10.1177/0095399713481601
Efthimiou , O. (2017). Ecology heroic : leadership embodied heroics and sustainable futures . Journal of Sustainability Accounting, Management, and Policy , 8(4), 489–511. https://doi.org/10.1108/sampj-08-2015-0074
Ehrensal , KN (2018). Review Book : The stupidity paradox: The power and traps of functional stupidity at work. Learning Management , 50(3), 378–380. https://doi.org/10.1177/1350507618756796
El-Ghafar Saad, AA (2020). Early Intervention Proposal Assisting Special Needs Children and Empowering Families. Journal of Pediatrics Research Reviews & Reports, 1–41. https://doi.org/10.47363/jprrr/2020/ppt/1013
Ellis, K. (2011). 'Street-Level Bureaucracy' Revisited: The Changing Face of Frontline Discretion in Adult Social Care in England. Social Policy & Administration , 45(3), 221–244. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9515.2011.00766.x
Falvo , I., Fiordelli , M., Amati, R., Ibnidris , A., Albanese, E., & Fadda, M. (2021). Understanding Participant about Agreement Based on Information in Epidemiology Studies about Prevalence Dementia : A Qualitative Study . Frontiers in Psychiatry , 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.656822
Feaver , PD (2011). The right to Getting It Right: Civil- Military Relations and the Decision to Attack Iraq . Security International , 35(4), 87–125. https://doi.org/10.1162/isec_a_00033
Fleming , W., King, B., Robinson, K., Wade, E., Erickson, B., Delie, J., de Ycaza, R., Trimbach, D., Spalding, A., & Biedenweg , K. (2022). Whether No there is the word " I " in team ? Potential bias in interview informant key moment request individual For represent perspective collective . PLOS ONE , 17(1), e0261452. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0261452
Forss , K. (2020). From Measuring Impact to Understanding Change. Long Term Perspectives in Evaluation, 186–201. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003058250-12
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Muryanto, Ratminto Ratminto, Hakimul Ikhwan, Umi Listyaningsih
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International. that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work.
