Bulletin of Counseling and Psychotherapy

Does Depression Influence Academic Stress Among University Students Through Anxiety?

2026-04-15T02:22:13+07:00

This study investigates how depression contributes to academic stress among university students, with anxiety functioning as a mediating factor. The research arises from growing concerns about students’ emotional challenges linked to demanding academic expectations and post-pandemic adjustment. Using a quantitative design, the study involved 76 undergraduates recruited through purposive sampling. Standardised measures of depression, anxiety, and academic stress were administered, and the data were analysed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) in SmartPLS 4. The findings showed that depression significantly predicted academic stress (β = 0.352, p = .003) and strongly increased anxiety levels (β = 0.642, p < .001). Anxiety also contributed to academic stress (β = 0.380, p < .001) and served as a partial mediator between depression and academic stress (β = 0.244, p = .004). The model displayed moderate explanatory power (R² = 0.440). Overall, the results support Lazarus and Folkman’s (1984) transactional stress model and Beck’s (1979) cognitive theory, highlighting the interaction of cognitive and emotional factors. Practically, the study underscores the importance of counselling approaches that strengthen cognitive–emotional regulation and promote mental health literacy in universities.

The Influence of Survival-Safety Skills on Adolescents’ Involvement in Promiscuity and Premarital Sexual Behavior

2026-04-15T02:31:56+07:00

This study aims to explore how cultural and religious values shape the Career Search Efficacy of vocational high school students (SMK) in Banda Aceh, Indonesia. Employing a descriptive exploratory qualitative approach, data were collected through semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions (FGDs) involving 15 students from grades XI–XII and two guidance and counseling teachers. The findings reveal that Career Search Efficacy is deeply embedded within Acehnese cultural norms, including Islamic principles, family decision-making traditions (musyawarah), and informal social interactions such as discussions in coffee shops. The analysis identified four main dimensions of Career Search Efficacy influenced by the cultural context: career exploration, interviewing efficacy, networking efficacy, and personal exploration. The novelty of this study lies in its integration of religious dimensions and local cultural practices into the framework of Career Search Efficacy, an aspect that remains underexplored in both national and international scholarship. The findings underscore that the career development of vocational students is not merely an individual process but also a social construction shaped by communal values and spiritual beliefs. Nevertheless, the limited number of participants and the contextual nature of this study highlight research gaps that should be addressed in future investigations using mixed-methods designs and broader participant coverage to obtain more generalizable results. Practically, this study contributes to the development of culturally responsive career guidance services and supports the integration of local wisdom into vocational education practices.

Conflict Resolution Model: Strategies for Handling Verbal Violence in High School Students in Majene Regency

2026-04-21T11:32:45+07:00

Verbal violence among high school students has become a significant problem in the educational environment, affecting students' mental health, academic performance, and social relationships. This study aims to develop a conflict resolution model for addressing verbal violence among high school students in Majene Regency. Verbal violence remains a prevalent issue in school environments, often manifested through ridicule, insults, threats, and discriminatory remarks based on ethnicity, religion, race, and intergroup relations. This study employed a research and development approach using the ADDIE model, which consists of analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation stages. Data were collected through observations, interviews, and documentation involving students, teachers, and guidance and counseling practitioners. The developed model integrates peer mediation, restorative justice, and collaborative negotiation to promote constructive conflict resolution. The validation results indicate that the model is both theoretically sound and practically feasible for implementation in schools. The findings suggest that the model contributes to reducing verbal violence, improving students’ social interactions, and fostering a more inclusive school climate. Therefore, this model can serve as an alternative approach for guidance and counseling services in addressing verbal violence in educational settings.

When AI Joins the Counseling Room: Students’ Trust, Disclosure, and Therapeutic Alliance in AI-Assisted Counseling

2026-04-21T15:28:34+07:00

The growing use of artificial intelligence in psychological support has positioned AI-assisted counseling as a promising approach to expand access, reduce stigma, and provide immediate support for students. However, counseling is not merely a technical process; it is fundamentally relational, requiring trust, self-disclosure, and therapeutic alliance to function effectively. Despite increasing interest in AI-based mental health services, limited research has specifically examined how these relational dimensions interact in student populations. This study aimed to investigate students’ trust, disclosure, and therapeutic alliance in AI-assisted counseling, as well as the relationships among these variables. A cross-sectional field survey was conducted with 1,284 undergraduate students from 12 universities across Indonesia. Data were collected using structured Likert-scale instruments and analyzed through descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression. The findings showed that students reported moderately positive levels of trust, disclosure, and therapeutic alliance. Trust was positively associated with disclosure and therapeutic alliance, while trust and disclosure jointly predicted therapeutic alliance. These findings suggest that AI-assisted counseling may serve as a valuable initial support tool, but its effectiveness depends heavily on relational acceptance.

Second Career Readiness After Retirement: Self-Efficacy, Positive Expectations, and Clear Goal Aspect

2026-04-22T14:48:45+07:00

This study aims to analyze the readiness of second careers after retirement among members of the Juang Kencana Community of Badan Kependudukan dan Keluarga Berencana Nasional (BKKBN) Jambi Province. Using a mixed-methods approach with concurrent design, quantitative data were collected from 31 retirees through questionnaires, while qualitative data were obtained through in-depth interviews with key informants. The findings reveal that overall, second career readiness is in the high category, with 58.06% of participants demonstrating strong self-efficacy, positive expectations, and clear goals. Self-efficacy emerged as the strongest aspect (70.97% high), followed by outcome expectations (61.29% high), while goals were relatively weaker (54.84% high). Qualitative findings support this by showing that retirees who remain engaged in entrepreneurial or organizational activities feel healthier, more motivated, and socially supported, although challenges such as declining business income, limited participation of community leaders, and irregular activity implementation persist. The novelty of this study lies in its integration of quantitative indicators and qualitative insights, highlighting the importance of family support, community involvement, and organizational platforms in strengthening second career readiness. The implications suggest that policymakers and community organizations should design programs that not only provide economic opportunities but also foster mental resilience and social engagement for retirees, ensuring their continued contribution to society.

Group Guidance Gratitude Intervention Technique to Improve the Meaning of Life of Inclusive Students

2026-04-28T17:04:22+07:00

The existence of meaning of life is an aspect that plays a very important role in well-being and self-achievement, for inclusive students, physical limitations experienced directly or indirectly will cause various psychological problems to arise, including tending to have psychological problems such as feeling anxious, tending to withdraw from social circles, being apathetic and having a bad outlook on life on oneself. This study tested the ability of group guidance services with gratitude intervention techniques in improving the meaning of life of inclusive students, with the pre-experimental design method through four times of providing group guidance services with gratitude intervention techniques to inclusive students in Central Java, with the meaning of life questionnaire instrument and observation resulting in data on significant changes before and after treatment, namely the Z value of 2,731 with an Asymp Sig value = 0.000 <0.05, pretest of 85.4 and posttest 123.1. The results of the analysis indicate that Group Guidance with Gratitude Intervention Techniques effectively has significant effectiveness in improving the Meaning of Life of Inclusive students in Central Java.

AI Chatbot Acceptance and Self-Disclosure among Guidance and Counseling Students: Testing the Technology Acceptance Model in Counselor Education

2026-04-30T09:30:01+07:00

Self-disclosure is a core competency in counseling, yet many students experience psychological barriers, such as fear of judgment and stigma, that inhibit openness. AI-powered counseling chatbots directly facilitate self-disclosure by providing a non-judgmental and anonymous environment that reduces these barriers. However, empirical evidence in counselor education remains limited. This study examines the role of Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) variables in predicting self-disclosure among 76 Guidance and Counseling students at Universitas PGRI Semarang using a cross-sectional design. Results showed moderate levels of perceived ease of use (M = 3.38), perceived usefulness (M = 3.46), attitude toward use (M = 3.18), and self-disclosure (M = 2.94). Correlation analysis revealed significant associations between perceived ease of use (r = 0.20, p = 0.043), perceived usefulness (r = 0.32, p = 0.002), attitude toward use (r = 0.39, p < 0.001), and self-disclosure. Regression results indicated that perceived usefulness (B = 0.29, p = 0.04) and attitude toward use (B = 0.31, p = 0.005) significantly predicted self-disclosure, explaining 35.8% of variance (R² = 0.36). These findings extend TAM by demonstrating that psychological acceptance and perceived value, rather than usability, are the primary drivers of self-disclosure in AI-mediated counseling.