Digital Counseling and Social-Emotional Learning Training to Improve Empathetic Communication Among Guidance Counselors with Generation Alpha
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.30822/berbakti.v4i1.5350Keywords:
Digital Counseling; Digital Empathy; Generation Alpha; Guidance and Counseling; Social Emotional Learning.Abstract
Generation Alpha, as individuals raised entirely within a digital ecosystem, is particularly susceptible to mental health disturbances resulting from non-empathic communication in digital spaces. However, the majority of school counselors in Indonesia have yet to develop adequate competencies in empathic digital communication, digital counseling, and Social Emotional Learning (SEL) tailored to the distinctive characteristics of Generation Alpha. This community service program aimed to enhance the empathic digital communication competencies of school counselors within the Guidance and Counseling Teachers' Forum (MGBK) of Maros Regency through an integrated training program combining digital counseling and SEL approaches. The program was conducted on April 22, 2026, at a public junior high school in Maros Regency, involving 15 school counselors as participants. A participatory training method was employed, encompassing lectures, group discussions, simulations, and role-play activities. Data were collected using pretest and posttest instruments comprising 18 Likert-scale items measuring three core aspects: knowledge, attitude, and skills. The results demonstrated a meaningful improvement across all participants, with pretest scores previously distributed within the low and moderate categories shifting entirely to the high and very high categories following the training. These findings confirm that the integrated training program effectively strengthened school counselors' empathic digital communication competencies. Furthermore, this program produced a practical training model that MGBK can adopt as a reference framework for reinforcing empathic and responsive digital counseling services in addressing the needs of Generation Alpha students.
Downloads
References
Amalia, D., & Rahmadania, F. W. (2024). Interpersonal Communication Skills Dalam Menjembatani Generation Gap Antara Guru Dan Siswa Sdit Cahaya Ilmu. 435Jurnal Rectum, 6(3), 435–442. https://doi.org/http://dx.doi.org/10.46930/jurnalrectum.v6i3.5439P
Ann Rose, E., & Thomas, M. R. (2024). Generation Alpha and Learning Ecosystems: Skill Competencies for the Next Generation. In F. Al Husseiny & A. S. Munna (Eds.), Advances in Educational Marketing, Administration, and Leadership (pp. 19–46). IGI Global. https://doi.org/10.4018/979-8-3693-1536-1.ch002
Anwar, F. (2022). Generasi Alpha: Tantangan dan Kesiapan Guru Bimbingan Konseling dalam Menghadapinya. At-Taujih: Bimbingan dan Konseling Islam, 5(2), 68. https://doi.org/10.22373/taujih.v5i2.16093
Ayu, S. P. (2025). Digital Empathy dan Moral Elevation: Implikasi untuk Pendidikan dan Pengembangan Karakter Siswa: Penelitian. Jurnal Pengabdian Masyarakat dan Riset Pendidikan, 4(2), 12329–12335. https://doi.org/10.31004/jerkin.v4i2.3743
Budau, C. (2024). Identity and Representation in the Virtual Environment of Generation Alpha, Current Theory. International Journal of Academic Research in Progressive Education and Development, 13(3), Pages 1595-1604. https://doi.org/10.6007/IJARPED/v13-i3/21865
Čekić, E. (2025). Virtual Empathy: A Systematic Review of the Impact of Digital Communication on Interpersonal Relationships and Social Dynamics. International Journal of Psychology, 10(2), 11–29. https://doi.org/10.47604/ijp.3320
Çiğdem Apaydin, & Kaya, F. (2020). An Analysis Of The Preschool Teachers’ Views On Alpha Generation. European Journal of Education Studies. https://doi.org/10.5281/ZENODO.3627158
Collins, A. M., Warburton, W. A., Sweller, N., & Bussey, K. (2026). Development of digital empathy: Non-linear relationships between daily digital communication time and digital empathic tendencies. Computers in Human Behavior, 182, 109007. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2026.109007
De Corte, K., Buysse, A., Verhofstadt, L. L., Roeyers, H., Ponnet, K., & Davis, M. H. (2007). Measuring Empathic Tendencies: Reliability And Validity of the Dutch Version of the Interpersonal Reactivity Index. Psychologica Belgica, 47(4), 235. https://doi.org/10.5334/pb-47-4-235
Elfasalamah. (2025). Hiperrealitas Dunia Virtual Generasi Alpha Pada Media Sosial Tiktok (Studi Pada Smp Negeri 29 Rejang Lebong). Institut Agama Islam Negeri Curup.
Fitri, N. K., Pratama, F. H., Purnomo, F., Roby, A. B., Hasanah, A., & Mangundjaya, W. L. (2025). Evaluasi Pelatihan: Menelaah Reaksi Peserta dan Proses Pembelajaran sebagai Indikator Efektivitas Pelatihan. Jurnal Komunikasi Dan Ilmu Sosial, 3(2), 83–89. https://doi.org/10.38035/jkis.v3i2.2185
Iswatiningsih, D., Melati, I. K., & Zahidi, M. K. (2024). Dinamika Bahasa Visual Dan Digital Pada Generasi Alpha Dalam Komunikasi Sehari-Hari Di Media Sosial. 11(2).
Kurniawan, D., & Rojabi, M. A. (2026). Youtube Kids: Seni Mengkurasi Eksplorasi Digital Bagi Generasi Alpha. Afdan Rojabi.
Mujiyati, Utaminingsih, D., Aghniarrahmah, C., Ubaidillah, M., & Abung, M. (2025). Penguatan Peran Guru Dalam Menangani Masalah Sosial Emosional Anak Melalui Pelatihan Komunikasi Empatik Dan Pembelajaran Bermakna. Bagimu Negeri: Jurnal Pengabdian Masyarakat, 9(2), 1171–1179.
Mulyono, K. B. & Kusumantoro. (2025). Penguatan Kapabilitas Social Emotional Learning Guru Ekonomi untuk Optimalisasi Kurikulum Merdeka. Ihsan: Jurnal Pengabdian Masyarakat, 7(1), 80–86.
Oktaviani, E. C. (2025). Inovasi Media Layanan Bimbingan Dan Konseling Berbasis Digital Melalui Instagram Dan Whatsapp Di Mtsn 6 Sumedang. Jurnal Bimbingan Penyuluhan Islam, 07(02).
Piccerillo, L., & Digennaro, S. (2025). Adolescent Social Media Use and Emotional Intelligence: A Systematic Review. Adolescent Research Review, 10(2), 201–218. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40894-024-00245-z
Purnomo, A., Huda, M. A., Agnesti, S. A. D., & Fathoni, T. (2025). Mengidentifikasi Kebutuhan dan Tantangan Peserta Didik sebagai Solusi Bimbingan Konseling di Sekolah. AL-MIKRAJ Jurnal Studi Islam dan Humaniora, 5(2), 140–148. https://doi.org/10.37680/almikraj.v5i2.6288
Richerme, L. K. (2022). The Hidden Neoliberalism of CASEL’s Social Emotional Learning Framework: Concerns for Equity. Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education, (232), 7–25. https://doi.org/10.5406/21627223.232.01
Septiani, A. R., Hendracipta, N., Rachmani, A., & Setiawan, S. (2025). Kompetensi Pedagogik Guru dalam Pengelolaan Kecerdasan Emosional Peserta Didik Generasi Alpha di Kelas I SDN Tegalkembang. CJPE: Cokroaminoto Juornal of Primary Education, 8(4).
Setiyadi, D., & Jumaedi, J. (2025). Kepemimpinan yang Menghidupkan: Transformasi SDM Melalui Nilai, Empati, dan Karakter. Alung Cipta.
Susanta, V. A. (2021). Pemahaman Para Guru Kristen Tentang Keterampilan Komunikasi Empati Terhadap Pelayanan Pastoral Di Sekolah Kristen Se-Kota Denpasar. Jurnal Teologi Dan Pendidikan Agama Kristen, 1(1), 1–17.
Umar, N. F., Rafli, M., Mentari, N. N., Rahayu, H., & Fahira, N. (2023). Examining Gender Microaggressions In Academic Settings: An Analysis Of Types And Factors Contributing To Gender Inequality Among Teachers In Schools. Counsenesia Indonesian Journal Of Guidance and Counseling, 4(1), 22–31. https://doi.org/10.36728/cijgc.vi.2498
Umar, N. F., Zulfikri, Aswar, Amirullah, M., & Fitriana. (2025). PkM Pelatihan Penulisan Buku dan Artikel Ilmiah Berbasis AI untuk MGBK Kota Makassar. Jurnal IKRA-ITH ABDIMAS, 9(3), 438–446.
UNICEF. (2021). The State of the World’s Children 2021: On My Mind – Promoting, Protecting and Caring for Children’s Mental Health. United Nations Children’s Fund. https://www.unicef.org/reports/state-worlds-children-2021
Wijayanto, P. W., Wikusna, W., & Qana’a, M. (2026). Transformasi Bimbingan Konseling Inovatif Berbasis Digital untuk Penguatan Literasi Mental Health Siswa SMK Plus Al Aitaam Bandung. Abdimas Galuh, 8(1).
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Nur Fadhilah Umar, Siska Putri Ayu, Arbain Fajar Andi Hamid, Yulianti Yusal
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
