The Effectiveness of Group Counseling in Improving the Self-Esteem of Junior High School Students Experiencing Body Shaming
Keywords:
Group Counseling, Self-Esteem, Junior High School Students, Body ShamingAbstract
The phenomenon of body shaming, which is prevalent among adolescents, has a profound impact on psychological development, especially on self-esteem. This study aims to determine the effectiveness of group counseling services in improving the self-esteem of students who are victims of body shaming. The method used is quantitative with a pre-experimental one-group pretest-posttest design. The research sample consisted of 8 students selected through purposive sampling. Data analysis using the paired sample t-test showed a significant increase in self-esteem (p = 0.000). All four aspects of self-esteem, namely power, significance, virtue, and competence, increased after the intervention. The results of the study concluded that group counseling services are effective in improving the self-esteem of students who experience body shaming. These findings contribute theoretically by reinforcing the effectiveness of group counseling in educational settings and emphasising the importance of a humanistic approach in psychosocial interventions. Practically, this study serves as a reference for guidance and counseling teachers in designing more systematic services to support students' mental health and a basis for developing programs to prevent body shaming in schools.
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