Predictors of Deviant Behavior Justification among Muslims: Sociodemographic Factors, Subjective Well-Being, and Perceived Religiousness

Current evidence supports how deviant behavior can be predicted by sociodemographic factors, subjective well-being, and perceived religiousness. However, there is limited research when it concerns specificity such as Muslims justifying deviant behavior, and their subjective well-being and perceived religiousness within a single study. Most studies used Christian population or using a non-denominational approach. Therefore, in this study, data from World Value Survey Wave 6 was used to examine the Muslim population (N = 20,559) and deviant behavior justification. Sociodemographic factors, subjective well-being (life satisfaction, happiness, and state of health), and perceived religiousness (prayer frequency and importance of God in life) were hypothesized as predictors. Results revealed that these hypotheses are supported. However, many of these predictors are weak, having minimal effect. This is with the exception of having the worldview of God being important in one’s life, being both a strong and statistically significant predictor of deviant behavior justification. The more a person views God being important in life, the more it predicts a decrease in deviant behavior justification. This research provides a novel finding on the belief-behavior nexus, specifically concerning Muslims justifying deviant behavior when two forms of perceived religiousness—ritualistic and worldview—are being compared.

The Role of Demographic Characteristics and Spiritual Dimensions in Predicting Empathy: A Study in Muslim Pre-Service Teachers

Although many studies have examined the relationship between spirituality and empathy, very few studies have focused on demographic and spiritual dimensions in influencing empathy for pre-service teachers. This study analyzes the effect of gender, age, and years of formal education on spirituality and empathy and analyzes the influence of the spiritual dimensions on empathy. This research is a cross-sectional study, with 319 Muslim pre-service teachers as respondents. The data collection technique used an online questionnaire adapted from the Spirituality Assessment Scale (SAS) and the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI). The results show that age affects spirituality, while empathy is influenced by age and gender. One unanticipated finding was that years of formal education had no effect on either spirituality or empathy. The most important finding of this study is the higher the level of innerness, the more likely it is to have high empathy. This study's findings are useful as an assessment material and creating counseling designs to increase empathy for pre-service teachers. This is a part of forming the ideal profile of counselors in schools later. Integrating Islamic values ​​is also an essential alternative in counseling for Muslims.

Efficacy of Online Group Counseling with Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Approach to Enhance Students’ Humility

Character building is an important part of the counseling services in the schools. Humility is a character strengths as a basic development others virtue. This study aims to examine the effectiveness of online group counseling with mindfulness-based cognitive approach to enhance students' humility. This study is pretest posttest control group design with 16 students who divided in to experimental and control groups. To measure the students' humility, authors used 32 items of humility scale (α = .901). Furthermore, to measure mindfulness skills using children and adolescence mindfulness measurement (α = .790). Based on the results of the paired t-test data analysis, obtained the pretest – posttest (t = 18,391; p = .56), posttest – follow up (t = -5,769; p = .001), and pretest – follow up (t = -30.549; p = .001). There was a significant change in the humility score which marked by (p < .05). Comparison analysis between the control group (MD = 12.62; SE = .87; p = .001) was interpreted as a significant increase change in the students' humility. In addition, there is a significant interaction between students' humility in the group as evidenced by (F (2,4) = 56,764, P = .001, Ƞp2 = .73). As the result, there is a significant change in mindfulness group counseling effect on increasing humility and has a large interaction effect.

The Impact of Self-Management Techniques to Improve University Students’ Social Cognition

The background of the current study is the urgency of possessing good social cognition to adapt to the social changes that are happening quickly. Weak social cognition makes individuals less in empathy, aggressive or unhappy in their daily life. The link between self-management and social cognition lies in cognitive adjustment. Hence, the authors think it is important to do research that focuses on the implementation of counseling with self-management techniques in developing social cognition. The authors aimed to investigate the effectiveness of self-management in improving social cognition. The present study used one group pretest-posttest quasi-experiment. We invited 10 students from Universitas Ma'soem, Indonesia to participate in the experiment. They were selected based on a low social cognition score after filling the self-report of nineteen items social cognition scale. The results showed counseling with self-management techniques effective in improving university students' social cognition. Besides, limitations and recommendations are discussed.

Development of Parental Efficacy Scale to Measure Parents’ Involvement Capabilities in Elementary Education

Parental involvement had benefit for the education of elementary children. Yet, knowing parental efficacy was important factor to do such involvement. The purpose of this study was to design and examine a practical, valid, and reliable parental efficacy scale for measuring parents’ capabilities to involve in elementary education. A total of 402 parents of elementary children participated in this study, consisting of 114 fathers (28.36%) and 288 mothers (71.64%). They were selected randomly from 10 elementary schools and fulfilled informed consent showing they participated voluntarily in the study. A Parental Efficacy Scale which had been designed was tested for its practicality, validity and reliability. This self-report instrument asked parents to respond 67 items containing six aspects, namely their belief to be able parenting children, communicating with the school, helping children learn at home, becoming school volunteers, making decisions, and collaborating with community. The results showed that the scale fulfilled all of three requirements in all six aspects.

Identification of Perceived Self-Efficacy to Predict Student’s Awareness in Career Readiness

Research found that self-efficacy has an important role in the development of students’ career cognitive skills. Besides, there still needs further research in self-efficacy, particularly in career readiness. The authors conduct this continuing study is to determine the effect of understanding perceived self-efficacy on student’s awareness in career readiness (mastery experience, vicarious experience, social persuasion, and emotional arousal). Data collected using a self-report of the Self-Efficacy Scale in Career Readiness (SESCR), semi-structured interview, and observation of student’s behavior between both participants with the high and low level of self-efficacy. In the current study, 100 students involved based on their convenience. Results showed that 66% of participants have a high mastery experience, 69% with high vicarious experience, 76% have a high percentage in social persuasion, and 70% have a high level of emotional arousal to understanding their career readiness. The results also showed perceived self-efficacy predicts student’s awareness of career readiness based on gender.

Impact of Cognitive Restructuring and Token Economy Techniques on Truancy Reduction among Secondary School Students in Lagos State, Nigeria

This study examined the impact of cognitive restructuring and token economy techniques on the reduction of truancy among secondary school students in Lagos State, Nigeria. The study adopted a pre-test, post-test, control group design with a multistage sampling technique as the sampling method. Judgmental sampling technique was used to select two from the six Education Districts in Lagos State, simple random sampling technique was adopted to select six schools; three schools from each of the two Education Districts and 170 truants out of the 216 randomly selected based on the class attendance register completed the study. Truancy Behaviour Questionnaire (TBQ) with a reliability index of .87 was the instrument for the study. Data were analysed and presented with descriptive and ANOVA statistics at .05 level of significance. Findings showed that the two techniques were effective for the reduction of truancy but the token economy technique had a better effect. Sex had no significant effect on the reduction of truancy but females play truants more than males. Based on the findings, the token economy therapy was recommended as an ideal technique for counselling and guiding students against truancy.

The Mediation Effect of Moral Disengagement on Spiritual-Religious Attitudes and Academic Dishonesty among Guidance and Counseling Students

Academic dishonesty is a morality problem that is often found in every level of education. It becomes a concern among guidance and counseling practitioner in the educational context. Regarding previous studies, spiritual-religious attitudes and moral disengagement predict individuals’ academic dishonesty. To complete the gap of those studies, the current study investigated the role of moral disengagement to mediate the relationship between spiritual-religious attitudes and academic dishonesty in university students. There were 292 respondents from four universities in Semarang participated in this study. The authors used a cross-sectional study and utilized google form to collect the data. The authors conducted three analyses, regression-based path analysis, mediation analysis using bias-corrected and bootstrapping. The results showed that there was a direct relationship among all variables, but they're found no mediation effect on moral disengagement. These findings imply the importance of counseling services to preserve students’ morality so they could avoid academic dishonesty.

Students’ Career Understanding and Career Decision Making Self-Efficacy in Junior High School

This study aimed to determine students’ career understanding on the career decision making self-efficacy of Junior High School students in Central Java Province. The study used qualitative method, comparative test for data analysis, and self-efficacy scale to collect the career decision making data of students who have and have not gained career understanding. In this way, Bandura’s theory of self-efficacy was used as a framework theory, while cluster random sampling was employed to collect the study sample (N = 311). The data collection was done through a direct survey using 25 questions regarding career decision making self-efficacy (CDSE-SF) and career understanding questionnaire. Based on the data analysis, the researchers found significant differences in CDSE-SF results of students who have gained career understanding and not, including (1) Understanding of various alternative jobs (t(311) = 4.911, p < .000), (2) Information on the world of work requirements (t(311) = 4.602, p <.000), (3) Information on job vacancies (t(311) = 4.111, p < .000), and (4) Understanding of job qualifications (t(311) = 3.460, p < .001). These findings recommend the students to improve their career decision making using career guidance and counseling strategies in form of various alternative services, such as career counselling services, group guidance, classroom service, and even support from other parties.

Self-Compassion and Forgiveness among Senior High School Students: A Correlational and Comparative Study

The problem of low self-compassion and forgiveness in schools causes students to often feel stress and depression, blame themselves, and label themselves to do self-harm. The inability to accept oneself leads to the rejection of unpleasant experiences, failure, and imperfection. This study aims to examine the relationship between self-compassion and forgiveness among students at three Senior High Schools located in the City of Semarang, Indonesia. There were 178 students who were involved in this study with the age range from 14 to 17 years old. The authors used the self-compassion scale, which has 26 items by measuring six sub-aspects including self-kindness, self-judgment, common humanity, isolation, mindfulness, and over-identification. The author used 10 items of the trait forgiveness scale (TFS). The results showed that there is a positive relationship between self-compassion and forgiveness and showed no differences between self-compassion and forgiveness when viewed by gender.