Article RETRACTED due to malpractice The role of school counseling in advancing equality in student participation: a systematic review

Introduction: Many middle‐school students disengage from physical education (PE) for reasons beyond fitness—fear of judgment, body-image concerns, prior negative experiences, and a weak sense of belonging. This review explores school counseling as a practical pathway to make PE participation genuinely equitable. Objective: To examine school counseling as both a developmental service and an instructional partner that promotes equality in PE participation by strengthening psychological readiness, fostering inclusive class climates, and sustaining engagement. Methodology: A scoping review synthesized literature from 2015–2025 across peer-reviewed journals, institutional reports, and locally relevant Indonesian sources. Evidence was coded in NVivo and organized around four lenses: (a) psychological barriers and self-efficacy, (b) social inclusion and participation inequality, (c) counselor–PE teacher collaboration and inclusive pedagogy, and (d) equitable participation outcomes. Results: Counseling consistently reduced performance anxiety and lifted self-efficacy among reluctant participants. Brief group sessions, goal-setting check-ins, peer-buddy systems, restorative circles, and flexible assessment correlated with steadier attendance, greater task engagement, and more minutes of moderate-to-vigorous activity. Joint planning between counselors and PE teachers normalized mixed-ability activities and widened access for girls, students with higher body weight, those with mild disabilities, and low-SES groups. Discussion: Counseling operates as a lever for equity—most effective when embedded in daily PE routines, supported by inclusive assessment, and reinforced by whole-school commitment. Conclusions: Position counseling as part of PE’s equity toolkit. Co-designed programs, routine screening for participation barriers, shared professional development, and simple monitoring of participation gaps can reduce disparities and strengthen students’ readiness to move, learn, and belong.