The Phenomenon of Social Media Addiction among Adolescents: Implications for Guidance and Counselling Services

Low self-confidence constitutes a significant psychological barrier impeding students' English language learning outcomes, particularly in speaking contexts. While digitally based guidance and counseling services have emerged as promising interventions for addressing psychological challenges, empirical evidence regarding their effectiveness in enhancing self-confidence specifically for English learning remains limited, particularly in Indonesian educational contexts. This study employed a mixed-methods design combining a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest control group approach with phenomenological inquiry. Seventy-eight secondary school students were randomly assigned to experimental (n=38) and control (n=40) groups. The experimental group received an 8-week digital counseling intervention comprising synchronous online sessions, asynchronous messaging support, psychoeducational modules, virtual peer support groups, and self-monitoring tools. Data were collected using the Self-Confidence in English Learning Scale (SCELS) and semi-structured interviews with 14 participants. Quantitative data were analyzed using mixed-design ANOVA, while qualitative data underwent thematic analysis. The analysis revealed a significant group × time interaction effect (F(1,76)=62.71, p