A Comprehensive Review of Counseling’s Contribution to Student Character Development in University Education

Jeje Abdul Rojak; Abbas Sofwan Matlail Fajar; Didit Darmawan

Authors

Jeje Abdul Rojak Universitas Islam Negeri Sunan Ampel Surabaya
Abbas Sofwan Matlail Fajar Universitas Islam Tribakti Lirboyo Kediri
Didit Darmawan Universitas Sunan Giri Surabaya

Keywords:

university counseling, student character, moral development, emotional intelligence, ethical behavior, higher education, reflective practice

Abstract

This literature review investigates how counseling contributes to the character development of university students. With reference to various references. This study synthesizes conceptual frameworks, empirical findings, and applied models that explain the relationship between counseling practices and students' moral formation. Results indicate that counseling supports the development of emotional intelligence, moral reasoning, identity integration, and prosocial behavior. Counseling is recognized not merely as therapeutic support but as a structured educational function embedded in student affairs and developmental curricula. It assists students in navigating value conflicts, reinforcing ethical behavior, and fostering reflective judgment. The discussion reveals that the effectiveness of counseling depends on its institutional alignment, counselor competence, and adaptability to diverse student identities. Group counseling, digital platforms, and cross-cultural approaches expand the reach and relevance of character education through counseling. The review concludes that counseling provides a unique channel for instilling integrity and civic responsibility within academic settings and suggests further research into its long-term influence on personal and social ethics.

References

Adigwe, P., & Okoro, E. (2016). Human communication and effective interpersonal relationships: an analysis of client counseling and emotional stability. International Journal of Economics & Management Sciences, 5(03), 3-6.

Akrivou, K., & Bradbury-Huang, H. (2015). Educating integrated catalysts: Transforming business schools toward ethics and sustainability. Academy of Management Learning & Education, 14(2), 222-240.

Arnold, K., Altbach, P. G., & King, I. C. (2014). College student development and academic life: Psychological, intellectual, social and moral issues. London: Routledge.

Arredondo, P., Toporek, R., Brown, S. P., Jones, J., Locke, D. C., Sanchez, J., & Stadler, H. (1996). Operationalization of the multicultural counseling competencies. Journal of Multicultural Counseling and Development, 24(1), 42–78.

Astin, A. W. (1993). What Matters in College? Four Critical Years Revisited. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Bendermacher, G. W. G., oude Egbrink, M. G., Wolfhagen, I. H. A. P., & Dolmans, D. H. (2017). Unravelling quality culture in higher education: a realist review. Higher education, 73(1), 39-60.

Bringle, R. G., Brown, L. A., Hahn, T. W., & Studer, M. (2019). Pedagogies and civic programs to develop competencies for democratic culture and civic learning outcomes. Bordón: Revista de pedagogía, 71(3), 27-43.

Brown, D., & Srebalus, D. J. (1991). Introduction to the Counseling Profession. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Brown, J. D. (2019). Reflective practice of counseling and psychotherapy in a diverse society. UK: Palgrave Macmillan Cham

Brunstein, J., & King, J. (2018). Organizing reflection to address collective dilemmas: Engaging students and professors with sustainable development in higher education. Journal of Cleaner Production, 203(1), 153-163.

Carr, D. (2017). Virtue and character in higher education. British Journal of Educational Studies, 65(1), 109-124.

Chickering, A. W., & Reisser, L. (1993). Education and Identity (2nd ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Collins, S., Arthur, N., Brown, C., & Kennedy, B. (2015). Student perspectives: Graduate education facilitation of multicultural counseling and social justice competency. Training and Education in Professional Psychology, 9(2), 153-160.

Corey, G., & Corey, M. S. (1997). Ethics in Action: A Videotape and Workbook for Learning to Make Ethical Decisions. Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole.

Creswell, J. W. (2003). Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

Crossan, M., Mazutis, D., Seijts, G., & Gandz, J. (2013). Developing leadership character in business programs. Academy of Management Learning & Education, 12(2), 285-305.

Davis, J. (2015). The impact of role identity on student expectations. Higher Education, Skills and Work-Based Learning, 5(1), 42-52.

Eisenberg, N., & Fabes, R. A. (1998). Prosocial development. In W. Damon (Ed.), Handbook of Child Psychology (5th ed). New York: Wiley.

Farozin, M., Kurniawan, L., & Irani, L. C. (2020, August). The role of guidance and counseling in character education. In 2nd International Seminar on Guidance and Counseling 2019 (ISGC 2019) (pp. 112-116). Dordrecht, Netherlands: Atlantis Press.

Fichter, R. (2018). Do the right thing! Developing ethical behavior in financial institutions. Journal of Business Ethics, 151(1), 69-84.

Gazda, G. M., Ginter, E. J., & Horne, A. M. (2001). Group Counseling: A Developmental Approach. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

Gladding, S. T. (1996). Counseling: A Comprehensive Profession. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill.

Goleman, D. (1995). Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ. New York: Bantam Books.

Holland, M. M. (2015). Trusting each other: Student-counselor relationships in diverse high schools. Sociology of Education, 88(3), 244-262.

Jenney, T. J., The Impact of Mentoring Relationships in Respect to Character: Faculty Student Relationships as a Predictor of Pro-Social Character Development in College Students (December 22, 2011). Available at SSRN. https://doi.org/10.2139/SSRN.1975871

Kadieva, R. I., Shvedov, M. S., & Daitov, V. V. (2014). Professional development of university students. World Applied Sciences Journal, 30(30), 9-11.

Kahn, H. E., & Agnew, M. (2017). Global learning through difference: Considerations for teaching, learning, and the internationalization of higher education. Journal of Studies in International Education, 21(1), 52-64.

Killen, M., Elenbaas, L., & Rutland, A. (2016). Balancing the fair treatment of others while preserving group identity and autonomy. Human development, 58(4-5), 253-272.

Kleimann, B. (2016). University presidents as wise leaders? Aristotle's phrónêsis and academic leadership in Germany. In A handbook of practical wisdom (pp. 175-195). London: Routledge.

Kocamaner, H. (2017). Strengthening the family through television: Islamic broadcasting, secularism, and the politics of responsibility in Turkey. Anthropological Quarterly, 90(3), 675-714.

Kohlberg, L. (1981). Essays on Moral Development, Vol. I: The Philosophy of Moral Development. San Francisco: Harper & Row.

Komives, S. R., & Woodard, D. B. (2003). Student Services: A Handbook for the Profession (4th ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Loesch, L. C. (1980). Counseling and the instructional process: Toward integration. Personnel and Guidance Journal, 59(2), 88–91.

Maiese, M. (2016). Affective scaffolds, expressive arts, and cognition. Frontiers in psychology, 7(359), 1-11.

Mertens, D. M. (1998). Research Methods in Education and Psychology: Integrating Diversity with Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

Noddings, N. (1992). The Challenge to Care in Schools: An Alternative Approach to Education. New York: Teachers College Press.

Nogueiras, G., Iborra, A., & Kunnen, S. E. (2019). Experiencing transformative learning in a counseling masters’ course: A process-oriented case study with a focus on the emotional experience. Journal of transformative education, 17(1), 71-95.

O’Flaherty, J., & McGarr, O. (2014). The use of case-based learning in the development of student teachers’ levels of moral reasoning. European Journal of Teacher Education, 37(3), 312-330.

Oramas, J. E. (2017). Counseling ethics: Overview of challenges, responsibilities and recommended practices. Journal of Multidisciplinary Research, 9(3), 47-58.

Ozdemir, N. K., & İyiaydın, A. A. (2019). Ethical Decision Making for Risky Behaviors: A Model for School Counseling in Turkey. Ilkogretim Online, 18(3).

Paolini, A. (2019). Social Emotional Learning: Role of the School Counselor in Promoting College and Career Readiness. Anatolian Journal of Education, 4(1), 1-12.

Pascarella, E. T., & Terenzini, P. T. (1991). How College Affects Students: Findings and Insights from Twenty Years of Research. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Rest, J. R. (1986). Moral Development: Advances in Research and Theory. New York: Praeger.

Sampson, J. P., Jr., Kolodinsky, R. W., & Greeno, B. P. (2004). Counseling on the internet: Benefits and challenges. In G. R. Walz, J. C. Bleuer, & R. K. Yep (Eds.), VISTAS: Compelling Perspectives on Counseling 2004. Alexandria, VA: American Counseling Association.

Sanders, M. R., Turner, K. M., & Metzler, C. W. (2019). Applying self-regulation principles in the delivery of parenting interventions. Clinical child and family psychology review, 2019(22), 24-42.

Sue, D. W., & Sue, D. (1990). Counseling the Culturally Different: Theory and Practice (2nd ed.). New York: John Wiley & Sons.

Travis, R. (2013). Rap music and the empowerment of today’s youth: Evidence in everyday music listening, music therapy, and commercial rap music. Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal, 30, 139-167.

Vianden, J., & Barlow, P. J. (2015). Strengthen the bond: Relationships between academic advising quality and undergraduate student loyalty. The Journal of the National Academic Advising Association, 35(2), 15-27.

Warren, C. A. (2015). Conflicts and contradictions: Conceptions of empathy and the work of good-intentioned early career white female teachers. Urban Education, 50(5), 572-600.