Analisis Penggunaan WhatsApp dalam Efektivitas Komunikasi Interpersonal Siswa Madrasah Aliyah Negeri Binjai dengan Guru Bimbingan Konseling

Abstract

This research is titled "An Analysis of WhatsApp Usage in the Effectiveness of Interpersonal Communication Among Students of Madrasah Aliyah Negeri Binjai" and aims to examine the extent to which the use of the WhatsApp application affects the effectiveness of interpersonal communication between students and Guidance and Counseling (BK) teachers. This study is based on the theory of interpersonal communication by Joseph A. DeVito, which emphasizes five key elements: openness, empathy, support, positive attitude, and equality. By using a qualitative method, data were collected through observation, interviews, and documentation involving six student informants who actively used WhatsApp in the counseling process. The research findings indicate that WhatsApp has proven to be a fast, flexible, and easily accessible communication medium, thus facilitating student interaction with BK teachers, especially in situations where there are time constraints, location barriers, or psychological obstacles to meeting face-to-face. However, the effectiveness of interpersonal communication through WhatsApp varies among informants. Three informants admitted they did not feel open, did not perceive empathy, and lacked support from BK teachers when communicating via WhatsApp, while the other three informants felt more open, received empathy, and felt supported. Nevertheless, all informants agreed that a positive attitude and equality could still be felt during the communication process. This confirms that interpersonal communication through text-based media like WhatsApp can still occur; however, its effectiveness greatly depends on the fulfillment of the five principles of interpersonal communication. When one or more of these elements are not fulfilled, communication may still take place in a technical sense, but its effectiveness and relational quality will significantly decline. Therefore, interpersonal communication through WhatsApp may technically occur, but its effectiveness will be greatly reduced if DeVito’s five principles are not met. Communication that lacks openness, empathy, emotional support, a positive attitude, and equality will merely become an exchange of information without the ability to create the psychological and emotional closeness that is the essence of true interpersonal communication, particularly in the context of educational counseling.