| dc.description.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. | en_US |
