NETRALITAS KONSELOR GENERASI DIGITAL: KAJIAN BIAS BUDAYA DAN ETNOSENTRISME DALAM KONSELING MULTIKULTURAL

Abstract

The rapid development of digital technology has transformed adolescents’ cultural identities, communication patterns, lifestyles, and social interactions. This phenomenon presents significant challenges for counselors in maintaining neutrality during multicultural counseling processes. Counselors frequently encounter unconscious cultural bias and ethnocentric perspectives that may negatively affect counseling relationships and reduce the effectiveness of interventions. This study aims to analyze the dynamics of counselor neutrality, cultural bias, and ethnocentrism in counseling services for the digital generation. The method used was a literature review approach based on national and international scientific articles published within the last six years. The findings indicate that cultural bias in counseling may appear through stereotyping, moral judgment, communication barriers, and limited cultural sensitivity toward clients from diverse backgrounds. Ethnocentrism also influences counselors’ perspectives in interpreting clients’ problems, particularly in digital culture contexts such as social media identity, online interaction, and virtual self-expression. Furthermore, multicultural counseling competence, cultural humility, self-awareness, and reflective practice are essential factors in improving counseling effectiveness in the digital era. This study concludes that counselor neutrality is not merely professional objectivity but also requires deep cultural awareness and multicultural competence to create inclusive, empathic, and culturally responsive counseling services