Cognitive Restructuring and Late Adolescents Pornography Consumption: An Experimental Study

Abstract

The phenomenon of increasing exposure to pornography in late adolescence presents a serious challenge for counselors because it impacts motivation, behavior, and psychosocial development. This study aims to analyze the effectiveness of individual counseling using the Cognitive Restructuring technique in reducing pornography viewing intensity in late adolescents in the Sayang Jiwa dan Otak Community, and to examine the influence of gender differences on the success of the intervention. The research method used a Guidance and Counseling Action Research Approach with three late adolescent participants, who were selected purposively. Data were collected through observation, interviews, and measurements of pornography viewing intensity during pre-treatment, counseling sessions, and post-treatment. The results showed a positive change in motivation to reduce pornography viewing habits in all three participants. Pre-treatment, viewing intensity scores were in the moderate to high category (50.6%–73.5%). After two counseling sessions, there was a decrease in the percentage of DOM clients from the high category (73.5%) to the moderate category (55.6%), while SH and AL clients showed small but consistent changes. Differences in results between participants indicate that gender also influences counseling effectiveness, with male participants showing a faster decrease in intensity than female participants. These findings underscore that individual counseling using Cognitive Restructuring techniques is effective in helping late adolescents reconstruct maladaptive thought patterns related to pornography, although gender factors need to be considered in intervention strategies. This abstract is expected to encourage readers to further explore the role of cognitive approaches in addressing addictive behavior among adolescents.