As part of the contemporary counseling forum titled “From Individual Balance to Family Resilience,” faculty members and students from the College of Education at Al-Zahraa (peace be upon her) University for Women participated, in coordination with the University Psychological Counseling Unit, in the third session organized by the Department of Family Guidance and Counseling.

 

The session witnessed notable academic attendance and active engagement from university students, including participants from the College of Basic Education at the University of Babylon (Department of Special Education) and from the University of Karbala (College of Humanities – Department of Educational and Psychological Sciences), alongside staff and students from Al-Zahraa University.

 

The lecture addressed the concept of “liquid modernity” and examined the impact of digital transformations and algorithms on shaping the awareness of female university students. It also highlighted the role of Social Comparison Theory in constructing self-image within the standards imposed by social media, along with the psychological and cognitive challenges associated with it.

Furthermore, the session discussed key implications of these phenomena, such as feelings of inferiority, cognitive dissonance, and distorted self-image, leading to digital psychological alienation, in addition to the influence of advertisements and echo chambers in reinforcing cognitive biases.

 

The session concluded with an interactive intellectual competition and the provision of direct counseling consultations, aiming to enhance students’ psychological and social awareness and to reinforce concepts of balance and identity amid contemporary challenges.