Corrections and Retractions

Corrections

Counseling Milenial (CM), published by Universitas Muhammadiyah Metro, Indonesia, is committed to maintaining the accuracy, transparency, reliability, and integrity of the scholarly record in guidance and counseling, psychology, educational psychology, and related educational disciplines.

The journal issues corrections when published articles contain errors or omissions that require transparent amendments but do not substantially compromise the reliability of the research findings or conclusions.

Corrections are handled in accordance with recognized publication ethics principles, including guidance from the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). Editorial decisions are based on the nature, significance, and impact of the error, regardless of whether it originated with the authors, editors, reviewers, or the publication process.

1. WHEN A CORRECTION IS APPROPRIATE

A correction may be issued when a published article contains errors or omissions that can be appropriately addressed without undermining the overall reliability of the research.

Examples include:

Errors in numerical values, statistical calculations, data labels, tables, figures, or supplementary materials that do not substantially invalidate the principal findings.
Inaccuracies in psychological assessment results, counseling intervention outcomes, research instruments, or data interpretation that can be corrected without compromising the overall conclusions.
Incorrect author names, institutional affiliations, correspondence information, or approved changes in authorship.
Missing or inaccurate funding information, acknowledgments, conflicts of interest, ethical approval information, or other required declarations.
Errors in references, citations, attribution, or factual statements requiring formal clarification.
Limited methodological or reporting errors for which a specific amendment adequately restores the accuracy of the published record.

A correction must not be used to conceal fundamentally unreliable research findings, serious methodological deficiencies, or substantial violations of research integrity.

When an error materially affects the interpretation or conclusions of an article, the editorial team must determine whether a correction is sufficient or whether further action, including retraction, is necessary.

Changes involving author eligibility, author order, or authorship contributions must follow the journal's applicable Authorship and Contributorship Policy.

2. REQUEST AND ASSESSMENT

Requests for corrections may be submitted by authors, readers, reviewers, editors, or other individuals who identify errors in published articles.

Correction requests should be submitted through the official editorial communication channels of Counseling Milenial (CM).

Journal Website: https://scholar.ummetro.ac.id/index.php/konselor/index

Requests should include:

The title of the published article and its DOI or other publication identifier.
Identification of the affected text, data, tables, figures, references, or supplementary materials.
A clear description of the error or omission.
The proposed correction or amendment.
Supporting explanations, documentation, or evidence demonstrating the need for correction.

Authors are responsible for promptly informing the editorial office when they discover significant errors or inaccuracies in their published work.

The responsible editor evaluates the nature and significance of the reported error and determines its potential effect on the reliability, interpretation, and conclusions of the article.

Where necessary, the editor may request clarification from the authors, consult independent specialists, or seek advice from relevant research integrity experts.

For studies involving guidance and counseling interventions, psychological assessments, or educational research, particular attention should be given to errors affecting participant characteristics, measurement validity, intervention procedures, statistical analyses, and reported outcomes.

When available evidence suggests broader research integrity concerns, the matter may be examined under the journal's Integrity Investigations Policy.

Authors should be consulted where appropriate; however, author agreement does not prevent the journal from issuing a necessary correction when justified by the evidence.

3. CORRECTION NOTICE

When a correction is warranted, Counseling Milenial (CM) publishes a formal correction notice to maintain transparency and preserve the accuracy of the scholarly record.

A correction notice should:

Clearly identify the original article, including its title, authors, publication details, and DOI.
Describe the specific error or omission being corrected.
Present the accurate information or necessary amendment.
Explain whether and how the correction affects the interpretation or conclusions of the study.
Identify the date of publication of the correction.
Be clearly labeled as a "Correction" or "Erratum," as appropriate.
Be freely accessible and permanently linked to the original published article.

Minor typographical, formatting, or technical errors that do not materially affect the scholarly content may be addressed through an appropriate administrative update or version note.

Substantive amendments must not be introduced silently or without an appropriate public record.

Requests involving author name corrections, including identity-sensitive name changes, must be handled respectfully, confidentially, and in accordance with applicable privacy considerations.

Public notices should not unnecessarily disclose previous personal information or the reasons for an identity-sensitive name change.

Retractions

Counseling Milenial (CM) recognizes retraction as an essential mechanism for maintaining the credibility, accuracy, and integrity of the scholarly publication record.

A retraction is issued when a published article contains substantially unreliable findings or serious research and publication integrity problems that cannot be adequately resolved through a correction.

The primary purpose of retraction is to inform readers, protect the scholarly record, prevent the continued reliance on unreliable research, and maintain confidence in scientific communication.

Retraction is a corrective editorial action rather than a punitive measure against authors.

The journal follows recognized publication ethics principles, including relevant COPE guidance, when evaluating and implementing retractions.

1. GROUNDS FOR CONSIDERATION

A published article may be considered for retraction when substantial evidence indicates one or more of the following:

Unreliable Research Findings: Major errors in research design, data collection, measurement, statistical analysis, or interpretation that substantially invalidate the study's findings or conclusions.
Data Fabrication or Falsification: Evidence that research data, participant responses, psychological assessment results, counseling intervention outcomes, or other research materials have been fabricated, manipulated, or misrepresented.
Plagiarism: Substantial unauthorized reproduction of another individual's work, ideas, text, data, or research findings without appropriate acknowledgment.
Duplicate or Redundant Publication: Substantial republication of previously published research without appropriate disclosure, justification, or editorial authorization.
Serious Research Ethics Violations: Significant ethical failures involving informed consent, participant protection, confidentiality, ethical approval, or responsible research practices.
Compromised Peer Review: Evidence of manipulated, fraudulent, or otherwise compromised peer-review or editorial procedures that leaves no adequate basis for confidence in the article's publication.
Copyright or Intellectual Property Violations: Unauthorized use of protected research materials, instruments, figures, or other intellectual property that cannot adequately be addressed through a narrower corrective measure.
Undisclosed Conflicts of Interest: Serious undisclosed competing interests that materially affect the reliability, interpretation, or editorial assessment of the research and cannot be adequately resolved through disclosure and correction.

For research in guidance and counseling, psychology, and educational psychology, serious concerns may also involve inappropriate psychological testing procedures, unauthorized disclosure of counseling records, violations of participant confidentiality, or unethical treatment of vulnerable research participants.

Such concerns warrant retraction when their seriousness and effect on the published record justify that action.

Retraction may result from honest errors as well as research misconduct. A finding of deliberate wrongdoing is not always necessary when sufficient evidence demonstrates that a publication is substantially unreliable.

2. DECISION SAFEGUARDS

Retraction decisions must be based on sufficient evidence, impartial evaluation, and appropriate editorial procedures.

The Editor-in-Chief or an authorized editor without a relevant conflict of interest is responsible for determining whether retraction is justified, with publisher support for implementing the decision.

The assessment process should include:

Examination of the available evidence concerning the reliability or integrity of the published article.
Evaluation of the seriousness and potential consequences of the identified problems.
Consultation with independent experts or relevant institutions when necessary.
Appropriate opportunities for the authors to respond to the concerns.
Consideration of whether correction, clarification, or another editorial action would adequately address the problem.
Documentation of the reasons supporting the final editorial decision.

A retraction must not be based solely on unverified allegations, personal disagreements, differences in defensible scientific interpretations, or authorship disputes that do not undermine the reliability or integrity of the publication.

Errors that can be adequately addressed through a formal correction do not normally justify retraction.

Disclosure of a manuscript as a preprint does not, by itself, constitute duplicate journal publication, subject to the journal's applicable Preprint Policy.

Authors will normally be informed of the concerns and provided a reasonable opportunity to respond.

However, author agreement is not required when sufficient evidence establishes that retraction is necessary to protect the scholarly record.

Editorial action should not be indefinitely delayed by a lack of author response or an unresolved institutional investigation when the available evidence already justifies the necessary corrective action.

3. RETRACTION NOTICE

When retraction is warranted, Counseling Milenial (CM) publishes a formal notice that clearly communicates the article's retracted status.

The retraction notice must:

Clearly identify the original article, including its title, authors, publication details, and DOI.
State whether the retraction is issued by the editor, publisher, authors, or another authorized party.
Explain the specific reasons for retraction using factual and evidence-based language.
Distinguish established findings from allegations or unresolved questions.
Accurately indicate author agreement or disagreement where relevant.
Include the publication date of the retraction notice.
Be clearly labeled as a "Retraction."
Remain freely accessible and permanently linked to the original article.

Retraction notices should use neutral, proportionate, and professionally appropriate language.

The journal must avoid unsupported accusations, unnecessary disclosure of personal information, or assumptions of collective responsibility when several authors are involved.

When concerns involve multiple articles or related research outputs, each article must be evaluated according to the evidence relevant to that particular publication.

Retracted articles should normally remain accessible as part of the scholarly record, with an unmistakable indication of their retracted status.

The article's online record and associated metadata should clearly reflect the retraction, including appropriate linking between the original publication and the retraction notice.

The preservation of retracted content supports transparency, historical accountability, and the accurate documentation of scientific corrections.

4. PROTECTION OF RESEARCH PARTICIPANTS AND CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION

Because Counseling Milenial (CM) publishes research involving counseling practices, psychological assessments, educational settings, and human participants, special consideration must be given to ethical and confidentiality issues during correction and retraction procedures.

Editors, authors, and other relevant parties must:

Protect confidential counseling records and psychological assessment information.
Avoid unnecessary disclosure of identifiable research participant data.
Respect informed consent and applicable institutional research ethics requirements.
Consider the welfare and rights of students, children, adolescents, counseling clients, and other vulnerable participants.
Ensure that public notices communicate sufficient information to maintain scientific transparency without compromising legitimate confidentiality protections.

When necessary, the journal may consult relevant institutional ethics committees or competent authorities to determine an appropriate course of action.

5. RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE SCHOLARLY RECORD

Counseling Milenial (CM) maintains editorial responsibility for ensuring that published corrections and retractions are transparent, properly documented, and accessible to readers.

The journal is committed to preserving the scholarly record while ensuring that significant inaccuracies, unreliable findings, and serious publication integrity concerns are addressed appropriately.

Corrections and retractions must be implemented consistently, without discrimination based on the academic status, institutional affiliation, or professional position of the authors concerned.

All decisions must prioritize the reliability of the published literature, fairness to the individuals involved, and the advancement of responsible scholarly communication.

RELATED POLICIES

The Corrections and Retractions Policy should be read alongside the journal's applicable editorial and publication ethics policies, including:

Publication Ethics: Establishes the ethical obligations of authors, editors, reviewers, and publishers.
Allegations of Misconduct: Provides mechanisms for reporting suspected research and publication integrity violations.
Integrity Investigations: Governs the examination of suspected misconduct and the assessment of supporting evidence.
Authorship and Contributorship: Establishes principles governing authorship eligibility, author contributions, and authorship amendments.
Conflicts of Interest: Defines requirements for identifying and managing potential competing interests.
Post-publication Discussion: Supports constructive scholarly criticism and evidence-based discussion of published research.
Preprint Policy: Defines the journal's approach to manuscripts previously disseminated as preprints.

Counseling Milenial (CM) is committed to protecting the integrity of scholarly publications through transparent corrections, evidence-based retractions, fair editorial procedures, and responsible research communication in guidance and counseling and related educational disciplines.