The rapid growth of online counseling (OC) services for mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic prompted concerns regarding its effectiveness compared to in-person counseling. Psychologists have ...expressed uncertainties about OC's efficacy and doubts about their competence in using it. As a result, psychologists have been hesitant to embrace OC methods and supporting technologies. Therefore, it has become crucial to study the factors that influence the acceptance and use of OC technology, enabling psychologists to develop the necessary skills and confidence to utilize inpatient treatment effectively. This study used quantitative research with survey research to study factors influencing 406 Thai counselors' use and acceptance of technology in online counseling, and the model was analyzed using structural equation modeling. Results showed that IOC are positively influenced by SI (β= .413, p<.001, t = 9.95) ATOC (β= .398, p<.001, t = 7.09), and PE (β= .114, p<.05, t = 2.01). While IOC is negatively influenced by FC (β= -.117, p<.05, t = -2.08). Furthermore, UOC was positively influenced by IOC (β= .511, p<.001, t = 9.64). On the contrary ATOC negatively affected UOC (β= -.215, p<.001, t = -3.77), indicating that it exerts a partial mediation effect on the relationship between PE, SI, FC, ATOC and UOC. The study represents a pioneering study on UTAUT use in determining technologies' influence on online mental health counseling in Southeast Asia. The findings could offer valuable perspectives on how to increase the uptake of online counseling among psychologists by elevating the perceived advantages of the service, assisting in the creation of more efficient, organizations or authorities that foster positive attitudes toward the use of online counseling among psychologists, and fostering increased acceptance and usage of online counseling going forward.
This study focused on an analysis of the verbal communication of peer counselors in performing online counseling services in the pandemic phase in Indonesia. This study utilized a qualitative ...research approach with analytical decriptive, referring to a method to obtain a view sistematically, factually, and accurately related to the facts and properties of the objects into which the research focused. Then, the results of the finding were analyzed and interpreted to draw conclusions. The online peer counseling services were performed by students of BK UNMA for 2 weeks. The services were available by using some social media. The online peer counseling services focused on interpersonal communication processes through communication channels. Results indicated that in performing online counseling services, the counselors used several verbal communication techniques, such as invitations to start, reception/showing understanding, reflection of mind, reflection of feelings, clarifications of messages, feedback, alternative presentations, inquiries, interpretations, diagnosis, supports/guidance, and suggestion. These techniques were performed based on the dominant issues the clients faced, which were related to self-confidence/insecure, and family and employment problems.
In this paper, we analyze the characteristics of dialogues with high reputations using the dialogue data of online counseling services. Specifically, the dialogue data in the fortune-telling service ...and the evaluation data of the fortune-teller by the user were used. We analyzed words that are often used in dialogue, the length of dialogue exchanges, and the frequency of utterances, and obtained the following four findings regarding dialogue by highly evaluated fortune-tellers. First, a role as a counselor rather than fortune-telling itself is more important. Second, interjection words tend to be used. Third, there is a tendency for many statements to be made in succession at the end of the dialogue. These findings, such as avoiding excessive use of technical terms, proper usage of empathic expressions, and advice given at the end of the dialogue, are thought to provide important guidance for future automatic dialogue system development.
The presence of technology is changing the way people to get information and communication. In the field of counseling, information technology offers some of the latest innovations to reach out, ...facilitate and communicate with individuals who need help from all over the world. This qualitative research collected data through literature study by analyzing 5 research results from various academics in various countries and conducting interviews with 10 youth aged 19-23 years, and 3 counselors. The results of this qualitative study indicate that online counseling makes it easy for youth in expressing the problem in their life. In addition, online counseling has great potential in offering therapy and can be done anywhere. Therefore, clients can minimize transportation costs for face-to-face counseling. Although the results of the analysis of previous studies indicate that online counseling has a weakness that is lack of knowledge and special abilities possessed by counselors in communicating through chat and lack of skills in writing texts to avoid misunderstandings with online counseling users. In the other side, previous research shows solutions related to the use of online counseling. The counselor must face the development of technology and use it as a facility to communicate with young people.
Children and youth from lower subjective socioeconomic status (SES) backgrounds are at a heightened risk of mental disorders. Online counseling is a valuable tool to reach those less likely to seek ...professional help, but its success across different SES backgrounds remains unclear. This study explores the association between subjective SES and online counseling outcomes. Children and youth (N = 2139) between 10 and 24 years-of-age received chat-based online counseling and reported on SES, negative feelings before and after the chat, and perceived helpfulness of the chat via an online assessment tool. The results of a latent change score model showed a significant association between SES and negative feelings before chatting, indicating that lower SES predicted more negative feelings (r = −0.26, p < .001). Further, SES was indirectly associated with the change in negative feelings from before to after counseling, mediated by the extent of negative feelings before the chat (β = 0.07, 95%CFI = 0.05–0.10). Current findings extend research on online counseling programs in the context of SES. Despite higher counseling needs among low SES individuals, they do not benefit proportionally from existing online services in this sample. Future research should investigate barriers to help-seeking and implement specialized counselor training programs.
•Children and youth with low subjective socioeconomic status (SES) face an increased risk of mental disorders.•Online counseling is a valuable tool to reach those less likely to seek help, but its success across different SES backgrounds remains unclear.•Children and youth (N = 2,139) 10-24 years-of-age received chat-based online counseling and reported on SES, negative feelings, and helpfulness.•Despite higher counseling needs among low SES individuals, they do not benefit proportionally from existing online services in this sample.•Future research should investigate barriers to help-seeking and implement specialized counselor training programs.
Academic burnout is a condition characterized by exhaustion, cynicism, a distant attitude toward studying, and diminished self-efficacy in academic activities. Preliminary scientific findings ...indicate that interventions designed to alleviate work burnout also hold promise for mitigating academic burnout, however clear evidence based on randomized controlled trials is still missing. This research protocol describes a randomized controlled trial aimed at evaluating the efficacy of an online group psychological intervention to contrast academic burnout. Participants with high levels of burnout will be assigned to a psychological counseling group or a waiting list control group. The research comprises several phases: (T0) Screening, Recruitment, and Randomization; (T1) Baseline assessment (pre-intervention); (T2) Outcome Assessment (post-intervention); and (T3) Follow-up Assessment (3 months post-intervention). The primary outcomes include burnout symptoms, general wellbeing, and academic achievement. Additionally, secondary variables such as effort-reward imbalances, satisfaction/frustration of basic psychological needs, intrapersonal and interpersonal emotion regulation, coping strategies, and social support will be examined. The psychological intervention strategies will encompass psychoeducation, self-awareness enhancement, cognitive restructuring, and promotion of social support. This research protocol is an initial step toward evidence-based psychological interventions to treat academic burnout.
Intimate partner violence (IPV) is prevalent and has devastating consequences for college students. Online counseling (OC) may be a way to decrease barriers to help. This study seeks to determine ...openness to OC compared to face-to-face counseling (F2F) by examining: (1) How openness to OC varies depending on college students’ personal and IPV characteristics and (2) How these characteristics vary compared to college non-IPV survivors. Two linear regressions were conducted using a sample from a cross sectional survey. First with the entire sample of college students (
N
= 1,518) to examine characteristics of those more open to OC and second with only those that identified as experiencing IPV (
n
= 1,211). The results demonstrated that IPV survivors are less open to OC than to F2F counseling (
b
= -.23,
p
< .01). For the model with all college students, those who were significantly more open to OC were female (
b
= -.39,
p
< .001), identified as LGBT (
b
= .23,
p
< .05), or Asian/Pacific Islander (API) (
b
= .26,
p
< .05), and had a physical health issue (
b
= -.19,
p
< .05). For the model that only analyzed IPV survivors, the same characteristics were shown to be significantly related to openness to OC. More research is needed to explore why IPV survivors are less open to OC compared to F2F counseling. Exploring why characteristics of female, LGBT, and physical health issues lead to openness to OC could help understand what barriers need to be addressed for wider use.
In this paper, we analyze the characteristics of dialogues with high reputations using the dialogue data of online counseling services. Specifically, the dialogue data in the fortune-telling service ...and the evaluation data of the fortune-teller by the user were used. We analyzed words that are often used in dialogue, the length of dialogue exchanges, and the frequency of utterances, and obtained the following four findings regarding dialogue by highly evaluated fortune-tellers. First, a role as a counselor rather than fortune-telling itself is more important. Second, interjection words tend to be used. Third, there is a tendency for many statements to be made in succession at the end of the dialogue. These findings, such as avoiding excessive use of technical terms, proper usage of empathic expressions, and advice given at the end of the dialogue, are thought to provide important guidance for future automatic dialogue system development.
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