Abstract
The BRICS Forum, an independent international organization encouraging commercial, political, and cultural cooperation between Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, was formed in 2011, and these countries have a significant influence on their regional affairs. These nations were hit by COVID-19 at different times, and all adopted home quarantine to reduce the spread of the virus. We present a comparative analysis of actions of psychology and potential outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic in BRICS nations regarding five aspects: psychology in health policies, social roles of psychology, socioeconomic context, actions for the general population, and health professionals during stage 1 of the pandemic, and possible actions in stage 2. Various types of actions were taken by psychologists in BRICS, with different levels of coordinated cooperation with respective governmental and non-governmental organizations, multiple and parallel efforts from different scientific societies, and professional regulatory agencies. Scientific societies have had an important role in coordinating some of these efforts, especially because they congregate the psychologists from different parts of these countries, improving communication and access to key information. The aim of these actions varies from improving situational skills and competences to increase the accessibility of psychological services and provide psychoeducation and telepsychology. We will consider the social importance of these actions within these countries as a global opportunity for psychology to stage in a complex context involving human health. The way psychology in BRICS will face this challenging situation is likely to produce important regional influence, stimulate scientific contribution, and increase the accessibility of psychology.
Highlights
BRICS is the group composed of five major emerging countries: Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, which, together, represent about 42% of the population, 30% of the territory, 23% of Global Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and 18% of the global trade
Psychological scientific societies of these countries are aware of these impacts, concerned with consequences for the mental health of the general population and, in particular, health professionals, with psychosocial actions aimed at different vulnerable groups, taking into account sociocultural differences and the particular attempt to strengthen health systems in these developing countries
This perspective article discusses the actions of psychology as a science and profession, represented by several scientific societies and councils, governmental and nongovernmental organizations, and universities, in combating the pandemic of COVID-19, in the countries that form the alliance of the BRICS
Summary
BRICS is the group composed of five major emerging countries: Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, which, together, represent about 42% of the population, 30% of the territory, 23% of Global Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and 18% of the global trade. Psychological scientific societies of these countries are aware of these impacts, concerned with consequences for the mental health of the general population and, in particular, health professionals, with psychosocial actions aimed at different vulnerable groups (children, the elderly, people in vulnerability, and victims of violence), taking into account sociocultural differences and the particular attempt to strengthen health systems in these developing countries In this sense, this perspective article discusses the actions of psychology as a science and profession, represented by several scientific societies and councils, governmental and nongovernmental organizations, and universities, in combating the pandemic of COVID-19, in the countries that form the alliance of the BRICS. We characterize the psychology in the BRICS countries
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