Online Counseling Research Articles

Clinical Services, Barriers, and Public Perspectives of Community Pharmacies in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study.

In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, there is an increasing demand for community pharmacists to provide the highest level of clinical knowledge and services. However, evidence regarding Saudi public awareness of the clinical services offered by community pharmacies (CPs) and the barriers to using them is limited. In this cross-sectional study, we used an online questionnaire developed by adapting the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research. A total of 273 participants completed the survey. Half the participants were generally aware of the availability of some CP services but were not informed about the full range on offer, eg, medication reviews (84%) and online counseling (89%). Most of the participants (69.6%) did not identify differences in the care provided by community pharmacists versus hospital pharmacists (P = 0.02). A commonly reported barrier to using CP services was a general preference for other healthcare professionals to seek pharmaceutical help (85.7%). Many other barriers were also reported, impacting the participants' use of these services. The decision-making authorities should consider improvements to increase patients' awareness and utilization of clinical services and enhance community pharmacists' performance in clinical-oriented pharmaceutical care.

Brazilian Psychologists’ Experience with Online Psychotherapy during the First Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Resumo: Com a emergência da pandemia de Covid-19, as(os) psicólogas(os) passaram a oferecer atendimento online para pacientes que até então eram atendidos de forma presencial. Na maior parte dos casos, essa mudança se deu de forma improvisada e sem capacitação prévia. Nesse contexto, este estudo, de caráter descritivo-exploratório, quanti-qualitativo e com delineamento transversal, buscou compreender a experiência das(os) psicólogas(os) na transição das intervenções da modalidade presencial para o atendimento remoto durante a pandemia de Covid-19 no Brasil, identificando dificuldades e lacunas percebidas nas orientações disponibilizadas pelo Conselho Federal de Psicologia. Participaram da pesquisa 385 psicólogas(os). Utilizou-se um questionário online para a coleta dos dados, distribuído por meio de uma plataforma digital entre maio e novembro de 2020. O estudo também foi divulgado em grupos da categoria profissional da psicologia em diversas redes sociais. Os dados quantitativos foram analisados por meio de análise estatística descritiva, e as respostas para as questões abertas por meio de análise temática reflexiva. Os achados foram organizados em três categorias temáticas: (a) lacunas percebidas nas orientações quanto à escolha da plataforma digital; (b) lacunas quanto ao preenchimento do cadastro no site E-Psi ; e (c) falta de treinamento adequado para realizar a transição para o formato online. Entre os principais resultados, destacaram-se a insegurança gerada pela falta de preparo prévio das(os) profissionais e a resistência de alguns clientes a aceitar a transposição dos atendimentos do modelo presencial para o online. Espera-se que o mapeamento das principais dificuldades enfrentadas pela categoria contribua para qualificar o debate sobre a efetividade das orientações disponibilizadas para as(os) psicólogas(os).

Mental health and conflict: a pilot of an online eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR) intervention for forcibly displaced Syrian women.

The Syrian conflict has been ongoing since 2011. Practical and scalable solutions are urgently needed to meet an increase in need for specialised psychological support for post-traumatic stress disorder given limited availability of clinicians. Training forcibly displaced Syrians with a mental health background to remotely deliver specialised interventions increases the availability of evidence based psychological support. Little is known about the effectiveness of online therapy for forcibly displaced Syrian women provided by forcibly displaced Syrian women therapists. To pilot an evidence-based trauma therapy, Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR), carried out online by trained forcibly displaced Syrian women therapists for forcibly displaced Syrian women who require treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). 83 forcibly displaced Syrian women, living in Türkiye or inside Syria, with diagnosable PTSD, were offered up to 12 sessions of online EMDR over a period of 3 months. This was delivered by forcibly displaced Syrian women therapists who were trained in EMDR. Data were gathered, using Arabic versions, on PTSD symptoms using the Impact of Events Scale Revised, depression symptoms using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and anxiety symptoms using the Generalised Anxiety Disorder Assessment-7 at baseline, mid-point, and end of therapy. PTSD scores, depression scores and anxiety scores all significantly reduced over the course of treatment, with lower scores at midpoint than baseline and lower scores at end of treatment than at midpoint. Only one participant (1%) exceeded the cutoff point for PTSD, and 13 (16%) exceeded the cutoff points for anxiety and depression at the end of treatment. In this pilot study up to 12 sessions of online EMDR were associated with reductions in PTSD, anxiety and depression symptoms in Syrian women affected by the Syrian conflict. The training of forcibly displaced Syrian mental health professionals to deliver online therapy is a relatively low cost, scalable, sustainable solution to ensure that those who are affected by the conflict can access specialised support. Further research is needed using a control group to confirm that the observed effects are due to EMDR treatment, as is research with post-treatment follow-up to ascertain that benefits are maintained.

Pelatihan Penerapan Layanan Konseling Online Berfokus Solusi Bermuatan Nilai Pancasila pada Guru BK

The conditions of problems experienced by students in social media activities after the Covid-19 pandemic are increasingly disappointing. Student problems increase as time goes by and the use of the internet becomes more widespread. The use of the internet in social media has a significant impact on people's social lives. Communication is becoming easier and cheaper so that individuals can obtain information quickly. The dissemination of information and the communication process is one of the important points in the formation of a new phenomenon using social media. One topic of concern is attitudes or behavior of intolerance, hatred, or even racism on social media carried out by teenagers. Based on these conditions, guidance and counseling (BK) teachers in Malang Raya have difficulty choosing an intervention model that suits the characteristics and needs related to the problems they face. So far they have only used counseling or cybercounselling models that were developed based on Western theories, even though there is an obligation for guidance and counseling teachers to help high school students internalize moral values that are in accordance with Indonesian society. Therefore, implementing this training is important to improve the competency of Malang Raya BK teachers in implementing solution-focused online counseling services that include Pancasila values. The training implementation uses a structured learning approach (structured learning approach) combined with a project-based learning approach which is carried out in a combination of offline and online (blended learning) so that the training implementation is more effective with a continuous mentoring system. The implementation of community service in the form of training aims to increase the competency of Malang Raya High School guidance and counseling teachers in implementing cybercounseling or online counseling services focused on solutions to create Pancasila values.

Navigating Resources and Support for Mental Health Challenges: Clients’ Perceptions of Online Counseling

Navigating Resources and Support for Mental Health Challenges: Clients’ Perceptions of Online Counseling

A Model of Retention and Remediation for Online Counselor Education

A Model of Retention and Remediation for Online Counselor Education

Perceptions and experiences of web-prolonged exposure for posttraumatic stress disorder: A mixed-methods study.

Web-based prolonged exposure therapy (Web-PE) has potential to increase the reach of effective posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) treatment. While there is initial support for the efficacy of Web-PE, no studies have examined the perceptions and experiences of participants receiving PE in this novel, Web based format. We used a mixed-methods convergent design to examine and integrate quantitative and qualitative data of participant perceptions and experiences of Web-PE. Treatment-seeking active duty military personnel or veterans (N = 29) who received Web-PE completed posttreatment surveys about perceptions of Web-PE and a brief qualitative interview. Thematic coding was used to identify qualitative themes, which were integrated with quantitative data in a joint display. Although many were initially skeptical of experiencing benefit, participants reported that Web-PE was helpful. They appreciated the flexibility of online therapy and reported that self-motivation was important for engagement. Web-PE therapists were well-regarded, although additional therapist support and technical improvements to the Web-PE program were suggested. Scores on the perceptions of Web-PE survey, PTSD survey, and other quantitative data corroborated the qualitative themes. Perceptions and experience of Web-PE are favorable and help to highlight the strengths (e.g., flexibility) and challenges (e.g., requiring self-motivation) associated with Web-treatment for PTSD. The results of this study may inform further development of Web-PE or other Web-based treatment programs. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Online therapy support for individuals with aphasia...

Online therapy support for individuals with aphasia...

The Need of Online Counselling to Enhance Mental Health among Students in Higher Learning Institutions in Tanzania

This study aimed to explore the need of online counselling to enhance mental health among students in higher learning institutions. The study employed a qualitative research approach in which 40 participants were involved. These were purposefully selected from two higher learning institutions in Tanzania - 30 were students and 10 were counsellors. In-depth interviews and Focus Group Discussion were used to collect data from the respondents. The findings revealed that through online counselling, it is easy to access psychosocial therapy, maintain privacy, conduct time/cost-friendly therapy, access services, allow freedom of expression as well as allow easy feedback and follow-up. Also, network connectivity problems, bundle challenges, fear of online hacking and failure to understand clients’ feelings were revealed to be challenges on the use of online counselling. However, awareness on the importance of online counselling, capacity building on the forms of online counselling, availability of free Wi-Fi in university campuses and halls of residence, reduced cost of bundles and provision of university offers as well as formation of online counselling support groups were earmarked as strategies for enhancing online counselling among undergraduate students as a way of enhancing their mental health.

Investigation into Online English Learners’ L2 Motivation Using Imagery and Online Counselling Sessions

In this study, a motivational program using imagery and online counselling sessions was designed based on the theory of the L2 Motivational Self System. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of the program by conducting a mixed-method approach, 50 participants took part in 7 imagery training sessions and a pre-post survey. Additionally, among these participants, 20 also engaged in 2 online counseling sessions and focus group interviews. The motivational program using imagery and online counseling sessions was seen to have a significant positive effect on students' L2 Motivational Self System. In particular, as a result of comparing the average values of the pre-post questionnaire, the biggest changes were shown in the categorizes of Ideal Self, Imagery and Visualization, and Attitudes toward Learning English. By utilizing imagery training and online counselling sessions along with English learning, not only were the students' capability of visualizing the image of themselves enhanced, but also positive attitudes towards English education were induced. This led to the fostering of students' motivation in learning English and to the improvement of their L2 Ideal Self Image. Of significant note are the findings in the qualitative data analysis, which show that emotional difficulties in students' English learning, such as academic stress and anxiety, can be alleviated through online counseling sessions, thereby helping them to sustain their learning motivation, Implications of the study are presented and discussed.

Taking CarE of Your Self (Caring & Empathy Cyber Counseling)

Counseling can not only be carried out in person or face-to-face but can also be carried out online. Online counseling can make it easier for every user to get counseling services quickly and precisely. This study aims to produce online counseling applications. The research method used is Research and development (R and D) which has ten stages of research. The development procedure consists of the pre-development stage to determine the need for cyber-based counseling service applications, the development stage is the activity of compiling product drafts, making applications, and application content, and the post-development stage is the trial stage to perfect the product, which is carried out by expert validators, practitioner validators and product trials by users. This research resulted in an online counseling application called the CarE application, namely Caring & Empathy Cyber ??Counseling which contains 10 service menus, namely classical guidance, orientation services, information services, group counseling, individual counseling, group counseling, peer counseling, case conferences, and reinforcement of instrumentation applications and system support.

Writing English Thesis in The Habitus New Normal Post Covid-19: Obstacles and Challenges from The Students’ Perspective

The majority of learning and teaching activities during the COVID-19 era were distributed to remote learners. The ineffectiveness of face-to-face instruction was subsequently put aside as students felt comfortable learning online. Policymakers in the education system had to adjust to a new normal or habit once the COVID-19 cases started to decline. The aim of this research is to identify the challenges faced by final year students in completing thesis during the Post-Covid-19 New Normal Habitus period and to find out how final year students can complete their thesis guidance during the Post-Covid-19 New Normal Habitus period. There were 15 English students joining the interview and the research was conducted within the State Islamic campus in Jambi City. Coding system was implemented to get credible data. The result shows that Completing studies in the New Normal Era has several obstacles. One of the most significant problems is the communication problem between students and supervisors which involves internal and external factors. Internal factors focus on difficulties caused by students' lack of understanding of thesis components, references and citation styles. Meanwhile, external factors focus on students' difficulties in the thesis writing process which depends on the direction of the supervisor, where some lecturers still provide online thesis guidance, where students agree that online counseling is not effective.

Etika Profesi Konselor dalam Pelaksanaan Layanan Bimbingan Konseling di Dunia Internet

The aim of this research is to provide an explanation of the professional standards required by counselors when they provide counseling guidance services via the internet. This research investigates the literature through a qualitative descriptive approach. The data comes from previous research and document studies from various references. Descriptive analysis is the next data analysis method used. The research results show that online counseling is a counseling technology in cyberspace or virtual worlds, such as computers, video conferencing, instant messaging, chat, websites, telephone or email, and other social networks. Building good relationships on the Internet, maintaining confidentiality when conducting consultations, licensing, and legal aspects of telecommunications via the Internet are ethics that must be adhered to by online counselors. Therefore, online counselors must be experienced in providing virtual counseling with consideration

Social protection of the population in rural areas

The goal of the research is to characterize the impact of social protection measures on rural households. A broad description of the current literature on social protection measures rationalizes the choice of methods for this article. Methods of dialectical, analysis and synthesis, comparison, analogy, abstract-logical, monographic, economic-statistical methods were used. The current trends in the implementation of social protection of the population in rural areas are revealed. The core of the analysis is that social protection of the population is a necessary component of the economy, so reforms in this area should be effective both in the short and long term. It is noted that Kazakhstan is constantly improving the legislative framework in the field of social policy. The factors affecting the transformation of social protection are outlined. Measures of social protection of rural population are evaluated. Direct and indirect relationship between the social sphere and socio-economic development of society is characterized. It is revealed that various practices of digitalization of social sphere have become actively implemented in rural areas. These are online counseling, video counseling, web-based programs, virtual reality for the rehabilitation of persons with disabilities. There is an active transition from the declarative nature of social services to the digital space. The authors conclude that social protection brings social benefits, contributing to the sustainable development of rural areas.

Supporting the Demand on Mental Health Services with AI-Based Conversational Large Language Models (LLMs)

The demand for psychological counselling has grown significantly in recent years, particularly with the global outbreak of COVID-19, which heightened the need for timely and professional mental health support. Online psychological counselling emerged as the predominant mode of providing services in response to this demand. In this study, we propose the Psy-LLM framework, an AI-based assistive tool leveraging large language models (LLMs) for question answering in psychological consultation settings to ease the demand on mental health professions. Our framework combines pre-trained LLMs with real-world professional questions-and-answers (Q&A) from psychologists and extensively crawled psychological articles. The Psy-LLM framework serves as a front-end tool for healthcare professionals, allowing them to provide immediate responses and mindfulness activities to alleviate patient stress. Additionally, it functions as a screening tool to identify urgent cases requiring further assistance. We evaluated the framework using intrinsic metrics, such as perplexity, and extrinsic evaluation metrics, including human participant assessments of response helpfulness, fluency, relevance, and logic. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of the Psy-LLM framework in generating coherent and relevant answers to psychological questions. This article discusses the potential and limitations of using large language models to enhance mental health support through AI technologies.

Medium of Instruction and Achievement in Social Studies among the Students of Gogan Secondary School, Pokhara

This conference paper explores factors involved in the achievement of social studies in the basic level students of Pokhara Municipality. The objectives of the paper are to analyze the different factors associated with students’ achievement in learning social studies and to look for associations of mother-tongue education with the students’ achievement. A quantitative and applied research methodology with both primary and secondary sources of information was used. The primary data is collected via an online survey using a structured questionnaire. The data has been collected using researcher-administered online counseling and the distribution of online forms. Similarly, secondary data has been collected from different sources. The survey used a population of 155 students from one of the schools in Pokhara, Shree Gogan Secondary School, conveniently selected. The paper provides a theoretical basis showing that language choices are important for raising interest in the subject matter in students, which further increases the chances of attaining better grades. The students’ achievement is influenced by several factors, including linguistic, educational, social, and economic expediencies. At the time of the survey, it was observed that the students wanted some changes in the uses of the medium of instruction as well as the method of teaching. The study revealed that most respondents do not find English as a medium of instruction comfortable for study. Most respondents prefer their mother tongue as a medium of instruction. The paper concludes that mother-tongue education should be implemented rather than using an imposed medium of instruction (MOI).

Comparing clinical decision-making of AI technology to a multi-professional care team in an electronic cognitive behavioural therapy program for depression: protocol.

Depression is a leading cause of disability worldwide, affecting up to 300 million people globally. Despite its high prevalence and debilitating effects, only one-third of patients newly diagnosed with depression initiate treatment. Electronic cognitive behavioural therapy (e-CBT) is an effective treatment for depression and is a feasible solution to make mental health care more accessible. Due to its online format, e-CBT can be combined with variable therapist engagement to address different care needs. Typically, a multi-professional care team determines which combination therapy most benefits the patient. However, this process can add to the costs of these programs. Artificial intelligence (AI) has been proposed to offset these costs. This study is a double-blinded randomized controlled trial recruiting individuals experiencing depression. The degree of care intensity a participant will receive will be randomly decided by either: (1) a machine learning algorithm, or (2) an assessment made by a group of healthcare professionals. Subsequently, participants will receive depression-specific e-CBT treatment through the secure online platform. There will be three available intensities of therapist interaction: (1) e-CBT; (2) e-CBT with a 15-20-min phone/video call; and (3) e-CBT with pharmacotherapy. This approach aims to accurately allocate care tailored to each patient's needs, allowing for more efficient use of resources. Artificial intelligence and providing patients with varying intensities of care can increase the efficiency of mental health care services. This study aims to determine a cost-effective method to decrease depressive symptoms and increase treatment adherence to online psychotherapy by allocating the correct intensity of therapist care for individuals diagnosed with depression. This will be done by comparing a decision-making machine learning algorithm to a multi-professional care team. This approach aims to accurately allocate care tailored to each patient's needs, allowing for more efficient use of resources with the convergence of technologies and healthcare. The study received ethics approval and began participant recruitment in December 2022. Participant recruitment has been conducted through targeted advertisements and physician referrals. Complete data collection and analysis are expected to conclude by August 2024. ClinicalTrials.Gov, identifier NCT04747873.

The needs of patients with diabetes for the prevention and treatment of foot complications in Thailand: A qualitative descriptive study.

Inadequate diabetes self-management leads to foot infections and lower extremity amputations. Effective self-care, supported by nurse-provided information, is crucial, particularly in foot care. However, the current approach in Thailand focuses more on what nurses want patients to know rather than addressing patients' actual needs. Consequently, nurses might misunderstand their patients' perspectives. Hence, nurses need to grasp patients' needs for successful foot care behavior. This study aimed to explore the needs of patients with diabetes regarding the prevention and treatment of foot complications. The study employed a qualitative descriptive design. Thirty participants classified as high risk for foot ulcers were purposively selected from Thailand's university hospitals. Focus group discussions were used for data collection between June and July 2021. Verbatim transcription and content analysis were carried out for data analysis. Four emergent themes highlighted patients' needs: 1) information-giving, 2) proactive foot screening with foot-care affirmation, 3) foot care services, and 4) relieving foot burdens and limb loss. Nurses should change their mindset to care for and continually understand patients' needs. This involves adapting educational strategies like the teach-back method and coaching while providing skill training. Offering diverse service platforms, both online and onsite education programs and counseling, is essential. Additionally, ensuring accessibility and affordability, such as establishing after-hours clinics and supplying foot care toolkits, remains crucial.

Features of Interaction in Online Counseling from the Standpoint of Transactional Analysis

This paper is based on the speech at the MIR-TA (International Institute of Development Transactional Analysis, IIDTA) Student Conference in 2023. The article considers the phenomenon of virtual communication in the modality of Transactional Analysis, describes the features of virtual communication, both among specialists of helping professions and free internet users. Based on Eric Berne’s theory of satisfying hunger (thirst) for structure, recognition and stimulus, the author analyzes virtual ways to satisfy these motivators. The article describes in detail each of the six ways of structuring time in virtual space, as well as the process of interaction among internet users, and how virtual interaction affects real contacts. The author also speaks about the features of an administrative contract for online counseling in working with a client. Also, virtual communication is considered as a tool for creating a favorable atmosphere for personal development and therefore a way to satisfy the client’s stimulus hunger is proposed, and practical recommendations are given. The author suggests taking a more conscious look at virtual communication and using it as a tool for personal development in a rapidly changing reality.

UPAYA PENGENALAN PENTINGNYA MENERAPKAN POLA HIDUP SEHAT DALAM KEHIDUPAN SEHARI-HARI BAGI ANAK SD PIUS BAKTI UTAMA, KEBUMEN

A healthy lifestyle is an unavoidable fundamental need for all individuals, although it is often considered a lifestyle that is difficult to implement. This concept is closely related to the lifestyle decisions a person makes in the course of their life. A healthy lifestyle brings a number of very significant benefits, covering both physical and mental health aspects. This research aims to convey understanding to students of SD Pius Bakti Utama, Kebumen, about the urgency of implementing a healthy lifestyle in their daily lives. This community service activity is carried out in the form of online counseling to children of SD Pius Bakti Utama, Kebumen, Central Java, scheduled on November 3, 2023, with an estimated time of about 2 hours. Through this counseling activity, it is expected to instill values and in-depth knowledge related to healthy lifestyles to students, as an investment to increase their awareness of the importance of living a healthy life. This research not only covers the theoretical aspect, but also presents the applicative aspect by providing an online platform that enables effective delivery of materials. Thus, it is hoped that this research can make a positive contribution in shaping healthy mindsets and behaviors, making physical and mental well-being an important aspect of students' daily lives.