Development and Pilot Testing of Remote Counseling Protocols for OSAEC Victims/Survivors (Phase 1)
Project Director: Maria Caridad H. Tarroja
Funding Agency: The Asia Foundation (TAF)
Although online counseling has been around for some time, its use as a platform in giving interventions has dramatically increased in the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. With government-imposed quarantines and severe restrictions on social gatherings, these physical distancing measures have forced people to limit movement and stay inside their homes. Given these facts in addition to the limited supply of licensed and practicing psychologists in the Philippines especially in underserved communities, access to mental health services may be increased or improved by exploring the possibility of conducting online counseling services.
This project aims to study the feasibility and application of remote counseling for OSAEC victims/survivors. There are three phases in the study. The first phase explores the evidence and feasibility of remote counseling for OSAEC cases. The findings in the first phase will be used to develop protocol for remote counseling in the second phase. The third phase involves pilot testing the remote counseling protocol. Specifically, the project aims to answer the following questions: For Phase 1 – What are the effective psychosocial interventions for OSAEC victims and survivors?, and What are the available platforms for remote counseling that can be accessed by OSAEC victims/survivors?; for Phase 2 – What factors need to be considered in developing remote counseling protocol for OSAEC victims/survivors in the Philippines?, and How will remote counseling work for OSAEC victims/survivors (process flow, guidelines, or checklist)?; and for Phase 3 – What factors facilitate the accessing and utilizing of the remote counseling protocol?, What are the challenges experienced by various stakeholders in accessing and utilizing the remote counseling protocol?, and How does remote counseling help the OSAEC victims/survivors?
Key words: Remote counseling, online counseling, OSAEC victims/survivors, mental health ,psychosocial