A Proposed Framework Based on Literature Review of Online Contextual Mental Health Services to Enhance Wellbeing and Address Psychopathology During COVID-19
Ahmet Tanhan 1 2 * , K. Fatih Yavuz 3 4, J. Scott Young 5, Ahmet Nalbant 6, Gökmen Arslan 7, Murat Yıldırım 8 9, Sevinç Ulusoy 10, Emel Genç 11, Erol Uğur 12, İlhan Çiçek 13
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1 PhD, Adiyaman University, Department of Counseling, Adiyaman, TURKEY2 Institute for Muslim Mental Health, Michigan, USA3 MD, Istanbul Medipol University, Department of Psychology, Istanbul, TURKEY4 Association for Contextual Behavioral Sciences- Turkey Chapter, Istanbul, TURKEY5 PhD, The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNC Greensboro), Department of Counseling, Greensboro, NC, USA6 MD, Adiyaman University, Department of Psychiatry, Adiyaman, TURKEY7 PhD, Mehmet Akif Ersoy University, Department of Counseling, Burdur, TURKEY8 PhD, Ağrı İbrahim Çeçen University, Department of Psychology, Ağrı, TURKEY9 University of Leicester, Department of Neuroscience, Psychology and Behavior, UNITED KINGDOM10 MD, Bakirkoy Mazhar Osman Mental Health and Neurological Diseases Training and Research Hospital, Psychiatry, Bakirkoy, Istanbul, TURKEY11 PhD, Bartin University, Department of Psychology, Bartin, TURKEY12 PhD, Sakarya University, Department of Counseling, Sakarya, TURKEY13 PhD, Batman University, Department of Educational Sciences, Batman, TURKEY* Corresponding Author

Abstract

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) became a pandemic and is causing unprecedented biopsychosocial, spiritual and economic issues across the world while mostly affecting unprivileged populations. Turkey has gradually implemented new regulations, which slowly affected the entire country and increased the need for mental health services disproportionally. We conducted a comprehensive literature review on mental health in Turkey during COVID-19. There was no well-grounded peer-reviewed manuscripts or projects utilized a framework. Therefore, we wrote this manuscript to provide a conceptual framework grounded in ecological systems theory, acceptance and commitment therapy, and community-based participatory action research to introduce contextually evidence-based online mental health services: hotline, psychiatric interview, counseling, and Read-Reflect-Share group bibliotherapy. The framework aims to (1) address biopsychosocial spiritual and economic issues, (2) enhance wellbeing, and (3) empower the mental health profession in research and practice. Our preliminary findings and clinical experience indicated that the proposed framework and interventions derived from the framework enhanced wellbeing and decreased psychopathological symptoms in experimental group compared to control groups. Based on the preliminary analysis, most of the online, phone based, or face-to-face mental health services introduced in this manuscript were highly recommended by the participants to be provided to general public during and after COVID-19. Mental health professionals and authorities can use the proposed framework and interventions to develop interventions and research in order to alleviate pandemic-based biopsychosocial spiritual and economic issues and enhance wellbeing.

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This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Article Type: Original Article

ELECTRON J GEN MED, Volume 17, Issue 6, December 2020, Article No: em254

https://doi.org/10.29333/ejgm/8316

Publication date: 04 Jun 2020

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Article Downloads: 11843

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