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Specifics and Operational Procedures of the Psychological Assistance Hotline during the COVID-19 Pandemic in China

Xiaoming Jia, Linyu You, Qin An^*
School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, 100081, China
* Corresponding Author: Qin An. Email:
(This article belongs to this Special Issue: Psychological assistance for public during the pandemic of COVID-19)

International Journal of Mental Health Promotion 2020, 22(3), 115-121. https://doi.org/10.32604/IJMHP.2020.011120

Received 21 April 2020; Accepted 23 May 2020; Issue published 14 August 2020

Abstract

Psychological hotlines became the most convenient and feasible way to provide psychological intervention for the needy after the outbreak of COVID- 19. Hotlines assisting in defeating the coronavirus functioned quite differently from general psychological hotlines and face-to-face counseling. This article discusses the specificity of hotlines of this kind, including appropriate operational procedures that include the overall assessment and the empathetic understanding of the clients, a quick focus on goals, and real-world oriented assistance. Major administrative and ethical concerns are also addressed.

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Keywords

COVID-19 pandemic; psychological assistance hotlines; operational procedure; ethics

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