CC BY
18PEDAGOGICAL SCIENCES
SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGICAL SUPPORTIVE ACTIVITY FOR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS
IN VIETNAM
Phung Thi Hang
Associate Professor Ph.D of Psychology The University of Education - Thai Nguyen University
Abstract
The article has mentioned the actual situation of school psychological supportive activity at secondary schools in Vietnam through the following aspects: contents of activities; forms of organizing activities; levels of participation and results of the subjects performing school psychosocial supportive activity. On that basis, suggestions have been made for contributing to improving the effectiveness of school psychological supportive activity in Vietnam generally and at secondary schools in Vietnam particularly.
Keywords: Psychological consultation, school psychological supportive activity, secondary schools, secondary students, psychological disorder, psychological disturbance
1. Introduction
School psychosocial support is a field of research that began to gain special importance in the 1980's when psychological disturbances became serious in modern industrial society. Especially, the need for being supported with school psychology among school students and university students (hereafter called students) was concerned to research as it was one of the important bases for establishing and defining the contents to be researched by psychological departments in schools (Egbochuku, 2008; Nyutu & Gysbers, 2007; Morgan, Stiffan, Shaw & Wilson, 2007 etc.). For European and American countries, the trend of surveying the actual situation of school psychological supportive activity was developed through the 1980's and 1990's; In particular, surveying the need for school psychological support and difficulties in implementing this activity for students became inevitable that counseling centers in schools from elementary to tertiary level attached importance to annual and periodical performance.
Currently, in Asian countries generally and in Vietnam particularly, school psychosocial supportive activity is still a relatively new definition in the research field. However, it can be noticed that the trend of surveying the actual situation of school psychology support has become a prominent trend. The research results have contributed to creating a practical basis for educating young generations, aiming to develop the generations in a comprehensive manner in accordance with the general trend of the times.
Psychological development among students goes through different stages of the ages. In particular, the age of secondary school students (SSS) is considered as the period of "transition", "bridging" from children to adults. At this age, they may encounter certain difficulties in learning, communication, value of life orientation, careers guidance etc. These difficulties can make them fall into a state of repression, tension, and anxiety, or even psychological disorders such as stress, depression, emotional disorders, behavioral disorders etc. Therefore, the study to timely grasp the difficulties and obstacles among SSS is greatly significant in supporting them, early intervention, and helping them to get knowledge and skills to cope with external influences or internal psychological difficulties, helping them to be fully developed in terms of personality.
2. Surveyed object and research methodology
- Surveyed object: A survey was conducted on a group of 264 objects, including 104 teachers and 160 students at secondary schools in Thai Nguyen province - a province in the Northern midlands region of Vietnam.
- Research methodology. A combination of research methods such as conversation, observation, questionnaire surveys, activity product research etc was performed.
3. Research results
3.1. The nature of school psychological supportive activity
The nature of school psychology supportive activity can be understood as follows. School psychosocial supportive activity is the kind of activities that help and counsel students to improve their ability of solving problems and difficulties in learning, social relations and career guidance by themselves; enhance the quality of teachers, parents and other educational forces in early identification of difficulties and psychological disturbances among students; at the same time, develop appropriate prevention and intervention programs in schools. All of this is to ensure the stability of psychological health for students and to create the best conditions for them to participate in learning, training, and developing their personalities.
Thus, school psychosocial supportive activity plays a very important role in supporting students, their families, schools and society. School psychosocial support is primarily geared towards students. Thanks to these kinds of activities, students can build up their own ability of understanding psychology, their mental health, get involved in training activities on self-caring and coping with psychological difficulties at each age, and be equipped with some knowledge and skills to identify psychologically abnormal signs. This will enable them to seek support or notify their parents, teachers, and friends of those.
3.2. Actual situation on school psychology supportive activity at secondary schools.
In order to find out the actual situation of school psychology supportive activity at secondary schools, surveys were conducted on the aspects such as the con-
tents, and forms of organizing activities; levels of par- 3.2.1. Actual situation on school psychology sup-
ticipation and achieved results of the subjects that per- portive activity at secondary schools. formed the school psychosocial supportive activity. Survey results are shown in Table 2.
Table 1.
Assessment of the surveyed objects on the levels of performing school psychological supportive activity at sec_ondary schools _
No. Contents of school psychological supportive activities Levels of performance
Frequentl y Occasionally Never
No. % No. % No. %
1 Consulting on psychological age, gender, marriage, family, adolescent reproductive health 192 72.7 55 20.8 17 6.4
2 Consulting on life skills; cultural behaviors; preventing and fighting violence and abuse; building a safe, healthy and friendly educational environment. 136 51.5 79 29.9 49 18.6
3 Consulting on enhancing the ability of coping with and solving problems that arise in relationships with families, teachers, friends, and in other social relationships. 157 59.5 94 35.6 13 4.9
4 Consulting on skills, effective learning methods and careers guidance. 198 75 58 22 8 3
5 Introducing and supporting the students with mental disorders (beyond the ability of school consultation) to centers or psychotherapists 112 42.4 41 15.5 111 42
Table 1. The survey above illustrates the contents of the school psychological supportive activity were performed in 5 aspects. In particular, contents number 1 and number 4 were evaluated as the most frequent, with a good rate of comments (72.7% and 75%). This has shown that the content was related to the mind and physiological age; the content of learning was often more consultative. Content number 5 was the least concerned and performed. Through learning about this, we have known that teachers cum consultants often perform their consultation based on the knowledge and
Assessment of the survey subjects on organizing school
skills they have gained during studying at university and in teaching practice. Meanwhile, the field of school consultation and psychotherapy are still quite new to teachers. This has directly influenced on the levels of their consultative contents.
3.2.2. Actual situation on the form of organizing school psychological supportive activity at secondary schools.
Survey results are shown in Table 2.
Table 2.
Level of performance
No. Forms of organizing school psychological supportive activity Frequently Occasionally Not yet
No. % No. % No. %
1 Through teaching activities 148 56.1 94 35.6 22 8.3
2 Through extracurricular educational activities (culture, arts, sports ...) 136 51.5 117 44.3 11 4.2
3 Through class activities, flag ceremony activities 185 70.1 71 26.9 8 3
4 Direct psychological support at the consulting room 11 4.2 65 24.6 188 71.2
5 Telephone psychological support 47 17.8 49 18.6 168 63.6
6 Support online via Internet, Facebook social network; School website ... (Set up information channels, provide documents, regularly discuss with students' parents on psychological developments and private matters that need consulting and supporting for students) 76 28.8 83 31.4 105 39.8
7 Invite experts in educational psychology to provide thematic consultation (Organize seminars, extracurricular activities, clubs, forums on the topics related to the contents that need consulting for students) 21 8 149 56.4 94 35.6
8 Through self-training and self-improvement activities among students (Provide students with documents, pictures, videos ... for their self-study) 105 39.8 128 48.5 31 11.7
9 Through activities of experiencing 111 42 132 50 21 8
10 Through the activities of Parents' Association; Psychological support at home and in the the locality 96 36.4 138 52.3 30 11.4
Table 2. According to the evaluation by teachers and students, the school psychological supportive activity at secondary schools was taken place in a wide range of forms. Specifically, the frequently and commonly used forms were often associated with teaching activities, extracurricular educational activities, and those of the locality and parents' associations etc. Direct psychosocial support in consulting room was very limited (71.2% of the comments stated that it had not been performed yet). It can be seen that school psychological
supportive activity at secondary schools were mainly performed in the form of educational integration activities. The specific form of "specialized" consultation as "direct psychological support in consulting rooms" was very limited.
3.2.3. Actual situation of the level of participation and results achieved by the subjects performing school psychosocial supportive activity at secondary school.
The results are shown in Table 3.
Table 3.
The assessment of the surveyed objects on the level of participation and results achieved by the subjects per-
Subjects Level of participation Results (students' attitude towards consulting process)
Frequently Occasionally Not at all Satisfied Partly satisfied Not yet satisfied
No. % No. % No. % No. % No. % No. %
Psychological and Educational experts 0 0 53 20.1 211 79.9 183 69.3 53 20.1 28 10.6
Homeroom teachers 174 65.9 78 29.5 12 4.5 152 57.6 86 32.6 26 9.8
Subject teachers 153 58 92 34.8 19 7.2 147 55.7 67 25.4 50 18.9
Teachers in charge of Unions 107 40.5 129 48.9 28 10.6 125 47.3 72 27.3 67 25.4
Administrative Board 167 63.3 96 36.4 1 0.4 169 64 71 26.9 24 9.1
Experts of Education and Training Department 10 3.8 36 13.6 218 82.6 146 55.3 79 29.9 39 14.8
Parents Associations 28 10.6 91 34.5 145 54.9 139 52.7 78 29.5 47 17.8
Parents and family members 147 55.7 73 27.7 44 16.7 167 63.3 68 25.8 29 11
School nurses 11 4.2 38 14.4 215 81.4 105 39.8 64 24.2 95 36
Table 3 has shown that the participants in school psychosocial supportive activity included different subjects. Generally, the level of participation of the subjects tended to be directly proportional to the achieved results. Specifically, homeroom teachers, administrative board members, parents, and family members were evaluated to participate in supporting at the most frequent level, and the corresponding result achieved the highest satisfaction among students. In fact, they are the ones who are in more frequent contact with and close to students, and understand their feelings and aspirations etc. Therefore, it is easier for them to carry out the work of consulting and supporting to students than the others. However, there was no presence of consultants or consulting officers - those who were highly trained in counseling and psychological consultation, thus the effectiveness of supportive activity was not very high.
4. Conclusion
At secondary schools in Vietnam, school psychological supportive activity has not been performed as a specifically "professional" activity. The consulting contents are still too basic, and they do not fully support the issues in the psychological life of students; forms of organizing are inappropriate; schools are in the shortage of a team that includes well-trained and fostered consultants on consulting and psychological consultation etc. Hence, the effectiveness of support is not so high.
In order to overcome the above-mentioned limitations, schools need to make appropriate investment in school psychological supportive activity in terms of both facilities and human resources; they also need to build school counseling rooms; select, train and foster teachers with relevant qualities and competencies to meet the requirements of school psychological supportive activity. In this way by approaching the research through implementing strategies (looking at cause and effect) in a forward thinking manner; can psychologists, teachers and schools begin to administer a more suitable and student centered environment that will improve overall quality of school life for students in Vietnam.
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