Trauma-Related Distress During the COVID-19 Pandemic In 59 Countries

The COVID-19 pandemic has upended life like few other events in modern history, with differential impacts on varying population groups. This study examined trauma-related distress among 6,882 adults ages 18 to 94 years old in 59 countries during April to May 2020. More than two-thirds of participants reported clinically significant trauma-related distress. Increased distress was associated with unemployment; identifying as transgender, nonbinary, or a cisgender woman; being from a higher income country; current symptoms and positive diagnosis of COVID-19; death of a loved one; restrictive government-imposed isolation; financial difficulties; and food insecurity. Other factors associated with distress included working with potentially infected individuals, care needs at home, a difficult transition to working from home, conflict in the home, separation from loved ones, and event restrictions. Latin American and Caribbean participants reported more trauma-related distress than participants from Europe and Central Asia. Findings inform treatment efforts and highlight the need to address trauma-related distress to avoid long-term mental health consequences.

Coping Matters: An Examination of Coping among Black Americans During COVID-19

Using a critical race theory framework and a convergent mixed-method design, this study examined the relationship between coping with stress and psychological distress among Black U.S. Americans ( N = 155) during the COVID-19 pandemic in the context of race-based stressors (e.g., anti-Black racism). Path analysis revealed mixed support for hypotheses; avoidant coping was positively related to all measured facets of psychological distress, whereas socially supported coping was associated with none. Self-sufficient coping was negatively associated with only depressive symptoms. Qualitative analysis revealed four salient themes: (a) Race and the COVID-19 Pandemic, (b) Complex Pandemic Related Changes to Life, (c) Emotional Responses to the Pandemic, and (d) Coping with the COVID Pandemic. These themes suggested the pandemic disrupted participants’ ability to engage in, or effectively use, typically adaptive coping strategies and distress was exacerbated by fears for the safety of other Black U.S. Americans. Implications for training, practice, research, and advocacy are discussed.

Best Practices in Global Mental Health: An Exploratory Study of Recommendations for Psychologists

Recommendations for best practice are useful in guiding the ethical and effective practice of psychology. Global mental health (GMH), which works to improve mental health treatment and access on a worldwide scale, is a growing field with many opportunities for psychologists, though such best practice recommendations have not been articulated. Using a grounded theory approach, this qualitative study recruited and interviewed psychologists identified as leaders in the field. Findings included broad categories of recommendations related to overarching variables (consideration of cultural/contextual variables; collaboration), program level characteristics (sustainability; formative and summative evaluation; flexibility; attention to systems; multidisciplinary teams; clinical knowledge and perspective; attention to spectrum of mental health), and individual level characteristics (perseverance; ongoing mentorship/supervision; self-awareness; boundary setting). Future directions include recommendations to recreate this study with a more geographically diverse sample, as well as with community members and service users of global mental heath projects. Increased attention to individual level competencies that impact global mental health projects are warranted. Recommendations for best practice and implications for training are also considered.

Counseling Psychologists and Behavioral Health: Promoting Mental and Physical Health Outcomes

On the occasion of the 50th Anniversary of The Counseling Psychologist, we reflect on the many contributions that counseling psychologists have made and are poised to make in the areas of behavioral health and behavioral health care. We note that psychologists’ engagement in health promotion and prevention of behavioral, mental, and emotional disorders is consistent with counseling psychology values. We provide a concise review of theories that are widely applied in behavioral health contexts and discuss ways in which counseling psychologists may apply these theories to help ameliorate health disparities, empower communities to take control of their own health, and promote social justice. In addition, we highlight the need to create interdisciplinary partnerships to conduct culturally sensitive research on the bi-directional relationship between mental health and physical health. The article ends with wide-ranging implications and recommendations for theory development, research, training, practice, and advocacy.

Social Justice and International Competencies: Positioning Counseling Psychologists for the Global Era

In this article, we attempt to draw a connection between social justice and international competencies within counseling psychology. Built on Constantine et al.’s general social justice competencies as well as the cross-national cultural competences model and dynamic-systemic-process model of international competencies, nine international social justice competencies are outlined and their relevance in international contexts is highlighted. In addition, three specific mindsets for the enhancement of international social justice work by U.S.-based counseling psychologists are discussed. We believe that by promoting the integration of social justice and international competencies, future counseling psychologists will be better prepared for the global era.

Sociopolitical, Cultural, and Historical Contexts That Influence Counseling Practice in Four Countries

In this article, we provide examples of how historical and sociopolitical events have shaped the development of psychology and psychological services in Iceland, South Africa, Thailand, and Turkey. These examples are offered to (a) enhance international competencies related to the countries’ cultures, ecological system, and subsystems, and (b) inspire counseling psychologists to collaborate with colleagues around the world on efforts to indigenize psychology paradigms and promote accessible service delivery systems. Common themes across these countries indicated that (a) provision of psychological services is highly influenced by the biomedical model of mental health, (b) access to mental health care is influenced by cost and stigma, and (c) a limited connection exists between traditional healing practices and Western-based diagnostic and mental health services. In all countries there was a struggle for greater recognition of psychological services; in Iceland, Thailand, and Turkey, counseling psychology is not recognized as a legally sanctioned profession. Suggestions are offered for internationally competent counseling psychologists who intend to promote the provision of culturally responsive psychological services worldwide.

Working Globally: Advancing International Competencies in Counseling Psychology

This major contribution presents results from a presidential initiative undertaken by Y. Barry Chung during his year as the president of the Society of Counseling Psychology to advance cross-cultural collaboration and promote understanding of international competencies in psychology. This initiative brought together 72 psychological professionals from 23 countries to address issues salient to the global field of counseling psychology. We utilized two models of international competencies to frame these issues, namely the dynamic-systemic-process model of international competencies and the cross-national cultural competence model. The introductory article reviews international efforts in counseling psychology and provides an overview of the three subsequent articles. The second article addresses how historical, economic, and sociopolitical events have shaped the development of counseling psychology in different countries. The third article discusses social justice competencies from an international perspective, and the fourth article focuses on development of competencies for international disaster mental health work.