DISTANCE EDUCATION: THE PROVISION OF REMOTE PSYCHOLOGICAL SUPPORT IN HIGHER EDUCATION

Authors

  • Stefanos Armakolas Department of Education and Social Work, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Patras, Greece
  • Maria Poulou Department of Education and Social Work, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Patras, Greece
  • Georgia Konstantopoulou Department of Education and Social Work, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Patras, Greece

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.46827/ejoe.v10i1.5910

Keywords:

mental health, higher education, online counseling, remote learning

Abstract

Modern educational institutions of Higher Education implement various actions to improve the mental health of students, which are based on the use of ICT. Online counseling helps students express their experiences and opinions in both contemporary and asynchronous settings and is a viable solution for counseling adults. The study examines the effectiveness and students' perceptions of the distance psychological counseling service in tertiary institutions. The increasing need to provide mental health services in academic settings, particularly in distance education contexts, prompted this research to analyze the access, satisfaction, and overall impact of these services on student well-being. A quantitative research approach was adopted; data were collected using a set of structured questionnaires, and responses were analyzed using statistical tools such as t-tests and ANOVA to measure various dimensions of service effectiveness. Results suggest that remote counseling helps promote the availability of psychological help specifically for students living in remote or underserved areas, however, there are challenges of technology use and personal involvement that affect overall effectiveness. The research highlights the importance of continuous improvement in service provision and infrastructure development to meet the demands of such a large and diverse student body. Other research recommendations are the thorough study of the implementation of hybrid models of counseling and a more detailed examination of the long-term effects of remote psychological services.

Author Biographies

  • Stefanos Armakolas, Department of Education and Social Work, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Patras, Greece

    Stefanos Armakolas has been a member of the instructional Laboratory Personnel at the Department of Education and Social Work of the University of Patras, Greece. His teaching experience includes teacher education and training on these topics: Teaching Practical Exercises, Educational Technology, Pedagogical Applications with New Technologies. He holds a PhD at the Department of Primary Education of University of Patras.

    ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Stefanos-Armakolas-2?ev=hdr_xprf

  • Maria Poulou, Department of Education and Social Work, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Patras, Greece

    Maria Poulou holds a BSc in Primary Education and a MSc in Mental health of children and adolescents, addictions, and new technologies from the Department of Education and Social Work of the University of Patras, Greece. She has worked as a certified teacher in primary schools for about three years. She has attended various seminars including School Psychology and Organization and Management of School Units. She has presented papers at scientific conferences.

  • Georgia Konstantopoulou, Department of Education and Social Work, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Patras, Greece

    Georgia Konstantopoulou, Department of Education and Social Work, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Patras, Greece.

    ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Georgia-Konstantopoulou?ev=hdr_xprf

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Published

2025-03-22

Issue

Vol. 10 No. 1 (2025)

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Articles

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