The rapid growth of online counseling (OC) services for mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic prompted concerns regarding its effectiveness compared to in-person counseling. Psychologists have expressed uncertainties about OC's efficacy and doubts about their competence in using it. As a result, psychologists have been hesitant to embrace OC methods and supporting technologies. Therefore, it has become crucial to study the factors that influence the acceptance and use of OC technology, enabling psychologists to develop the necessary skills and confidence to utilize inpatient treatment effectively. This study used quantitative research with survey research to study factors influencing 406 Thai counselors' use and acceptance of technology in online counseling, and the model was analyzed using structural equation modeling. Results showed that IOC are positively influenced by SI (β= .413, p<.001, t = 9.95) ATOC (β= .398, p<.001, t = 7.09), and PE (β= .114, p<.05, t = 2.01). While IOC is negatively influenced by FC (β= -.117, p<.05, t = -2.08). Furthermore, UOC was positively influenced by IOC (β= .511, p<.001, t = 9.64). On the contrary ATOC negatively affected UOC (β= -.215, p<.001, t = -3.77), indicating that it exerts a partial mediation effect on the relationship between PE, SI, FC, ATOC and UOC. The study represents a pioneering study on UTAUT use in determining technologies' influence on online mental health counseling in Southeast Asia. The findings could offer valuable perspectives on how to increase the uptake of online counseling among psychologists by elevating the perceived advantages of the service, assisting in the creation of more efficient, organizations or authorities that foster positive attitudes toward the use of online counseling among psychologists, and fostering increased acceptance and usage of online counseling going forward.

The mental health issues among undergraduate students have become increasingly recognized as a pressing concern, often impacting their overall well-being over time. Despite escalating scholarly attention to students’ well-being, a significant gap persists in theoretical frameworks and measurement instruments with established benchmarks, remarkably those applicable to the Thai context. This study aims to develop and validate a contextually appropriate well-being instrument for Thai university students, grounded in the PERMA model, which examines five dimensions: positive emotion, engagement, relationships, meaning, and accomplishment. A multistage sampling approach was utilized to enlist 1,080 participants for an online questionnaire incorporating the PERMA well-being scale. The data were examined through confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and network analysis to assess the structural validity and inter-item correlations. Results from the second-order CFA yielded an excellent model fit with a root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) of 0.013, with all the constructs significant at p<0.001. In addition, network analysis showed the centrality within constructs. The findings revealed that the PERMA model was indicative of Thai university students’ well-being exhibited robust internal consistency, and significant intra-construct correlations. This contextually relevant instrument yielded valuable insightful information for educators and policymakers in Thailand. This could thus help shape strategies to evaluate and improve student well-being.

The increasing reliance on digital technology in education, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, highlights the urgent need to understand online counseling competencies among secondary school advisory teachers. However, limited empirical evidence exists regarding the structure of these competencies in the Thai educational context. This study aimed to examine the components and validate a model of online counseling competences among secondary school advisory-teachers in Thailand. A total of 400 teachers from the Northeastern region were selected using multistage stratified random sampling. Data were collected through self-reported questionnaires and analyzed using second-order confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The findings indicate that online counseling competences comprises three components: adaptive online counseling proficiency (AOC), school online counseling ethics (SCE), and secure comprehensive technology-integrated online counseling systems (SCS). The model demonstrated strong fit indices (χ2=76.240, df=70, p-value=0.284, χ2/df=1.089; root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA)=0.015; standardized root mean square residual (SRMR)=0.029; normed fit index (NFI)=0.990; comparative fit index (CFI)=1.000). This model provides a framework to guide training and policy development aimed at enhancing the effectiveness of online counseling services in Thai secondary schools.

Background: Amid rising concerns about student mental health in the post-COVID-19 era, school systems, especially in low- and middle-income countries, face major challenges in providing timely psychological support. Teachers often serve as frontline providers, yet most lack formal training in digital counseling methods required in online or hybrid learning environments. Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of an Online Counseling Competencies Training Program (OCCTP) for improving the digital counseling skills of secondary school advisory teachers in Thailand. Methods: A quasi-experimental design with a pre-test/post-test and a comparison group was used. Sixty teachers were recruited and evenly assigned to an intervention or control group. The intervention group received a nine-session online training program covering adaptive counseling techniques, digital ethics, and secure technology platforms. Counseling competencies were assessed using the validated Online Counseling Competencies Scale (OCCS) at three time points: pre-intervention, post-intervention, and three-month follow-up. Data were analyzed using repeated-measures ANOVA. Results: The intervention group demonstrated statistically significant improvements in digital counseling competencies between pre- and post-test (P < 0.001), with sustained effects at follow-up. No significant improvements were observed in the control group. Improvements included enhanced skills in online empathy, ethical practice, and technology use. Conclusion: The OCCTP effectively enhances teacher competencies for digital mental health support and may be integrated into professional development frameworks to strengthen school-based mental health services. Its scalability offers potential for broader implementation in low-resource educational settings.