Effectiveness of the Buddhist-Based Elderly Mental Health Counseling Training Program for Thai Health Volunteer Monks
The mental health challenges faced by aging societies, particularly within the context of Thai Buddhist communities, underscore the urgent need for capacity-building initiatives to support monks in promoting the psychological well-being of the elderly. This study evaluates the effectiveness of a men...
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| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2024-12-01
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| Series: | Religions |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/15/12/1472 |
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| author | Saowalak Langgapin Waraporn Boonchieng Sineenart Chautrakarn Narong Maneeton Sunisa Senawan |
| author_facet | Saowalak Langgapin Waraporn Boonchieng Sineenart Chautrakarn Narong Maneeton Sunisa Senawan |
| author_sort | Saowalak Langgapin |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The mental health challenges faced by aging societies, particularly within the context of Thai Buddhist communities, underscore the urgent need for capacity-building initiatives to support monks in promoting the psychological well-being of the elderly. This study evaluates the effectiveness of a mental health training program for monks, rooted in Buddhist principles. The primary aim is to assess how well the program equips monks to counsel the elderly in Thai Buddhist society. A quasi-experimental design was employed, involving 32 health volunteer monks selected through purposive sampling. The study assessed the monks’ knowledge and practical counseling skills and collected participant feedback. The results indicate significant improvements in both knowledge and practical skills, with marked progress observed from pre- to post-test scores (<i>p</i> < 0.001) and sustained effectiveness in follow-up assessments (<i>p</i> = 0.005). Approximately 71.88% of participants passed the knowledge post-test and practical skills evaluation, with 62.50% demonstrating proficiency in the follow-up assessment. These findings suggest that the program is effective in preparing monks to address mental health issues among the elderly in Thai Buddhist society. Additionally, integrating indigenous practices and beliefs into mental health interventions can enhance their cultural relevance and acceptance. This approach empowers local religious leaders and fosters culturally sensitive solutions to mental health challenges across diverse populations. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-abc83f2dff3540eab3637fb2008f0c10 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2077-1444 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Religions |
| spelling | doaj-art-abc83f2dff3540eab3637fb2008f0c102024-12-27T14:50:23ZengMDPI AGReligions2077-14442024-12-011512147210.3390/rel15121472Effectiveness of the Buddhist-Based Elderly Mental Health Counseling Training Program for Thai Health Volunteer MonksSaowalak Langgapin0Waraporn Boonchieng1Sineenart Chautrakarn2Narong Maneeton3Sunisa Senawan4Faculty of Public Health, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, ThailandFaculty of Public Health, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, ThailandFaculty of Public Health, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, ThailandDepartment of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, ThailandFaculty of Public Health, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, ThailandThe mental health challenges faced by aging societies, particularly within the context of Thai Buddhist communities, underscore the urgent need for capacity-building initiatives to support monks in promoting the psychological well-being of the elderly. This study evaluates the effectiveness of a mental health training program for monks, rooted in Buddhist principles. The primary aim is to assess how well the program equips monks to counsel the elderly in Thai Buddhist society. A quasi-experimental design was employed, involving 32 health volunteer monks selected through purposive sampling. The study assessed the monks’ knowledge and practical counseling skills and collected participant feedback. The results indicate significant improvements in both knowledge and practical skills, with marked progress observed from pre- to post-test scores (<i>p</i> < 0.001) and sustained effectiveness in follow-up assessments (<i>p</i> = 0.005). Approximately 71.88% of participants passed the knowledge post-test and practical skills evaluation, with 62.50% demonstrating proficiency in the follow-up assessment. These findings suggest that the program is effective in preparing monks to address mental health issues among the elderly in Thai Buddhist society. Additionally, integrating indigenous practices and beliefs into mental health interventions can enhance their cultural relevance and acceptance. This approach empowers local religious leaders and fosters culturally sensitive solutions to mental health challenges across diverse populations.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/15/12/1472counselingmental healthtraining programmonkseldersBuddhism |
| spellingShingle | Saowalak Langgapin Waraporn Boonchieng Sineenart Chautrakarn Narong Maneeton Sunisa Senawan Effectiveness of the Buddhist-Based Elderly Mental Health Counseling Training Program for Thai Health Volunteer Monks Religions counseling mental health training program monks elders Buddhism |
| title | Effectiveness of the Buddhist-Based Elderly Mental Health Counseling Training Program for Thai Health Volunteer Monks |
| title_full | Effectiveness of the Buddhist-Based Elderly Mental Health Counseling Training Program for Thai Health Volunteer Monks |
| title_fullStr | Effectiveness of the Buddhist-Based Elderly Mental Health Counseling Training Program for Thai Health Volunteer Monks |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effectiveness of the Buddhist-Based Elderly Mental Health Counseling Training Program for Thai Health Volunteer Monks |
| title_short | Effectiveness of the Buddhist-Based Elderly Mental Health Counseling Training Program for Thai Health Volunteer Monks |
| title_sort | effectiveness of the buddhist based elderly mental health counseling training program for thai health volunteer monks |
| topic | counseling mental health training program monks elders Buddhism |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/15/12/1472 |
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