As practitioners in the field of special education and online therapy, it is essential to continuously improve our skills and understanding to better support the children and adolescents we serve. The recent research article titled "Linguistic Variables and Gender Differences Within a Messenger-Based Psychosocial Chat Counseling Service for Children and Adolescents: Cross-Sectional Study" provides valuable insights that can significantly enhance our practice.
This study analyzed the chat content from a German messenger-based psychosocial chat counseling service called "krisenchat," which offers support to children and adolescents. The research examined various linguistic variables and their associations with psychiatric symptoms, revealing crucial findings that can inform our approach to online counseling.
Key findings from the study include:
- First-Person Singular Pronouns: The frequent use of first-person singular pronouns (e.g., "I," "me," "my") was associated with a higher likelihood of psychiatric symptoms, particularly among female users and users identifying as diverse. This self-focused language may indicate increased vulnerability to stress and negative emotionality.
- Negations and Negative Emotion Words: Increased use of negations (e.g., "no," "not," "never") and negative emotion words (e.g., "hurt," "worried," "sad") was linked to the presence of psychiatric symptoms. Female users were found to use these linguistic features more frequently than male users.
- First-Person Plural Pronouns and Causation Words: The use of first-person plural pronouns (e.g., "we," "us," "our") and causation words (e.g., "because," "effect") was associated with a lower likelihood of psychiatric symptoms. These words may foster a sense of unity and logical coherence, which can be protective factors.
Based on these findings, here are some practical recommendations for practitioners:
- Monitor Language Usage: Pay attention to the frequency of first-person singular pronouns, negations, and negative emotion words in chat messages. These linguistic features can serve as indicators of potential psychiatric symptoms.
- Encourage Positive Language: Use first-person plural pronouns and causation words in your responses to create a sense of unity and logical coherence. This can help stabilize the user emotionally and foster a supportive environment.
- Reflective Listening: Mirror users' statements with positively paraphrased responses and guide them towards positive thoughts and goals. This can help reduce the use of negations and negative emotion words.
- Promote Self-Reflection: Encourage users to reflect on their feelings and thoughts, helping them develop a better understanding of their own mind and fostering resilience.
By integrating these psycholinguistic insights into our counseling practice, we can enhance our understanding of the psychological processes of our users and provide more targeted support. This approach not only improves the quality of our interventions but also empowers children and adolescents to navigate their mental health challenges more effectively.
To read the original research paper, please follow this link: Linguistic Variables and Gender Differences Within a Messenger-Based Psychosocial Chat Counseling Service for Children and Adolescents: Cross-Sectional Study.
