[unpad.ac.id, 31/3/2020] Universitas Padjadjaran academics trained volunteers who will become a counseling service team for Indonesian students in the United States. This peer counseling service program was initiated by the Indonesian Students Association in the United States (Permias) on Saturday (28/3).
The academics included the Dean of the Faculty of Psychology, Prof. Dr. Hj. Hendriati Agustiani, M.SI., and the Vice Dean of the Faculty of Psychology, Zahrotur R. Hinduan, S.Psi, MOP, Psikolog, PhD. Both delivered training material through Zoom to 27 National Permias volunteers.
Prof. Hendriati, a developmental psychologist, encouraged volunteers to advise others to create social integration, or build connections in positive situations and optimize their respective development efforts. Zahrotur delivered material on Psychological First Aid. To answer patients’ counseling needs, volunteers are required to submit an initial assessment.
Chairman of the National Permias COVID-19 Task Force, dr. Alvinsyah Pramono, explained that the results of a survey they conducted showed an upward trend of depression and anxiety faced by Indonesian students in the US following the widespread Coronavirus pandemic.