American Journal Of Social Sciences And Humanity Research
26
https://theusajournals.com/index.php/ajsshr
VOLUME
Vol.05 Issue01 2025
PAGE NO.
26-29
10.37547/ajsshr/Volume05Issue01-08
Analysis of the Organization of Psychological Services in
Central Asian Universities: Results of an Expert Survey
Rakhmanova D.R.
Profi University, Uzbekistan
Received:
26 October 2024;
Accepted:
28 December 2024;
Published:
23 January 2025
Abstract:
The article focuses on analyzing the issues related to the organization of psychological services in
universities across Central Asia, based on the results of an expert survey conducted in 2024. The objective of the
study was to conduct an in-depth examination of the current state and needs for psychological support for
students and staff at universities in the region. The main focus is on assessing the necessity of establishing
specialized psychological services, defining their functions and priorities, and identifying barriers hindering their
effective functioning. Experts from universities in Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, and
Tajikistan participated in the survey.
Keywords:
Psychological service; expert survey; psychological difficulties; students; functions of psychological
services; organizational issues; information technology; online counseling.
Introduction:
In 2024, an expert survey was conducted
to further investigate issues related to psychological
support in the higher education system of Central Asia.
Specialists from universities in Uzbekistan and other
countries of the region were invited to answer a series
of questions concerning the organization of
psychological services in universities and the
psychological challenges faced by students and staff.
Data collection took place from August to November
2024 using a special web form via Google Forms.
The experts' opinions were provided by staff members
from the psychological support departments of
universities, as well as by faculty members with
psychological specialization. In selecting potential
experts, it was considered that a professional
psychologist, even if not directly working in a
university's psychological service, is still competent to
assess key issues and needs in psychological support.
The study sample, which focused on examining the
systems of psychological support in Central Asian
universities, was primarily represented by Uzbekistan,
reflecting the country’s larger organizational capacity in
this research. Of the 41 surveys distributed, 37 were
completed by experts from Uzbekistan, which made up
the majority of the sample. This is due to limited data
collection opportunities in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan,
owing to low response rates, and the complete lack of
availability of specialists from Turkmenistan and
Tajikistan due to the high level of opacity in their
educational systems. The sample mainly consisted of
specialists who received their psychological education
in Uzbekistan (80.5%), although there were some
representatives from other countries as well. The
gender and age structure of respondents showed a
predominance of young women under the age of 34
(73.2%). The majority of the participants held faculty
positions. The scale of institutions varied from small to
large national universities. Despite its limited
geographical coverage, the sample is sufficiently large
and representative to reflect the current issues of
psychological support in Uzbek universities, though
caution is necessary when extrapolating results to the
entire region. The study evaluated the state and
challenges of psychological support in Central Asian
universities. The main focus was on the need for
specialized psychological services, practical experience
in their activities, their functions, organizational issues,
and the problems faced by students and staff. The
results showed that the average rating of the need to
create psychological services was 5.2 on a seven-point
scale, indicating high interest in such services. A
American Journal Of Social Sciences And Humanity Research
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American Journal Of Social Sciences And Humanity Research (ISSN: 2771-2141)
particularly strong need was observed among experts
from public universities. Regardless of whether
psychological services existed in the universities,
experts rated their necessity equally highly,
highlighting the importance of this issue. Experts were
also asked open-ended questions regarding existing
psychological services and programs in their
universities. It was found that most universities only
have a staff psychologist, a position introduced as part
of recent reforms. However, respondents were unable
to name successful programs or criteria for evaluating
the effectiveness of these services. These results
indicate a lack of development and low awareness of
psychological services in universities, even among
specialists in this field, highlighting the need for further
reforms and improvement of the psychological support
infrastructure in the higher education system of Central
Asia.
Experts were asked to rate the importance of 27
potential functions of psychological services on a
seven-point scale. Based on the data, a ranking of
functions was constructed, reflecting their importance
according to the average rating.
The highest ratings were given to functions such as
conducting
scientific
research,
professional
communication, and interaction with external sources
of psychological assistance. According to experts, these
functions are foundational for creating the basic
conditions for the operation of a psychological service.
Priority tasks related to providing psychological
support were also identified.
Special attention was given to the adaptation of
students at risk, including international students and
those with disabilities. Notably, group consultations
were considered more important than individual ones,
likely due to resource constraints.
The results of the study indicated that functions related
to psychotherapy were rated higher than those aimed
at regulating social relations and development. This
suggests that the higher education system in the region
is still underdeveloped, focusing more on social
functions rather than innovative approaches. However,
the importance of emergency psychological assistance
was rated lower than expected, which could suggest an
underestimation of real problems or a lower demand
for this service among students.
Thus, the study identified key areas of activity for
psychological services in Central Asian universities and
outlined the main issues that need attention and
further research.
It should be noted that although auxiliary functions are
important, especially in the early stages of the
development of psychological services, the core role
lies in providing psychological support and guidance.
However, the ways of implementing these functions
may vary depending on the strategies and methods
used. In resource-limited environments, technology-
based forms of work gain importance. Experts rated the
demand for such forms of support for students and
staff using the seven-point scale. The results
highlighted two main directions of using information
technology, which were considered the most
promising: the use of video communication for
individual and group counseling. This aligns with global
trends where online counseling enhances the
accessibility of support and reduces costs while
maintaining elements of personal interaction typical of
traditional counseling models.
In the context of using information technology in
university psychological services, experts preferred
individual counseling over group counseling. This may
be
because
individual
counseling
requires
confidentiality and greater flexibility, which are easier
to provide in a digital environment. While it may be
simpler to organize group counseling within the
university, the digital space offers unique opportunities
for individual work, making assistance more accessible
and secure for students. Another promising direction of
informatization in universities is the use of specialized
software for students to address their psychological
problems independently. Solutions like computer
programs or mobile applications are becoming valuable
resources given the limited capabilities of traditional
psychological services. Fully automated solutions,
while not necessarily of high quality or effectiveness,
provide an important alternative in the context of a
shortage of professional help. Psychological services
can contribute by recommending suitable solutions
available on the market or even developing their own
programs tailored to the specific needs of their
universities and students, adapting to the conditions of
the region.
One of the demanded mechanisms in the work of
university psychological services is the use of a special
form for reporting psychological problems in others,
primarily students. Research shows that some large
universities abroad use this practice despite its limited
spread. This approach allows identifying problems
without relying on students' readiness to seek help,
which is especially important in regions where
psychological difficulties are stigmatized, as is the case
in Central Asia. However, the implementation of this
mechanism requires special attention to confidentiality
and professional ethics, as psychological assistance is
traditionally based on voluntariness.
On the other hand, experts noted the low demand for
American Journal Of Social Sciences And Humanity Research
28
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American Journal Of Social Sciences And Humanity Research (ISSN: 2771-2141)
interaction formats such as email counseling and group
chats. These forms of text-based communication are
limited in terms of conveying complete information
and accurate diagnosis, and they do not facilitate the
establishment of trust between the psychologist and
the client. Moreover, they are not popular among
young people and are not considered an effective
channel for providing psychological assistance.
Therefore, other forms of informatization of
psychological help may have moderate demand and
serve as auxiliary tools if there is demand from students
and staff. The study also identified key barriers to
creating effective psychological services. Rating the
importance of various barriers on a seven-point scale
revealed that, contrary to common expectations,
financial resources are not the primary issue. More
significant for the development of psychological
services are the shortage of methodological and
organizational-institutional resources, as well as
underdeveloped infrastructure. These factors indicate
the need for a comprehensive approach to forming
psychological services, where methodology and
organizational structure play a fundamental role. The
lack of necessary experience and competencies is seen
not only as a problem of individual universities but also
of the entire region, which calls for the creation of
unified standards within national education systems.
Analysis of the relative significance of various problems
shows interesting differences depending on whether a
university has a psychological service. For universities
without
psychological
services,
infrastructure
limitations, a shortage of specialists, and language
barriers are perceived as more significant problems,
emphasizing structural and staffing challenges in their
organization.In universities with existing psychological
services, the emphasis shifts toward the lack of
practical experience, signaling the need to strengthen
professional skills and improve the expertise of
specialists. Analysis of expert responses revealed that
many did not take the opportunity to indicate
additional problems not covered in the main survey,
which
could
suggest
an
underdeveloped
methodological approach or general uncertainty in
perceiving the issues. Regarding the optimal number of
staff for effective functioning of psychological services,
the majority highlighted a range of 3 to 5 people, which
is in line with the practices of leading universities in the
region with full-fledged specialized services. It is
important to note that university psychological services
are not the sole source of psychological support. In
environments
where
internal
structures
are
insufficiently developed, external sources of help, such
as private and government counseling centers, gain
particular significance. Experts rated their availability at
4.4 on the seven-point scale, indicating that alternative
options are available for students and university staff.
Therefore, one of the key tasks of university
psychological services is not only to provide support
but also to inform about external resources, which
could significantly expand the available help in the
context of limited internal resources. In addition,
experts were asked to assess the urgency of 19
different psychological problems faced by modern
students. The data revealed that the most pressing
issues are stress, anxiety, depression, sleep disorders,
and
self-regulation
problems.
Physical
and
psychological aggression, academic performance
issues, self-identification, and maintaining a healthy
lifestyle also occupy important places. Experts assigned
less importance to social issues such as peer
relationships, family problems, conflicts based on
ethnicity and religion, and substance use. Despite its
limitations, the conducted study provided valuable
data on the state and development of psychological
services in universities in Central Asia, highlighting the
urgent need for their creation and development. The
results emphasize the importance of focusing on low-
resource forms of assistance and underscore the need
for methodological and organizational support. While
funding plays a significant role, the successful
integration of psychological support as an independent
function within universities critically depends on the
accumulation of methodological experience and the
development of operational standards. Problems of
stress, anxiety, depression, and other psychological
issues faced by students remain central to the study,
signaling a severe lack of accessible resources to
address them. Independent assessments of these
problems revealed important trends; however, for the
validity and accuracy of such conclusions, direct
psychodiagnostics research comparisons are required.
Thus, the results of the study indicate the need for a
comprehensive approach to the development of
psychological support in higher education institutions
in the region, which includes methodological
development, practical application of modern
information technologies, and collaboration with
external consulting resources. This will serve as a
foundation for maintaining and strengthening the
psychological well-being of students and university
staff.
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