Delivering Online Clinical Interviews With NGO Workers in Humanitarian and Cross-Cultural Contexts

Abstract

This article explores the use of online clinical interviews in humanitarian contexts—a practice that not only builds on, updates, and adapts the interventions of psychologists and NGOs dealing with humanitarian crises, but also reflects technological advances. Psychologists working with humanitarian staff in the field can be called in to remotely conduct assessments or provide psychological support to those in need. After providing a brief overview of this relatively new practice, we describe—from a psychodynamic perspective—our own experience of conducting online clinical sessions from France (in collaboration with NGOs) with humanitarian workers directly or indirectly exposed to traumatic situations in 2 countries struck by crisis (Haiti and Syria). We highlight both the benefits and limitations of this practice, as well as the opportunities it offers for developing a new kind of therapeutic support for trauma victims. Based on our specific experiences in the field, we then make a series of clinical, methodical, and ethical recommendations for psychologists using the Internet.

Comparison of the relative sensitivity of two dimensional personality models to the psychopathological symptoms: the section III DSM-5 maladaptive traits versus affective temperaments

“…In this case, it would be better to utilize clinical interviews and other research designs to further validate and expand upon the current findings. Although conducting face-to-face clinical interviews in large populations and extensive epidemiological studies is fraught with difficulties and complexities, using online formats to assess psychological symptoms and mental disorders can be helpful [ 60 ].…”

Online interviewing with interpreters in humanitarian contexts

“…This asymmetry in the relative safety of the researcher and interpreter versus that of the participant brings an additional dimension to the site of interviews (Karray et al, 2017) that carries ethical implications (British Psychological Society, 2017). Notably, it raises a question around the first principle of ethical research practice—the protection of participants from harm (National Commission for the Protection of Human Subjects of Biomedical and Behavioural Research, 1979)—as it can be the very inability to ensure a secure setting for interviews that leads to online interviews in the first place.…”

“…Unstable settings, such as those where humanitarian emergencies occur, give rise to logistical considerations when designing and planning research, including restricted access to sites and populations (Karray, Coq, & Bouteyre, 2017). One way to overcome access difficulties is to use Internet communication technologies; for example, online interviewing.…”

The impact of emergency aid work on personal relationships: a psychodynamic study

“…Berk's previously cited study (Berk 1998) of aid workers in Bosnia is the only article on humanitarians in the entire PEP-Web database of psychoanalytic texts. A search of the PsycINFO database using the terms "humanitarian" and "psychodynamic" yielded only one article (Karray et al 2017) looking at the dynamics of online support to field staff. While there is a well-established psychodynamic literature on refugees and the victims of humanitarian crises (Alayarian 2011; Papadopoulos 2002; Volkan 2017), there is very little published research into the unconscious dynamics that might be at play among aid workers.…”