Qualitative meta-summary of client’s non-face-to-face psychological counseling experience

Objectives The purpose of this study is to systematically synthesize qualitative research on clients' non-face-to- face psychological counseling experiences and derive implications. Methods This study analyzed clients' psychological counseling experiences using a qualitative meta-summary method. Qualitative meta-summary is a method of systematically integrating and summarizing existing qualitative research results and focuses on deriving key statements and patterns. Results As a result of the results analysis, 132 abbreviated statements, 26 positive experience categories, and 19 negative experience categories were derived that inductively analyzed their meaning. These categories were divided into five areas: ‘Experience related to digital devices’, ‘Experience related to the time and space of non-face-to-face counseling’, ‘Interaction experience with counselors’, ‘Awareness of the effectiveness of counseling’, and ‘Experience by non-face-to-face counseling medium’. The categories showing the high frequency effect size were found to be difficult to concentrate on counseling due to the instability of the system(61.9%), participation in counseling passively compared to face-to-face counseling, and experience that communication is not possible(57.1%) and self-awareness expands through universality confirmation and self-objectification(57.1%). Conclusions Based on the results of these studies, the characteristics of non-face-to-face psychological counseling experienced by clients, factors to consider in the counseling process, and implications for counselor education were discussed.