Better Mental Health

Faculty of Psychology actively shares knowledge to build understanding

In the past, mental illness led to people being stigmatized and shunned by Thai society. Those who suffered had to live secluded lives, hiding away from friends or even family. People are more understanding today, but we are still far from being a society that embraces and supports those with psychological problems.

Chulalongkorn University, as the country’s leading higher education institute, has realized that these negative attitudes need to be changed.

The university founded the Faculty of Psychology in 1996 with the firm commitment to produce quality graduates and research that responds to society’s needs. Its mission is to understand the human mind and be able to explain and predict psychological conditions and promote mental wellness.

Over the years, faculty members have produced numerous short articles on mental health issues, written in a simple, non-academic way to generate better understanding among the general public. The articles have been compiled and published in pocket book form to help disseminate knowledge of psychological problems more widely.

However, now that most people are doing their searching on the internet, the faculty has expanded digital access to psychological knowledge using two channels: Smarter Life by Psychology which is a blog on academic feature articles; and the PsychologyChula Facebook page, where the faculty disseminates public information.

The frequency of the blog posts is one to two articles per month. But should there be any news that captures huge public interest, the faculty will provide articles or interviews with explanations of the significance of the matter at hand. Examples include the psychological implications for the young Moo Pa (Wild Boars) football players trapped in the Tham Luang cave in Chiang Rai in June 2018; school and cyber bullying; and the effects of PM 2.5 pollutants.

In addition to written media, the faculty has also produced interviews with lecturers and experts in various psychological fields broadcast through the radio network of Chulalongkorn University for years. These programs are now going online too, so the public will have more sources of useful information.

Recently, the faculty added a new program, by conducting an online Psyche Poll. The findings will be analyzed and explained with a focus on the psychological aspects. The results will be made public via print and online media. Surveys to date have covered a wide range of topics such as views about love, election polls, holiday activities and sexual diversity.

All the topics presented have been well received, with the number of readers and followers of the blogs and pages on the rise. Comments and inquiries are also coming into the inbox. Many are interested in pursuing psychology as a field of study and inquiring about the faculty’s bachelor and post-graduate degrees.

The faculty also provides academic training programs, seminars and workshops on psychology, achieving a positive reception. Topics are chosen based on the attention given to the published articles. For example, features on how to raise well-rounded children led to a workshop on basic developmental psychology. Articles about psychological assessment inspired a workshop on how to choose psychological assessment tools. Stories about sexual diversity led to a seminar on LGBT: Gender Freedom to Equality.

The dissemination of psychological knowledge by the faculty over the years has generated better understanding about mental health among the public. As a result, people are more open and willing to come out seek psychological counselling services at the faculty.

Organizations and companies have also consulted the faculty’s psychological assessment service for advice on recruitment and selection. More and more companies are acknowledging the crucial role psychology can play in people’s progress and also inquiring about counselling services from the faculty.