The Reality and Barriers of Applying Electronic Psychological Counseling and Its Role in Promoting Sustainable Development

Abstract

This study aimed to identify the current status of electronic psychological counseling implementation, examine the major barriers to its application, and analyze its role in promoting sustainable development from the perspectives of psychological counselors in secondary schools in the city of Zliten, Libya. The study was motivated by a central problem concerning the gap between the opportunities offered by digital technologies and the actual level of implementation of electronic psychological counseling within educational institutions, in light of persistent technical, professional, organizational, and ethical challenges that limit its effectiveness.The study adopted the descriptive-analytical approach and employed a questionnaire as the primary instrument for data collection. The study sample consisted of 60 male and female psychological counselors selected through simple random sampling. The validity and reliability analyses demonstrated that the instrument possessed strong psychometric properties, with Pearson correlation coefficients ranging from 0.781 to 0.886 and a Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.914, confirming the instrument's suitability for research purposes.The findings revealed a high level of implementation of electronic psychological counseling, with a mean score of 4.20 and a relative weight of 83.9%. Similarly, counselors' perceptions of its role in promoting sustainable development were high, with a mean score of 4.32 and a relative weight of 86.4%. The results further indicated that psychological counselors demonstrated a strong willingness to acquire electronic counseling skills, while emphasizing the need for specialized training, improved digital infrastructure, and the development of appropriate regulatory legislation. Moreover, the findings showed a positive correlation between the implementation of electronic psychological counseling and its contribution to sustainable development. The study concluded that the success of electronic psychological counseling depends on the integration of technical, human, organizational, and legislative dimensions in order to enhance the quality of psychological services, support digital transformation, and contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Accordingly, the study recommends improving digital infrastructure, providing specialized training for psychological counselors, developing appropriate legislative frameworks, establishing secure national electronic psychological counseling platforms, and integrating digital mental health services into sustainable development strategies.