Psychosocial Factors Influencing The Use of Internet-Based Psychological Interventions in The Face of Covid 19: A Case Study of Wazi, A Kenyan-Based Online Therapy Platform

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic led to the adoption of different approaches to managing psychological challenges people face. However, different factors influence the adoption of internet-based therapeutic interventions in managing psychological challenges. The general objective of the study was to determine the psychosocial factors influencing the use of internet-based psychological interventions in the face of COVID-19. The study was guided by Maslow’s theory of needs and the psychosocial theory. A mixed-method research design was employed to collect data from a population of 300 clients. Simple random sampling and purposive sampling techniques were utilized to select a sample comprising 210 clients and 5 therapists. A semi-structured online questionnaire was used to collect data from the sample. Data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics using SPSS version 24.0 and complemented by MS Excel. Thematic analysis was used to analyze qualitative data. The study established a significant and strong positive correlation between the client’s education level, the client’s socio-economic level, and the use of internet-based psychological intervention (r = 0.87, p = 0.04; r=0.710 at p<0.05). The client’s education level and socio-economic level influenced the use of the internet-based psychological intervention. The study recommends that the government should promote socio-economic empowerment of the people, support training on necessary skills, and review policies aimed at improving computer literacy and the general education level of the population to enhance efficiency in technology.