Counselling and psychotherapy services in more developed and developing regions in China: A comparative investigation of practitioners and current service delivery

Background: Counselling and psychotherapy services have taken off with uneven speed across China since the 1980s after several years of stagnation. Researchers have attributed socioeconomic development (or the lack thereof) and regional differences as main barriers to the development in this field. However, little is known today about the status of counselling and psychotherapy services across China. Aims: To investigate and compare the current situation of practitioners and service delivery of counselling and psychotherapy in more developed and developing regions across China. Method: Convenience sampling methods from counselling and psychological services organizations in 29 Chinese provinces, municipalities or autonomous regions were used to recruit 1,543 participants to take part in the investigation by completing a 93-item self-designed questionnaire. Results: Organizations in developing and more developed regions in China varied in their current practices and employment situation of their practitioners, and in the quality of service delivery. However, counselling and psychotherapy offered at universities in both types of regions are of similar quality. Conclusion: In China, the level of socioeconomic development significantly influences the development of professional counselling and psychotherapy services. Important progress is evident in the field; however, the lack of systematic training and the scarcity of professional practitioners remain a challenge.