A qualitative study of naturalistic helping processes among university students in China

Little is known about the processes of naturalistic psychological helping (NPH) in China. The purpose of the current study was to gain a better understanding of NPH in China using qualitative methodology. Data were analyzed from 10 NPH sessions of Chinese university students who were confronted with life challenges. Five types of interaction modes were observed in the NPH process, including helpee-to-helper questions and answers, helper-to-helpee questions and answers, pulling, debating, and cooperating. Two types of interaction outcomes were also identified in the sessions – success and failure. Specifically, success outcomes were identified when problem-solving, insights, and emotional reliefs were involved; and failure outcomes were identified when pretended accepting, laying the problem aside, and digressing were involved. In general, interactions that were characterized by modes of cooperating tended to be successful, while interactions characterized by modes of pulling or debating tended to fail. Based on our analyses, it appears that NPH in China often involves looking for 解 (pronounced “jie”, which means releasing or untying things in Chinese). Implications and future research directions for NPH are discussed.