SLIIT International Conference on Advancements in Science and Humanities [SICASH]
Permanent URI for this communityhttps://rda.sliit.lk/handle/123456789/311
SLIIT International Conference on Advancements in Science and Humanities is organized by the Faculty of Humanities and Sciences of the Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), the annual research multi-conference of the faculty.
Browse
5 results
Search Results
Publication Open Access Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Mental Health: Innovations, Challenges, and Ethical Imperatives(School of Psychology. Faculty of Humanities and Sciences, SLIIT, 2025-10-10) Jayalath, J.GArtificial Intelligence (AI) is increasingly viewed as a promising tool for improving access to and scalability of mental health services, particularly thrrough application such as Chatbot, predictive modeling and emotion recognition technology.However, its integration raises significant ethical and psychological concerns, including algorithmic bias, privacy violations, and the potential erosion of human empathy. This qualitative integrative review aimed to critically examine the dual role of AI in mental health, synthesizing evidence on its efficacy and ethical challenges. The study systematically searched Scopus, Google Scholar, PubMed, and PsycINFO databases, employing a structured search strategy. From an initial pool of 70 papers, 10 high-impact studies were selected based on rigorous inclusion criteria (peer-reviewed, focus on AI applications, ethical/psychological implications).Publication Open Access A Participatory Approach to Developing Adolescent Support Groups Focusing on Social Emotional Wellbeing: Lessons from a Community-Based Intervention Conducted in Gothamipura, Sri Lanka(School of Psychology. Faculty of Humanities and Sciences, SLIIT, 2025-10-10) Jayatilake, P; Gunawardana, R; Goonetilleke, NAdolescent mental health remains a growing concern in underserved urban communities in Sri Lanka. This study aimed to develop a culturally relevant support group model for adolescents in Gothamipura using a participatory approach. The objectives were to create a replicable context-sensitive intervention, enhancesocial-emotional wellbeing of participating adolescents, and offer a replicable framework for developing community-based psychosocial interventions in similar settings. The methodology involved two phases. The first phase involved focused group discussions and consultations with adolescents to understand social emotional focus areas. The second phase included designing sessions, pilot testing, and multiple feedbackand impact assessment sessions. A total of 26 sessions were conducted over 12 months, leading to the development of a support group model with 12 sessions. The model focused on three core areas: emotional awareness, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness. Session content was refined iteratively basedon facilitator observations and participant feedback. Impact assessments showed improved understanding of emotions, greater awareness of distress tolerance strategies, and increased engagement in interpersonal skills, though comprehension levels varied among participants. The structured yet adaptable framework that emerged to develop the model highlights the importance of grounding psychosocial interventions inthe lived experiences of adolescents and incorporating continuous feedback throughout the development process. While the model showed promise, limitations included the absence of pre-post quantitative evaluation and challenges in sustaining the intervention beyond facilitator-led sessions. This study contributes to existing knowledge by demonstrating how participatory methods can support the design oflocally meaningful psychosocial programs for adolescents in low-resource, and marginalized settings.Publication Open Access A Qualitative Exploration of Pet Ownership and its Perceived Impact on Mental Health and Cultural Perspectives among Young Adults in Sri Lanka(School of Psychology. Faculty of Humanities and Sciences, SLIIT, 2025-10-10) Rodrigo, R. J; Goonethilleke, NPets have the capacity to offer unconditional love and support through companionship, positively influencing emotional, mental, and social wellbeing. Guided by the Human-Animal Interaction (HAI) framework, this qualitative study explored the views on pet ownership and mental health among young adults in Sri Lanka. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven pet owners aged 20 to 22. Data was analysed using thematic analysis. Four key themes emerged: (1) Psychological impact and emotional support, (2) Responsibility and daily structure, (3) Cultural and societal contexts, and (4) Fostering social connections. The findings highlight the meaningful contributions of pet ownership to reduced stress and anxiety, increased empathy, improved emotional regulation, and a sense of routine and responsibility, with cultural and familial factors shaping experiences. Pets occasionally served as social facilitators. Overall, findings suggest that pet ownership may offer valuable support for young adults’ mental health and wellbeing in the Sri Lankan context.Publication Open Access Prevalence of Depression, Anxiety, and Stress among Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Individuals(Faculty of Humanities and Sciences, SLIIT, 2024-12-04) Jayatilake, P; Caldera, ASexual minoriti es are a group seldom studied in Sri Lanka though they undergo discriminati on and sti gma which may lead to an increase in mental health issues. In order to further understand this, the present study aimed to explore prevalence rates of depression, anxiety, and stress among lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals in Sri Lanka. To meet the objecti ves of the study, data was gathered from 162 LGBT individuals in Sri Lanka who were 18 years and older using snowball sampling method. The original and translated and validated Sinhala versions of the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 (DASS 21) were used to gather data along with a demographic questi onnaire. Questi onnaires were distributed through online methods. It was found that 70.4% of parti cipants indicated presence of depression with 34.6% indicati ng extremely severe levels of depression, while 29.6% indicated no presence of depression. Furthermore, 66.7% of parti cipants indicated presence of anxiety with 34% indicati ng extremely severe levels of anxiety, while 33.3% parti cipants indicated no presence of anxiety. Lastly, 66.7% of parti cipants indicated presence of stress with 25.9% indicati ng extremely severe levels of stress, while 33.3% of parti cipants indicated no presence of stress. These fi ndings highlight signifi cant mental health challenges faced by LGBT individuals in Sri Lanka, indicati ng the need for targeted mental health interventi ons.Publication Embargo Attitude of Police Officers towards Dealing with Individuals with Psychological Problems: A Sample from Selected Police Stations in Colombo District(Faculty of Humanities and Sciences, SLIIT, 2022-09-15) Tennakoon, L; Ponnamperuma, LSri Lanka’s Mental Diseases Ordinance (1873) gives discretion to police officers to make decisions concerning individuals who live with mental health conditions despite lack of clinical training. Identification of officers’ attitudes towards individuals with psychological problems (IPPs) is important as these influences officers’ responses to situations involving IPPs. Using the Mental Health Attitude Survey for Police (MHASP; Clayfield, 2011), the study aimed to identify police officers’ attitudes towards IPPs, on the community responsibility towards IPPs and on IPPs living in the community. Officers’ perceived level of adequacy to deal with IPPs was also assessed. Literature indicates that factors such as age, gender, level of education, years of experience, personal experience with an IPP and past training predicted officers’ attitude, the current study investigated the same. The survey was distributed amongst 77 officers who volunteered on site. MHASP includes 33 statements of officers rated their level of agreement using a Likert scale. MHASP Total an overall attitude score (M=132.67, SD=17.55) indicated a significant positive attitude towards IPPs despite an absence of a specialized training (84%) or any personal experience, officers felt confident to deal with IPPs. Multiple regression analysis identified gender of the officers to be the only predictor for attitude towards community responsibility towards IPPs (p=0.047). Despite the positive attitude and perceived adequate preparedness reported in the current study, considering the lack of experience stated by the officers and the analysis of individual items of the survey, several stigmatizing beliefs held by officers were identified. The findings can be used to enhance the current practices and specialized training to the police officers who deal with IPPs in Sri Lanka.