The COVID-19 pandemic has led many counselors and therapists to transition from in-person therapy to teletherapy services. Doctoral trainees in their first year of training, faculty, and staff at the Psychological Services Center (PSC), a training clinic at a large public university, successfully completed a rapid transition to teletherapy in March 2020. This brief report will provide insight into steps taken by the PSC to shift to remote training and practice while maintaining its educational and community mandates, prioritizing continuity of care and training during the onset of a global pandemic. We provide the trainee perspective on technological needs, remote supervision, and changes to clinical practice during the transition. Special considerations around self-disclosure and child treatment will be discussed. This brief report serves as an example of the multitude of considerations faculty, staff, and trainees may be faced with as therapeutic services continue remotely throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.
Evidence-based treatment approaches for avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) remain limited and may be inaccessible to families due to geographic, financial, and/or time constraints. This study aims to establish the acceptability and feasibility of a brief ARFID Parent Training Program (ARFID-PTP), modified from other evidence-based approaches, using a randomized controlled trial design. Participants (n = 30) will be children aged 5-12 who meet diagnostic criteria for ARFID and their parents/guardians. Participants will be randomized to receive treatment immediately or following a 4-week wait (waitlist control). Treatment consists of two, 2-hr virtual treatment sessions with the family and a therapist plus an optional booster session.Primary aims include evaluating the (a) feasibility of ARFID-PTP as indicated by recruitment and retention rates, as well as treatment adherence at home and (b) acceptability as determined by ratings on the Credibility and Expectancy Questionnaire and satisfaction questions. A secondary aim is to assess the preliminary efficacy of ARFID-PTP via changes in scores on the Pica, ARFID, and Rumination Disorder Interview. If results indicate appropriate feasibility and acceptability, the proposed protocol will form the basis for larger scale trials of treatment efficacy in efforts to increase accessibility of evidence-based treatment for ARFID.
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