Impact of an acceptance facilitating intervention on psychotherapists’ acceptance of blended therapy

Abstract

Blended therapy is a new approach combining advantages of face-to-face psychotherapy and Internet-and mobile-based interventions. Acceptance is a fundamental precondition for its implementation. The aim of this study was to assess 1) the acceptance of psychotherapists towards blended therapy, 2) the effectiveness of an acceptance facilitating intervention (AFI) on psychotherapists' acceptance towards blended therapy and 3) to identify potential effect moderators. Psychotherapists (N = 284) were randomly assigned to a control (CG) or an intervention group (IG). The IG received a short video showing an example of blended therapy, the CG an attention placebo video. Both groups received a reliable online questionnaire assessing acceptance, effort expectancy, performance expectancy, facilitating conditions, social influence and internet anxiety. Between group differences were examined using t-tests and Mann-Whitney tests. Exploratory analysis was conducted to identify moderators. Psychotherapists in CG showed mixed baseline acceptance towards blended therapy (low = 40%, moderate = 33%, high = 27%). IG showed significantly higher acceptance compared to CG (d = .27, p one-sided = .029; low = 24%, moderate = 47%, high = 30%). Bootstrapped confidence intervals were overlapping. Performance expectancy (d = .35), effort expectancy (d = .44) and facilitating conditions (d = .28) were significantly increased (p < .05). No effects on social influence and internet anxiety were found (p>.05). Exploratory analysis indicated psychodynamic oriented psychotherapists profiting particularly from the AFI. Blended therapy is a promising approach to improve healthcare. Psychotherapists show mixed acceptance, which might be improvable by AFIs, particularly in subpopulations of initially rather skeptical psychotherapists. Forthcoming studies should extend the present study by shifting focus from attitudes to the impact of different forms of AFIs on uptake.

Examining the Preliminary Effectiveness and Acceptability of a Web-Based Training Program for Australian Secondary School Teachers: Pilot Study of the BEAM (Building Educators’ Skills in Adolescent Mental Health) Program

“…Given that other web-based workplace mental health training programs have been shown to be effective [ 23 ], some teachers may require additional messaging to address these attitudes prior to commencing the training. Embedding acceptance facilitation techniques (eg, video explainers, provision of research findings, and feedback on the changes in participants’ outcomes) may help increase confidence and uptake of this training format [ 39 , 40 ]. Additional feedback from peers, students, and parents about improvements in participants’ helping behavior may also help strengthen perceptions of training effectiveness.…”

Effectiveness of a Guided Internet- and Mobile-Based Intervention for Patients with Chronic Back Pain and Depression (WARD-BP): A Multicenter, Pragmatic Randomized Controlled Trial

“…It needs to be defined where these approaches can: (a) complement or (b) replace existing offers, and (c) where IMI do not provide additional benefit. Further research should focus on both the effectiveness and reach of these interventions [10,[53][54][55][56][57] to help define the public health relevance of e-mental health innovations.…”

Reviewing the availability, efficacy and clinical utility of Telepsychology in dialectical behavior therapy (Tele-DBT)

“…In our introduction, we stated that is important to anticipate the needs of future patients and clinicians [ 90 – 93 ]. In performing our scoping review we could not help but wonder whether we aren’t always a couple of steps behind of our youngest patients.…”