Review of the current empirical literature on using videoconferencing to deliver individual psychotherapies to adults with mental health problems

Abstract

Purpose. The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a widespread adoption of videoconferencing as a communication medium in mental health service delivery. This review considers the empirical literature to date on using videoconferencing to deliver psychological therapy to adults presenting with mental health problems.Method. Papers were identified via search of relevant databases. Quantitative and qualitative data were extracted and synthesized on uptake, feasibility, outcomes, and participant and therapist experiences.This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Mental Health Service User and Worker Experiences of Psychosocial Support Via Telehealth Through the COVID-19 Pandemic: Qualitative Study

“…This also allowed for opportunities presented by telehealth to be capitalized upon, such as convenience of access and appointments being less rushed. In line with other reports of the use of telehealth [1][2][3][4][5][6][7], using more remote communication channels sometimes overcame discomfort associated with in-person interaction. There also appeared to be a potential to increase the power and control the client had within the relationship through these choices, which may be especially important in this often-disempowered client group.…”

“…In common with previous telehealth implementations [5,7,17], service users indicated a need to adapt to new ways of interacting with services, and workers expressed concerns that technical difficulties and a lack of in-person presence would interfere with maintaining an effective helping relationship. We found that during this pandemic, when telehealth was typically the only way to receive psychosocial support, service users were generally willing to adapt, and adjustment to a new service delivery model could be navigated for most.…”

“…This partly appeared attributable to having to adapt to a new mode of practice, but also to having to meet the additional out-of-session work required and facing greater challenges in reading nonverbal cues to maintain rapport. It is notable that randomized controlled trials have not found formal client ratings of therapeutic rapport to be lower with telehealth than with in-person delivery [5,6,21]. On the other hand, the demand on workers in maintaining rapport can be greater in the absence of nonverbal cues.…”

“…COVID-19 has resulted in a dramatic increase in the use of telehealth for mental health treatment, intervention, and support. Although there had been incremental growth in the use of telehealth modalities such as videoconferencing and telephone prior to the pandemic, it had largely been seen as a substitute for in-person service provision, particularly for people unable to travel or located in remote or underserved regions; evidence showed that videoconferencing and telephone delivery was feasible with high satisfaction and equivalent outcomes, and in some cases, could reduce discomfort associated with in-person interactions [1][2][3][4][5][6]. Effective group facilitation via videoconference [7][8][9], and decreased feelings of anxiety and isolation in group videoconferencing settings, even for those with limited digital literacy [10], had also been reported.…”

The digital divide: factors impacting on uptake of remote therapy in a South London psychological therapy service for people with psychosis

“…Whilst early research into the effectiveness of remote therapies is promising, direct comparisons with in-person therapy are still scarce, and views of service users, carers and staff are mixed, with some concerned about being digitally excluded and the loss of a therapeutic "safe space" (Liberati et al, 2021). A recent review of the literature concluded that studies of the use of videoconferencing for severe mental illness are currently lacking (Thomas et al, 2021) and the impact of the shift toward remote intervention will inevitably be complex, with research needed to identify adverse effects as well as benefits.…”