Dataset Information

Attitudes of Mental Health Professionals towards Telepsychology during the Pandemic: A Pilot Study.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

This pilot study investigated mental health professionals' attitudes towards remote psychological consultations and internet-based interventions.

Methods

An online survey in Italian and English was administered to a sample of 191 psychologists and psychotherapists to collect detailed information about their professional experience providing online psychological interventions a year and a half after the beginning of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.

Results

The results did not reveal a statistically significant association between the participants' theoretical approaches and the number of patients treated via the online modality. Overall, most of the participants found advantages to the online setting but also noted critical issues regarding privacy and the ease of integrating new technology into their clinical practice.

Conclusions

According to the participants, despite the challenges that must be addressed, telehealth is a viable psychological therapeutic option that is destined to grow in importance in the near future.

SUBMITTER: Cavallo M

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10253044 | biostudies-literature | 2023 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Attitudes of Mental Health Professionals towards Telepsychology during the Pandemic: A Pilot Study.

Cavallo Marco M Pedroli Elisa E Cantoia Manuela M McGrath Breeda B Cecchetti Sonja S

Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) 20230525 11

<h4>Objective</h4>This pilot study investigated mental health professionals' attitudes towards remote psychological consultations and internet-based interventions.<h4>Methods</h4>An online survey in Italian and English was administered to a sample of 191 psychologists and psychotherapists to collect detailed information about their professional experience providing online psychological interventions a year and a half after the beginning of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.<h4>Results</h4>The results did ...[more]

PMID: 37297682

Similar Datasets

Project description:ObjectivesTo compare attitudes of mental health (MH) professionals towards trials of methylenedioxymethamphetamine-assisted psychotherapy (MDMA-AP), with a neutrally labelled pharmacotherapy trial.DesignA randomised controlled vignette study design, with experimenters blinded to group condition.SettingParticipants were recruited online via professional societies.ParticipantsPsychiatrists, psychologists and MH researchers from across Australia.InterventionsParticipants were randomly allocated to read a vignette about a trial of either MDMA-AP or a neutrally labelled pharmacotherapy.OutcomesComparison of the difference in four attitudes towards MDMA-AP and control: How likely they were to (1) recommend participating, or (2) object to participating in the trial; (3) their predicted efficacy; and (4) concerns about the safety of the trial.ResultsThere were no overall differences between professional's attitudes towards MDMA-AP (n=51) and the control pharmacotherapy (n=43) trial vignettes. Psychiatrists were less likely to recommend participation in the MDMA-AP than the control trial (d=0.72, p=0.02), but did not differ in other attitudes. Psychologists and researchers did not differ in any attitudes. The correlation between professional experience and both: (1) concern about, and (2) strength of objection to, the trial, was higher for MDMA-AP, than control (d=0.60, p=0.01 and d=0.40, p=0.03, respectively).ConclusionsPsychiatrists, but not psychologists or researchers showed more hesitancy in recommending trials of MDMA-AP versus an unknown pharmacotherapy. Experienced MH professionals were more likely to have negative views about MDMA-AP trials than less experienced MH professionals. This may reflect the experience of prior unfulfilled pharmacotherapy innovation or exuberance associated with fewer years of practice. Research into, and implementation of, MDMA-AP may face barriers with certain MH professionals, which will need be addressed if MDMA-AP continues to show promise as an efficacious treatment.Trial registration numberThe study design was registered with the ANZCTR (ACTRN12620001068954).

Project description:IntroductionMental disorders such as depression are common, and an estimated 264 million people are affected by them throughout the world. In recent years, studies on digital health interventions to treat mental disorders have shown evidence of their efficacy, and interest in using them has increased as a result. In the primary care setting, depression and anxiety are the two most frequently diagnosed and treated mental disorders. When they do not refer them to specialists, primary care professionals such as general practitioners treat patients with mental disorders themselves but have insufficient time to treat them adequately. Furthermore, there is a shortage of psychotherapists and those that exist have long waiting lists for an appointment. The purpose of this mixed methods systematic review is to explore the attitudes of primary care professionals towards the use of digital health interventions in the treatment of patients with mental disorders. Their attitudes will provide an indication whether digital mental health interventions can effectively complement standard care in the primary care setting.Methods and analysisWe searched for qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods studies published in English, German, Spanish, Russian, French and Dutch after January 2010 for inclusion in the review. The included studies must involve digital mental health interventions conducted via computer and/or mobile devices in the primary care setting. The search was conducted in July 2020 in the following electronic bibliographic databases: MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO and Web of Science Core Collection. Two reviewers will independently screen titles, abstracts and full texts and extract data. We will use the 'Integrated methodology' framework to combine both quantitative and qualitative data.Ethics and disseminationEthical approval is not required. We will disseminate the results of the mixed methods systematic review in a peer-reviewed journal and scientific conferences.Prospero registration numberCRD42020188879.

Dataset Information

Attitudes of Mental Health Professionals towards Telepsychology during the Pandemic: A Pilot Study.

Objective

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Attitudes of Mental Health Professionals towards Telepsychology during the Pandemic: A Pilot Study.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets