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The COVID-19 Pandemic's Influence on Family Systems Therapists' Provision of Teletherapy.

ABSTRACT: The COVID-19 pandemic has altered life globally like no other event in modern history, and psychological service changes to meet the resultant impacts on families have not been assessed in the empirical literature. The purpose of the current study was to examine whether family systems therapists increased their teletherapy use during the pandemic relative to prepandemic usage, and whether projected postpandemic rates would remain at the same level; further, environmental and demographic predictors of these changes were examined. In May 2020, a sample of 626 family systems therapists (58.6% women, 40.6% men; M = 57.4 years old; M years in practice = 25.5) completed a national online study assessing these variables. Results suggested that family systems therapists performed 7.92% of their clinical work using teletherapy before the pandemic and 88.17% during the pandemic. They also projected that they would perform 36.57% of their clinical work using teletherapy after the pandemic. Teletherapy uptake was unrelated to primary practice setting, provider age, gender, race/ethnicity, and practice location (urban/suburban vs. rural) but was higher for family systems therapists who reported increased supportive teletherapy policies and training in their practice setting. Organizational infrastructure and availability of training played an important role in influencing teletherapy uptake during the pandemic. Family systems therapists have a unique opportunity to deploy teletherapy modalities to meet the needs of families during the COVID-19 pandemic, and infrastructure and training to do so may facilitate that work.

SUBMITTER: McKee GB

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8239780 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, spreads i. a., by respiratory droplets. The use of masks in preventing spread is controversial; masks are considered useless by many, while being mandated in some locations. Here, the effect of masking the general population on a COVID-19-like epidemic is estimated by computer simulation using three separate types of software. The main questions are whether mask use by the general population can limit the spread of SARS-CoV-2 in a country and how to identify opportunities when mask use is cost-effective and safe. To address these questions, the protective effects of different types of masks, the side-effects of masks, and avenues for improvements of masks and masking are addressed. Main results: (i) Any type of mask, even simple home-made ones, may be of value, even if the protective effect of each mask (here dubbed "one mask-protection") is low. Strict adherence to mask use does not appear to be critical but increasing one mask-protection to >50% was found to be advantageous. (ii) Masks do seem to reduce the number of new cases even if introduced at a late stage in an epidemic, but early implementation helps reduce the cumulative and total number of cases. (iii) The simulations suggest that it might be possible to eliminate a COVID-19 outbreak by widespread mask use during a limited period. There is a brief discussion of why the reported effect size of masking varies widely, and is expected to do so, because of different filtration abilities of different masks, differences in compliance and fitting, other routes of transmission, pre-existing immunity, and because a system of interconnected, disease-prone individuals has non-linear properties. A software solution to visualize infection spread is presented. The results from these simulations are encouraging, but do not necessarily represent the real-life situation, so it is suggested that clinical trials of masks are now carried out while continuously monitoring effects and side-effects. As mask use is not without risks and costs, it is suggested that governments and scientists have an important role in advising the public about the sensible use of masks.

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The COVID-19 Pandemic's Influence on Family Systems Therapists' Provision of Teletherapy.

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