Abstract
Background: The Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is having a profound impact on mental health service provision. As a result, many psychological therapies have switched abruptly from face-to-face to remote delivery, with limited training and consideration. This project aims to understand the implications of the pandemic on this workforce, by exploring therapists’ experiences of delivering remote therapy. This will inform recommendations to ensure best practice and that therapists are supported to deliver online therapy.Method: The study used a mixed-methods design. In phase 1, mental health professionals delivering psychological therapies remotely were invited to complete an online survey enquiring about the impact of the pandemic on their role and therapy delivery. From this sample, a selection of therapists were recruited purposively, and semi structured interviews were used to ask about their transition to remote working, challenges and benefits of remote working, and suggestions to improve remote working. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.
Results: 236 participants completed the online survey. The majority of participants were female (79.20%). All participants were aged over 20 years. Participants worked in primary, secondary and inpatient settings, and with a range of populations. The average number of years that participants had delivered therapy was 8.20 years. 23 participants were interviewed, and qualitative analysis revealed six main themes. Participants reported several benefits of remote therapy that included accessibility, time and cost savings, and remote methods facilitating some therapy activities. Challenges of remote therapy included the therapeutic relationship, issues with technology and therapist dissatisfaction with the therapy provided. Whilst participants were motivated to provide a service to clients during the pandemic, for many, this was at the cost of their own wellbeing due to increased workload and isolation from the team. Several participants also commented on the emotional toll of working remotely during the pandemic.
Discussion: While mass remote working for psychological therapists has emerged suddenly, the longevity of this approach and preventing burnout with this workforce will require training and staff support. Several clinical and research recommendations are identified, that will support therapists to feel more competent and confident in delivering remote therapy, in addition to prioritising their own wellbeing and self-care.
| Date of Award | 1 Nov 2021 |
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| Original language | English |
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| Supervisor | Matteo Cella (Supervisor) & Lucia Valmaggia (Supervisor) |