BACKGROUND
During the COVID-19 pandemic, people are being encouraged to maintain social distance. Technology is helping people to reschedule meetings from “face-to-face” interactions to remote videoconferencing. Psychologists are in high demand, due to an increase in stress as a result of COVID. Many seek to both keep treating their current patients, and welcome new ones, given the current high demand for their services. Videoconferencing provides an opportunity to do this. However, shifting treatment from face-to-face to the videoconferencing is not simple as both the psychologist and the patient miss the in-person information and cues, such as body language provides.
OBJECTIVE
A new theoretical framework is proposed to guide the design of future studies on the impact of the computer as a mediator of psychologist-patient relationships, and the influence of videoconferencing on the whole relationship process.
METHODS
A literature review has been conducted, screening studies focusing on communication, and the key concepts of therapeutic relationship and therapeutic alliance.
RESULTS
Studies report that patients are generally satisfied with videoconference therapy in terms of the relationship with their therapists and the establishment of the “therapeutic alliance”. However, psychologists report difficulties in establishing same quality of therapeutic relationship and therapeutic alliance. The analysed studies lead us to interpret data under a different perspective. A new model of relationship is proposed, along with further hypotheses.
CONCLUSIONS
It is important to consider the computer as having an active role in psychologists and patients’ relationships.
CLINICALTRIAL
Videoconferencing Psychotherapy: a literature review of the perspective of relationships for patients and psychologists (Preprint)
