scholarly journals Transfer of face-to-face group therapies into online group-chats in a psychiatric outpatient setting during the COVID-19 pandemic (Preprint)

10.2196/27865 ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia Scholl ◽  
Elisabeth Kohls ◽  
Frauke Goerges ◽  
Marc Steinbrecher ◽  
Sabrina Baldofski ◽  
...  
2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Victoria Anne Hatton ◽  
Ming Xuan Lee

Purpose Autism spectrum condition (ASC) is a lifelong developmental condition. According to research, it is recommended that those diagnosed with ASC should be offered post-diagnosis support to explore their diagnosis (Punshow, Skirrow and Murphy, 2009). The ASC Diagnostic Assessment Service at Gloucestershire Health Care (GHC) NHS Foundation Trust offers an assessment service to adults (18+) located within Gloucestershire. All those who receive a diagnosis are then invited to a 7-week post-diagnostic group facilitated by the multidisciplinary team. This service evaluation aimed to evaluate the aforementioned group so that it can be improved upon and thus provide a better service for future clients. Design/methodology/approach In total, 14 participants (6 males, 8 females) were interviewed for the purpose of this evaluation following their attendance at these groups. Findings The interview transcripts then underwent thematic analysis with four themes identified; “Autistic Community”, “Experience of Being Part of an Online Group”, “Opportunity for Consolidation”, and “Design Considerations and Improvements”. Further sub-themes were also identified. Overall, the service evaluation identified that the group provided a platform for sharing experiences and gaining a sense of belonging. It also highlighted that individuals have different preferences for whether groups should be facilitated online or face-to-face, and also different preferences for the duration of sessions. Further analysis also revealed the suggestion that the final session, for family and friends, should be optional so that those without a support network, do not need to attend as this caused unease in some. Further findings were also identified. Originality/value To the authors’ knowledge, existing articles have only focused on the evaluation of the availability of post-diagnostic provision and autistic individuals’ general impression of it rather than an in-depth evaluation of a specific type of support.


2014 ◽  
Vol 30 (12) ◽  
pp. 2109-2128 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jens Henrichs ◽  
Stefan Bogaerts ◽  
Jelle Sijtsema ◽  
Fanny Klerx-van Mierlo

2015 ◽  
Vol 43 (2) ◽  
pp. 167-182 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shiu-Wan HUNG ◽  
Min-Jhih Cheng ◽  
Shiu-Chun Hsieh

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to propose that online group buying is different from the traditional purchase model in that an aggregation of purchases on the internet can lead sellers to adopt various bargaining strategies. When buyers and sellers do not have the opportunity to meet face to face, consumer satisfaction is an important consideration for sellers. Design/methodology/approach – This study investigates the influence of sellers’ strategies for offering bargains on consumers’ satisfaction, considering buyers’ characteristics and involvement. Data are analyzed by employing the multivariate analysis of variance. Findings – The results demonstrate that the stage decreasing range strategy results in the highest level of consumer satisfaction with online group buying. In addition, consumers’ cognitive style, computer self-efficacy and involvement have a significant moderating effect on the relationship between incentive strategy and consumer satisfaction. Practical implications – The findings show that for group buying consumers, stage decreasing range strategy reveals certain advantages, such as a short waiting time for gathering group buyers. Enterprises or online sellers that propose special offers for online group buying as part of their competitive strategy should consider the stage decreasing range strategy. Moreover, enterprises and sellers can adjust their operations according to consumers’ individual characteristics and construct good relationships in online group buying. Originality/value – This study has investigated the influence of incentive strategies for offering bargains in online transactions on consumer’s satisfaction. The results of this study will provide some guidelines for managers of the e-retailing firms to maximize their abilities in terms of marketing activities.


Author(s):  
Shannon Morrison ◽  
Cathy Roche ◽  
Barbara Gower

Background: Insufficient enrollment is a primary determinant of premature clinical trial closure. Nursing students enrolled in research-focused honors programs may be uniquely suited to address recruitment barriers. Aims: Explore the effects of BSN Honors student’s face-to-face recruitment on clinical trial enrollment in an oncology clinic setting. Methods: One-group pre/post design examined the efficacy face-to-face recruitment on enrollment in a nutrition-focused oncology clinical trial. Descriptive statistics summarized sample characteristics and t-tests/Man-Whitney U compared between-group differences. Enrollment percent change was calculated to determine intervention effectiveness. Results: No between group differences were observed between individuals who enrolled versus those who declined. In-person BSN nursing student recruitment resulted in a 77% increase across six weeks.  Conclusions Nursing honors student recruitment was effective and well received by patients and clinical staff. Leveraging research application opportunities and undergraduate student nurse skill sets may provide a cost-effective strategy to reduce recruitment barriers and increase clinical trial target enrollment feasibility.  


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia Scholl ◽  
Elisabeth Kohls ◽  
Frauke Goerges ◽  
Marc Steinbrecher ◽  
Sabrina Baldofski ◽  
...  

BACKGROUND At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, several mental health care providers were obliged to shut down outpatient services, including group therapies and psychoeducational sessions. The lockdown in many countries is a serious threat for mental well-being, especially for individuals with severe mental illnesses. Discontinued outpatient treatments and a disruption of daily routines are considered to be a risk factor for destabilization of mentally ill patients. OBJECTIVE The aim of the present study was to develop and to evaluate the acceptability, usability, and feasibility of a group-chat program to replace cancelled face-to-face (f2f) group sessions in an outpatient psychiatric department. METHODS Participants (n = 38) were recruited in the outpatient department of a large university medical center in Leipzig, Germany. Former f2f group participants were invited to take part in a therapist-guided group-chat for four weeks (eight sessions) and were asked to evaluate the program via self-administered standardized questionnaires at baseline (T0, pre-intervention), after every chat session (T1), and post-treatment (T2, after 4-6 weeks). The chat groups were specific to the following mental disorder diagnoses and based on the same therapeutic principles and techniques as the former f2f groups: anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Sociodemographic measures, attitudes towards the COVID-19 pandemic, depressive symptoms (PHQ-9), quality of life (WHOQOL-BREF), treatment credibility/expectancy (CEQ), and participants’ satisfaction (ZUF-8) were measured. RESULTS Participants joined an average of n = 5.0 out of eight offered chat sessions. Participation rates in the respective groups were highest in the ADHD group (78.2%) and lowest in the anxiety group (41.1%). The overall pre-intervention level of depressive symptoms was moderate and showed a slight, non-significant improvement at post-treatment (T0: M = 10.7, SD = 5.5; T2: M = 10.2, SD = 5.5). A similar result was observed regarding quality of life (T0: Median = 41.7 - 68.8; T2: Median = 50.0 - 70.3). Treatment credibility and expectancy scores were medium high (T0: Mcred = 18.1, SD = 3.8; Mexp = 11.2, SD = 5.1; T2: Mcred = 17.1, SD = 4.8; Mexp = 10.3, SD = 5.8). Further, significant correlations were detected between post-treatment expectancy score and post-treatment PHQ-9 score (r = -0.41; p = .024), post-treatment physical quality of life (r = 0.54; p = .001) and post-treatment psychological quality of life (r = 0.53; p = .002). Overall, participants’ satisfaction with the program was very high, both after chat sessions and at post-treatment (ZUF-8: M = 20.6, SD = 1.0). Of all participants, a majority (87.1%) rated the program as excellent/good and would recommend the group-chat program to a friend in need of similar help (83.9%). CONCLUSIONS A therapist-guided group-chat program to substitute outpatient group-setting treatment during the COVID-19 lockdown was shown to be feasible, usable, and highly acceptable for participants. Online programs, such as this one, provide an easy to implement tool to successfully stabilize participants during a difficult pandemic time. CLINICALTRIAL This study is registered in the German Clinical Trials Register: DRKS00021527.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mina Ghiasi shaham Abadi ◽  
Tahmineh Farajkhoda ◽  
Hassan Zareei Mahmoodabadi

Abstract BackgroundOnline and face-to-face counseling interventions can be performed on women with a history of miscarriage, which causes their anxiety and metaworry.The aim of this study was to compare effectiveness of metacognitive counseling methods, online and face-to-face, on anxiety and metaworry of women with miscarriage.MethodsIn this parallel randomized clinical trial, 40 women with a history of miscarriage, anxiety and metaworry were randomly assigned to two groups (n = 20/each): group I receiving metacognitive counseling via online network and software, and group II (control) receiving face-to-face metacognitive counseling with same content and time, 90-minute sessions. Data were collected demographic form, Beck Anxiety Inventory, Wellz metaworry questionnaire and satisfaction scale. Primary outcomes included changes in the scores of anxiety, metaworry were measured in both groups in three times including at the base line, and at the end of week eight and twelve of the intervention initiation. Satisfaction with counseling method was assessed as secondary outcome at the end of week eight and twelve of the intervention beginning in both groups.ResultsIn both groups, mean score of anxiety in 12th week was significantly different from before the intervention; difference was more significant in online group (p = 0.04). In both groups, the mean score of metaworry in 12th week had a statistically significant difference compared to the beginning of the study, and the decrease was again more significant in the online group (p = 0.03). Satisfaction with the counseling method had statistically significant difference between the two groups in week eight and twelve (respectively p ≈ 0.00).ConclusionsMetacognitive counseling both online and face-to-face improves anxiety and metaworry in women with miscarriage. Online counseling was more effective, satisfying, and longer compared with face-to-face counseling method, especially in corona virus19 outbreak.Trial registration: ISRCTN, IRCT20181120041707N1, Prospectively registered, Registered 23 May 2019, https://en.irct.ir/trial/35643/ IRCT20181120041707N1


Cancers ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (9) ◽  
pp. 2375
Author(s):  
Renuka V. Iyer ◽  
Susan G. Acquisto ◽  
John A. Bridgewater ◽  
Michael A. Choti ◽  
Theodore S. Hong ◽  
...  

Background: Patients with cholangiocarcinoma often have indwelling biliary stents or catheters which are prone to obstructions and/or infections; studies show that 20–40% present with fever and/or jaundice requiring urgent treatment in the outpatient setting for which there are no uniform guidelines. The goal was to develop an expert panel consensus on this topic using the modified RAND/UCLA Delphi process to rate treatment appropriateness. Methods: Thirteen expert physicians from relevant specialties, geography, and practice settings were recruited for the panel. Patient scenarios were developed and panelists rated the therapies before and after a face-to-face discussion. The appropriateness of various therapies was rated on a scale from 1–9 and classified as appropriate, inappropriate, or uncertain. Scenarios with greater than 2 (>2) ratings of 1–3 (inappropriate) and greater than 2 (>2) ratings of 7–9 (appropriate) were considered to have disagreement and were not assigned an appropriateness rating. Results: Panelists were from all US regions and the UK (8%) and had practiced for a mean 16.5 years (4–33 years). Panelists rated 480 scenarios before the meeting and re-rated 288 of the clinical scenarios after the meeting. The panelists agreed that ongoing treatment with chemotherapy did not influence decision-making and, therefore, 192 scenarios were excluded from the final list. Disagreement decreased from 37.5% before to 10.4% after the meeting. Consensus on stent/tube manipulation and inpatient antibiotic therapy was obtained and summarized in patients as “appropriate” or “maybe appropriate” based on a patient’s bilirubin level at presentation. Conclusions: The Delphi process produced consensus guidelines to fill an unmet need in the urgent management of ascending cholangitis in patients with cholangiocarcinoma.


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