engleski

Therapist attitudes towards using modern technologies in psychotherapy and counselling

Using modern technologies (MTs) in CBT can reduce the cost of treatment and make it more accessible to those in need. A recent meta- analytic study indicated that internet- delivered CBT is as effective as face-to face therapy. Yet, clients express negative views about computerized self-help and prefer face- to-face therapy. Combining on-line and face-to- face forms of therapy, which appears to be positively perceived by both patients and therapists, may enhance patients’ self- management while still providing regular contact with the therapist. Therapists are in a position to make decisions regarding the use of MTs in treatment, including questions regarding to whom and to what extent MTs might be used. As such, therapist attitudes towards the use of MTs in psychotherapy is an important, although rarely studied, topic for investigation. The aim of this study was to explore the attitudes of therapists towards the use of MTs in psychotherapy and counseling and to examine whether CBT therapists differ from therapists of other theoretical orientations with respect to these attitudes. The Therapist Attitudes toward using MTs in Psychotherapy and counseling Scale (MTPS) was developed based on short interviews with psychotherapists of different theoretical orientations. A total of 129 experts delivering psychotherapy and counseling services in Croatia completed the on-line survey. Almost 90% of the participants were women and 63% were fully accredited therapists or therapists in the final stage of training. Nearly half ( 47%) of the therapists had a CBT orientation and 42% of all participants conducted 5 or more therapy sessions per week. Nearly 60% of therapists reported using MTs in treatment. An exploratory factor analysis revealed a 4- factor solution for the MTPS, with over 65% of the variance explained. The Direct Oblimin rotation resulted in a simple structure with the following factors interpretations: MTs can improve psychotherapy, caution is necessary when using MTs in psychotherapy, MTs are redundant in psychotherapy and MTs are a useful psychoeducational tool. CBT therapists were found to hold more positive attitudes towards using MT in treatment but equally emphasized the need for caution. The MTPS, with a 4-factor structure, appears to be a useful instrument for assessing therapist attitudes towards using MTs in treatment. CBT therapists exhibit more favorable attitudes towards the use of MTs in psychotherapy. Because MTs are applied most often in CBT, it might be important to enhance the skills of CBT therapists and trainees for assessing indications for MT use in CBT and for combining face-to-face therapy with online CBT. The generalizability of the results is limited due to the relatively small sample size and low representation of non-CBT practitioners.

therapist attitudes, CBT therapists, modern technologies in psychotherapy and counselling

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