ERIC Number: EJ1471118
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2025-Jun
Pages: 28
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1053-1890
EISSN: EISSN-1573-3319
Available Date: 2024-11-16
Online Therapy for Children: Yay or Nay? Clinicians' Insights from the COVID-19 Era
Paulina Hagyari-Donaldson1,2; Nicola Scott1
Child & Youth Care Forum, v54 n3 p687-714 2025
Background: The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated an almost overnight shift in mental healthcare from in-person to remote delivery. However, the feasibility of online therapy for children and its potential as a long-term fixture remain underexplored. Objective: This study aimed to explore the advantages, disadvantages, and suitability of online therapy for children, as perceived by pediatric clinicians delivering remote psychological interventions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: Six qualified child psychologists with limited pre-pandemic online therapy experience were surveyed about their perspectives on online therapy for children using a qualitative descriptive approach. Data was analyzed using thematic network analysis. Results: Analysis revealed themes relating to: issues encountered in the areas of technology, resource availability, and therapeutic alliance; perceived advantages in children being digital natives, and online therapy's wide accessibility; and (un)suitability of specific client profiles and therapeutic techniques. Conclusions: Psychological interventions delivered via videoconferencing are not suitable for all children, but can be greatly beneficial for some. Client- and intervention-specific findings from this study can be used to guide future research aimed at clinical practice, developing tailored approaches, and informing policy for improving access to pediatric mental healthcare.
Descriptors: COVID-19, Pandemics, Therapy, Counseling Techniques, Children, Psychologists, Counselor Attitudes, Access to Health Care, Videoconferencing, Mental Health
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: 1University of Glasgow, School of Education, Glasgow, UK; 2University of Nottingham, Institute of Mental Health, School of Medicine – Mental Health and Clinical Neurosciences, Nottingham, UK