Psychotherapists' perception of their clinical skills and in-session feelings in live therapy versus online therapy during the COVID-19 pandemic: a pilot study

• Published in: Research in psychotherapy (Milano). Vol. 24; no. 1; p. 514
• Main Authors: Messina, Irene, Loffler-Stastka, Henriette
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Italy PAGEPress Publications, Pavia, Italy 31.03.2021; PAGEPress Publications
• Subjects: COVID; COVID-19; Online therapy; SPRISTAD project; therapist factor; COVID-19; Online therapy; therapist factor; SPRISTAD project
• ISSN: 2499-7552; 2239-8031
• DOI: 10.4081/ripppo.2021.514

During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, many psychotherapists who were used to seeing their patients in face-toface setting adapted to providing therapies online. In the present pilot study, we investigated therapist current experiences of online therapy compared to live therapy. Twenty-nine therapists completed , , and in-sessions feelings of , and of the , giving a score for each item in two different conditions: Live Therapy and Online Therapy. Compared to Live Therapy, in Online Therapy therapists reported significantly less Clinical Skills, whereas Difficulties in Practice did not differ in the considered conditions. With regard to in-sessions feeling, therapists reported significantly lower scores of Boring and higher scores of Flow in Live Therapy compared to Online Therapy, whereas Anxiety did not differed in the considered conditions.