Patients’ experiences of web-and mobile-assisted group therapy for depression and implications of the group setting: Qualitative follow-up study.
- Autor(en)
- Raphael Schuster, Sophia Sigl, Thomas Berger, Anton-Rupert Laireiter
- Abstrakt
Background: Blended group therapy combines group sessions with Web- and mobile-based treatment modules. Consequently, blended group therapy widens the choice within blended interventions at reasonable costs. This is the first qualitative study on blended group therapy.
Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the patient-centered feasibility of blended group therapy for major depression, with special emphasis on the fit and dynamic interplay between face-to-face and internet-based elements.
Methods: A total of 22 patients who had a variety of experiences through participating in one of the two blended group therapy interventions were interviewed following a semistructured interview guide. In-depth interviews were analyzed by three trained psychologists, using thematic analysis and a rule-guided internet-based program (QCAmap) The transcript of the interviews (113,555 words) was reduced to 1081 coded units, with subsequent extraction of 16 themes.
Results: Web- and mobile-based elements were described as a treatment facilitator and motivator, increasing the salience and consolidation of cognitive behavioral therapy materials, resulting in in- and inter-session alignment to the treatment. Additionally, patients valued the option of intimate Web based self-disclosure (by lateral patient-therapist communication), and therapists were provided with tools for between-session monitoring and reinforcement of exercising. In this context, group phenomena seemed to back up therapists' efforts to increase treatment engagement. The dissonance because of noncompliance with Web-based tasks and the constriction of in-session group interaction were considered as possible negative effects. Finally, issues of tailoring and structure seemed to fulfill different preconditions compared with individual therapy.
Conclusions: Blended group therapy constitutes a structured and proactive approach to work with depression, and the integration of both modalities initiates a beneficial interplay. Results support the patient-centered value of blended group therapy and provide the first insight into blended group therapy's role in fostering therapeutic treatment factors. However, potential negative effects should be considered carefully.
- Organisation(en)
- Institut für Klinische und Gesundheitspsychologie
- Externe Organisation(en)
- Paris-Lodron Universität Salzburg, Universität Bern
- Journal
- JMIR Mental Health
- Band
- 5
- Seiten
- 1 - 15
- Anzahl der Seiten
- 15
- ISSN
- 2368-7959
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.2196/mental.9613
- Publikationsdatum
- 07-2018
- Peer-reviewed
- Ja
- ÖFOS 2012
- 501010 Klinische Psychologie, 501024 Verhaltenstherapie, 501019 Psychotherapie
- Schlagwörter
- ASJC Scopus Sachgebiete
- Clinical Psychology, Psychiatry and Mental health
- Link zum Portal
- https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/de/publications/7da15f48-1ffe-4a9d-82a6-b5ea5863325c