Therapists’ experiences of conducting CBT online vis-à-vis face-to-face

Today a new paper was accepted for publication. In this study we explored therapists’ experiences of conducting cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) online and face-to-face. Eleven therapists partook in semi-structured interviews, which were thematically analysed using an abductive approach. The results indicate that the therapists viewed face-to-face therapy as a stronger experience than Internet-based CBT (ICBT), and the latter as being more manualised, but providing more work-time control. Several participants also thought that working alliance may be achieved faster and more easily in face-to-face therapy, and might worsen with fewer modalities of communication. Clinical implications in need of investigation are whether working with ICBT might buffer therapist exhaustion, and whether this therapy form can be improved by becoming less manual dependant in order to be easier to individualise.

Read the full paper:
Bengtsson, J., Nordin, S., & Carlbring, P. (In press). Therapists’ experiences of conducting cognitive behavioural therapy online vis-à-vis face-to-face. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy. doi: 10.1080/16506073.2015.1053408 [FREE ONLINE VERSION AVAILABLE HERE]