Online group therapy showing proven results

By Alejandra Pulido-Guzman - Lethbridge Herald on January 27, 2022.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDapulido@lethbridgeherald.com

A new review by University of Lethbridge researchers highlights a way to increase public access to effective psychological therapies in an online environment.
“We know that psychological counselling delivered by video, phone and apps can work,” said Dr. Cheryl Currie, associate professor of Public Health at the University of Lethbridge, and lead investigator of the review in a press release.
With so many people needing psychological help right now, as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have profound impacts on the mental health of adults, Currie and her team wondered if there was a way to help other than one-on-one approaches.
The research team systematically searched the scientific literature to determine if psychological treatments delivered by therapists to groups could be effective online.
“The catch is that how well these therapies work is often tied to the intensity of web-based therapist guidance. This has time implications for the therapist and cost implications for the client and health-care system,” said Currie in a press release.
Examining more than 4,000 articles, Currie and her team found 21 randomized controlled trials that tested if psychological therapies offered to adults in a group format online or by phone were effective.
Based on the evidence, the team concluded that adults who engaged in eight to 12 hours of live group therapy with a counsellor or psychologist online, experienced significant improvements in their anxiety and depression and were especially effective when delivered by videoconference.
“Humans are social creatures,” explained Currie in the press release. “As a result, psychological supports offered in a group setting can have many therapeutic benefits. This review contributes to our understanding by showing that the benefits of group therapy extend to the online therapeutic environment.”
She added that during a time of global crisis, increasing access to high-quality psychological support is something that so many adults could benefit from right now.
The review was published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research on Jan. 11, 2022, and can be found at: https://www.jmir.org/2022/1/e27939

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