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Working alliance and outcome effectiveness in videoconferencing psychotherapy: A systematic review and noninferiority meta‐analysis
Author(s) -
Norwood Carl,
Moghaddam Nima G.,
Malins Sam,
SabinFarrell Rachel
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
clinical psychology and psychotherapy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.315
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1099-0879
pISSN - 1063-3995
DOI - 10.1002/cpp.2315
Subject(s) - alliance , meta analysis , psychology , psychotherapist , systematic review , videoconferencing , outcome (game theory) , inclusion (mineral) , strictly standardized mean difference , inclusion and exclusion criteria , medline , medicine , social psychology , alternative medicine , computer science , mathematics , mathematical economics , pathology , political science , law , telecommunications
Videoconferencing psychotherapy (VCP)—the remote delivery of psychotherapy via secure video link—is an innovative way of delivering psychotherapy, which has the potential to overcome many of the regularly cited barriers to accessing psychological treatment. However, some debate exists as to whether an adequate working alliance can be formed between therapist and client, when therapy is delivered through such a medium. The presented article is a systematic literature review and two meta‐analyses aimed at answering the questions: Is working alliance actually poorer in VCP? And is outcome equivalence possible between VCP and face‐to‐face delivery? Twelve studies were identified which met inclusion/exclusion criteria, all of which demonstrated good working alliance and outcome for VCP. Meta‐analyses showed that working alliance in VCP was inferior to face‐to‐face delivery (standardized mean difference [SMD] = −0.30; 95% confidence interval [CI] [−0.67, 0.07], p = 0.11; with the lower bound of the CI extending beyond the noninferiority margin [−0.50]), but that target symptom reduction was noninferior (SMD = −0.03; 95% CI [−0.45, 0.40], p = 0.90; CI within the noninferiority margin [0.50]). These results are discussed and directions for future research recommended.