User experience of digital communication in CAMHS during COVID-19 v1

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  Service user experience of digitally-mediated communication in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) during the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative study

• IRAS ID

  284831

• Contact name

  Lauren Jones

• Contact email

  lsj28@bath.ac.uk

• Sponsor organisation

  University of Bath

• Duration of Study in the UK

  2 years, 5 months, 1 days

• Research summary

  Background

  Telemedicine refers to the delivery of health services via digital communication technologies, including videoconferencing technology. The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a need for professionals working in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) to deliver consultations digitally (teleconsultations).

  There is currently limited evidence on the clinical process in the area of CAMHS delivery, although young people's satisfaction with telemedicine is often assumed. The therapeutic relationship is widely viewed as critical for treatment participation and effectiveness, and it also represents a key concern among professionals in relation to teleconsultations. There is a need to explore the user experience of the therapeutic relationship in this modality.

  This study will help to inform the integration of digital technology into mental health service provision in the UK. It will ensure that service users are at the heart of this transformation in service delivery.

  Aim

  The current research aims to address the following questions:

  1. What are the perceived challenges and benefits of using teleconsultations to access and receive CAMHS, by young people and their parents/guardians?
  2. How do young people perceive the therapeutic relationship during teleconsultations, compared to traditional (face-to-face) CAMHS delivery?
  3. What are the specific teletherapeutic preferences for young people with different conditions (such as autism) in maintaining therapeutic alliance during teleconsultations?

  Plan

  I will recruit 120 young people offered a teleconsultation and their parents/guardians and I will ask them to fill out an online qualitative survey about their perceptions and experience of teleconsultation. I will invite young people to be interviewed about their experience of teleconsultation, and their experience of the therapeutic relationship. A final analysis will explore condition-specific issues. Variables such as age, sex, nature of the selected teleconsultation, and whether or not face-to-face interaction occurred prior to teleconsultation, will also be assessed.

  Lay summary of study results:
  The survey findings highlighted that, despite some variability, most young people expressed satisfaction with therapeutic consultation via videoconferencing. However, despite this level of satisfaction, analysis indicated that a minority (n = 2, 8.3%) would prefer video consultation in the future. Thematic analysis of interview data identified two themes relating to therapeutic video consultation: (1) Positive Therapeutic Alliance, and (2) Digital Works: Transparency and Empowerment.
  This research indicates that satisfaction with video consultation amongst young people during the COVID-19 pandemic does not mean that digitally-mediated service provision is an acceptable solution. It is important to be aware that it is possible to form a therapeutic bond and video consultation may have added benefits such as greater transparency and engagement with home practice, but most young people do not want to continue digitally in the future. A hybrid model with initial consultations face-to-face to enhance relationship building and later, activity-focused/change-oriented sessions delivered remotely to enhance participation and empowerment may be optimal

• REC name

  London - Bloomsbury Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  20/LO/0997

• Date of REC Opinion

  29 Oct 2020

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion