Use this URL to cite or link to this record in EThOS: https://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.590832
Title: The online therapeutic relationship : examining tradeoffs between convenience and depth of engagement
Author: Tsalavouta, Konstantina
Awarding Body: University of East London
Current Institution: University of East London
Date of Award: 2013
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Abstract:
This qualitative, phenomenological study gathered data from ten online therapists in order to answer the following questions: How do online practitioners/therapists experience the therapeutic relationship with their clients online? How do online practitioners experience the process of developing and maintaining the therapeutic relationship with the clients online? Semi-structured interviews were conducted via Skype with a sample of nine online therapists and analyzed by means of interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). The main finding of the study was that there was a trade-off between depth of and convenience in online therapy. The loss of physical presence affected both the therapeutic relationship and the therapeutic alliance in ways that required therapists to be more mindful of how to structure the relationship, and build the alliance, in a manner that compensated for the shortcomings of the online medium. As such, it was concluded that online therapy is most appropriate for less complex clinical problems in which the online medium poses fewer risks to the either the therapeutic relationship or the therapeutic alliance.
Supervisor: Not available Sponsor: Not available
Qualification Name: Thesis (Psy.D.) Qualification Level: Doctoral
EThOS ID: uk.bl.ethos.590832  DOI:
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