Research on teaching, supervision and psychotherapy using videoconference technology

How do experts compare teaching, supervision and treatment from a psychodynamic perceptive over the Internet with in-person work? To answer this question, we designed a research study, its methodology based on online survey, qualitative review, and statistical comparison of the expert opinions of 176 teachers, supervisors and therapists in the China American Psychoanalytic Alliance (CAPA) who use video conferencing (VCON) with Chinese students. The results from our online survey indicate: 1. The longer teachers teach, the more effective they rate teaching over VCON; 2. Teaching, supervision and treatment were all rated in the range of “slightly less effective” than in-person work, with supervision rated significantly more effective than teaching and treatment over VCON; 3. When doing psychodynamic treatment over VCON the issues of symptom reduction, exploring mental life, working on transference, relational problems, resistance, privacy issues and countertransference are all equally rated in the range of “slightly less effective” than in-person treatment; 4. The highest significantly rated indications for treatment over VCON are: “To offer high-quality treatment to underserved or remote patients” and “When patient is house-bound or travel would be impractical”; and 5. The highest significantly rated contraindication for treatment over VCON is: “Patient needs close observation due to crisis or decompensation.” Overall, this survey suggests that VCON teaching, supervision and treatment from a psychodynamic perceptive is a worthwhile option when considering its unique contribution to extending services where needed.