Clinicians’ Perceptions of Videoconferencing Versus Face-to-Face Therapy With Children and Adolescents

Abstract Therapists are essential in providing videoconferencing therapy (VCT), a crucial solution to the shortage of child psychological services. Understanding the barriers to adoption for providers can help increase access to treatment for children and families. The objectives are as follows: to understand (1) child therapists’ attitudes towards VCT compared to face-to-face (FF) services, (2) how the pandemic affected child therapists’ perceptions and usage of VCT, and (3) how child therapists’ perceptions of therapeutic rapport and patient engagement relate to perceived no-show rates. In this retrospective, cross-sectional study, 181 therapists completed a web-based training survey. VCT was rated better than FF by 19% of participants and about the same as FF by 25%. The majority of participants were either “extremely satisfied” (48%) or “somewhat satisfied” (41%) with VCT. Participants retrospectively rated their perceived usefulness of VCT before the pandemic ( M = 2.95) significantly higher ( p < .001) than their perceived usefulness of VCT during the pandemic ( M = 4.31). After completing the training survey, participants were willing to devote 53.73% of clinical time to seeing patients via VCT (compared to FF). Perceived therapeutic rapport ( p < .05, OR = 1.61) and patient engagement ( p < .01, OR = 2.09) were independent predictors of perceived VCT no-show rates for children. Nearly half of child therapists either prefer VCT or consider it equivalent to FF services. Furthermore, child therapists have moderate to high satisfaction with VCT and plan to continue using it for over 50% of their clinical services. This study highlights that VCT is likely to remain a permanent modality in child psychological services.