Presence in Telepsychotherapy. Towards a Video-Interview Framework

Abstract

The field of mental health has evolved a lot since 20 years, with the emergence of the ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) and in the context of cyberculture. Telepsychology is defined by APA (2013) as the provision of psychological services using telecommunication technologies. It includes many types of remote communication like written exchanges (tchat, emails, SMS), voice exchange (phone, VOIP) or videoconference. Technologies may augment traditional in-person services, or be used as standalone services (e.g., therapy or leadership development provided over videoconferencing). Different technologies may be used in various combinations and for different purposes during the provision of telepsychology services.