How the COVID-19 pandemic reshaped telepsychology: Insights from an Italian survey

Abstract

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic rapidly boosted the introduction of certain changes in mental healthcare services, consequently driving up the adoption of remote care delivery options. We conducted an online Italian survey to evaluate telepsychology use, attitudes, acceptance, and training needs, as well as to understand patient-professional interactions in video-consultations, aiming to inform future mental healthcare practices and policies. The current study's survey responses were collected using an anonymous, self-reported questionnaire on the ‘REDCap’ platform from 25 October 2022 to 26 July 2023. In total, 128 mental health professionals and 113 patients completed the survey. In our sample, 69 % of patients and 79.7 % of mental health professionals reported having used telepsychology during COVID-19 pandemic; in particular, 84.6 % of patients and 95.1 % of professionals selected video-consultation modality. Data showed that participants expressed high satisfaction with this communication tool. The increase in satisfaction was directly proportional to increase in the quality of interactions and in relation to the quality of the experiences. The critical factors influencing the video-consultation experience include communication style, information completeness, patient-centredness, and the comfort underscoring the central role of the professional-patient relationship, which, substantially, remains a key element in the psychological treatment process. These findings reinforce the need for continued refinement and expansion of telepsychology services, thus highlighting the potential for integrating innovative technologies into mental health practise.