Feasibility of a Telehealth Intervention for Dementia Carers: Therapist Perspectives

IF 1.2 Q3 PSYCHOLOGY, CLINICAL

Counselling & Psychotherapy Research Pub Date : 2025-05-09 DOI:10.1002/capr.70024

Alison Walter, Kaylene Kilham, Briony Dow, Penny Rapaport, Gill Livingston, Michelle Kelly

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Objectives

The STrAtegies for RelaTives (START) programme was designed in the United Kingdom to support informal dementia carers. This study was designed to assess therapists' perspectives on the feasibility of START in the Australian healthcare context in terms of its acceptability to therapists (i.e., confidence in delivery, perceived client rapport, and perceived change in client outcomes), its adaptation for delivery via telehealth, and integration with telehealth technologies.

Methods

Fourteen therapists were randomly allocated to deliver START or cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and commenced treatment with 18 carers (START: n = 13 overall, n = 7 via telehealth; CBT: n = 5 overall, n = 3 via telehealth). Mixed methods surveys were used to collect therapists' perspectives on acceptability and integration. Quantitative comparisons were made using independent sample t-tests, and qualitative responses were analysed using a theoretical semantic approach.

Results

Postsession confidence in intervention delivery, but not client rapport or perceived change in client outcomes, was higher for START than CBT (p = 0.034). Postsession change in client outcomes, but not therapist confidence or client rapport, was lower for telehealth delivery (p = 0.043). START was a beneficial experience for therapists, with content fostering carer engagement; however, concerns included a high volume of programme content. While technological issues were thought to have a negative impact on client rapport, telehealth enabled access to care.

Conclusions

START was acceptable to therapists and can be effectively delivered via telehealth. Recourse to telephone-only-based care may reduce the impact of technological issues on acceptability outcomes for therapists.

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远程医疗干预痴呆护理人员的可行性：治疗师的观点

亲属战略（START）方案是在英国设计的，旨在支持非正式的痴呆症护理人员。本研究旨在评估治疗师对START在澳大利亚医疗保健背景下可行性的看法，包括治疗师对START的可接受性（即对交付的信心、对客户关系的感知、对客户结果的感知变化）、对远程医疗交付的适应以及与远程医疗技术的整合。方法随机分配14名治疗师进行START或认知行为疗法（CBT），并与18名护理人员开始治疗(START：总n = 13，远程医疗n = 7；CBT：总体n = 5，通过远程医疗n = 3)。采用混合调查方法收集治疗师对可接受性和整合性的看法。使用独立样本t检验进行定量比较，并使用理论语义方法分析定性反应。结果治疗后对干预交付的信心，而不是客户关系或客户结果的感知变化，START比CBT更高（p = 0.034）。远程医疗服务降低了治疗后患者预后的变化，但没有降低治疗师的信心或患者的融洽关系（p = 0.043）。START对治疗师来说是一次有益的经历，其内容促进了护理人员的参与；不过，令人关切的是节目内容过多。虽然技术问题被认为对客户关系有负面影响，但远程保健使人们能够获得护理。结论START治疗可被临床医师接受，并可通过远程医疗有效实施。求助于仅以电话为基础的护理可以减少技术问题对治疗师可接受结果的影响。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Counselling & Psychotherapy Research PSYCHOLOGY, CLINICAL-

CiteScore

4.40

自引率

12.50%

发文量

期刊介绍： Counselling and Psychotherapy Research is an innovative international peer-reviewed journal dedicated to linking research with practice. Pluralist in orientation, the journal recognises the value of qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods strategies of inquiry and aims to promote high-quality, ethical research that informs and develops counselling and psychotherapy practice. CPR is a journal of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy, promoting reflexive research strongly linked to practice. The journal has its own website: www.cprjournal.com. The aim of this site is to further develop links between counselling and psychotherapy research and practice by offering accessible information about both the specific contents of each issue of CPR, as well as wider developments in counselling and psychotherapy research. The aims are to ensure that research remains relevant to practice, and for practice to continue to inform research development.