How Do Counsellors Make Sense of the Online Disinhibition Effect When Counselling Clients via Video-Conferencing? An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis Study

IF 1.5 Q3 PSYCHOLOGY, CLINICAL

Counselling & Psychotherapy Research Pub Date : 2025-12-03 DOI:10.1002/capr.70054

Kathryn. L. Broome, Stephen Roberts

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Objectives

This qualitative study focuses on how counsellors make sense of the online disinhibition effect via video conferencing. Whilst online disinhibition is recognised within the profession as the unregulated release of emotions when online, there is a lack of research exploring how this is experienced and understood by counsellors using video conferencing.

Method

Six counsellors participated in semi-structured interviews, ‘in person’ or via video-conferencing. Data was analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis to provide a nuanced exploration of participants' rich data on their lived experiences and meaning-making processes of the online disinhibition effect via video-conferencing.

Results

Three group experiential themes were generated from the data: the phenomenology of disinhibition, adapting to technology in the post-COVID world and the therapeutic relationship via video-conferencing. Results suggest the experience of disinhibition is highly individualised with participants making sense of this concept through unique perspectives. Their understanding of online disinhibition was influenced by their transition into a post-COVID-19 world and the need to adapt to technological changes. Consequently, participants made sense of the online disinhibition effect within the video-conferencing therapeutic relationship.

Conclusion

Findings indicate counsellor and client co-experience each other, and the mediating factors of disinhibition, within the context of the technological relationship. As such, online disinhibition is seen here as a complex process of co-creation within the relationship, as opposed to something that ‘happens’ to the client. Training providers, supervisors and practitioners could facilitate more effective and ethical practice by increasing their awareness of the element of co-creation and highly individualised experience of online disinhibition.

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当咨询师通过视频会议咨询客户时，如何理解在线去抑制效果？解释性现象学分析研究

目的本定性研究主要探讨咨询师如何通过视频会议理解在线去抑制效应。虽然在线解除抑制在专业人士中被认为是在线时不受管制的情绪释放，但缺乏研究来探索使用视频会议的咨询师如何体验和理解这种情绪。方法对6名心理咨询师进行半结构化访谈，包括面对面访谈和视频访谈。数据分析采用解释性现象学分析，以提供一个细致入微的探索参与者的丰富数据，他们的生活经验和意义的制造过程，通过视频会议的在线去抑制效应。结果从数据中产生了三个组体验主题：解除抑制的现象学、后冠状病毒世界的技术适应和通过视频会议的治疗关系。结果表明，解除抑制的体验是高度个性化的，参与者通过独特的视角来理解这个概念。他们对网络去抑制的理解受到他们进入后covid -19世界的过渡和适应技术变革的需要的影响。因此，参与者在视频会议治疗关系中理解了在线去抑制效应。结论研究结果表明，在技术关系的背景下，咨询师和来访者相互共同体验，以及去抑制的中介因素。因此，在线去抑制在这里被视为关系中共同创造的复杂过程，而不是“发生”在客户身上的事情。培训提供者、主管和从业人员可以通过提高他们对共同创造要素和高度个性化的在线去抑制体验的认识，促进更有效和合乎道德的实践。

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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.