Inter-modality comparison of working alliance and client satisfaction in online counselling during the COVID-19 pandemic: An exploratory study

Purpose

Mental health suffered during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown in Scotland. While there was limited availability for face-to-face counselling, online counselling was available via telephone, videoconference, email, one-to-one chat and group basis. Existing research has failed to examine inter-modality comparisons of client experiences of online counselling during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

Scottish participants (n = 94) who received online counselling during the COVID-19 pandemic completed an online survey using quantitative methodology, which explored their experiences of one of five online counselling modalities measured by two reliable scales: the Working Alliance Inventory-Short Revised and factor one of the Satisfaction with Therapy and Therapist Scale. Additional exploratory analysis investigated whether age, gender, choice of online counselling modality and pre-COVID-19 pandemic familiarity with online counselling affected these outcomes.

Results

Working alliance and satisfaction outcomes were positively correlated. No significant differences between working alliance and satisfaction scores were found between the five modalities. Female participants, and those who received their preferred choice of counselling modality, had significantly greater working alliance than those who did not.

Conclusion

These findings provide insights to clients and practitioners about the variety of synchronous and asynchronous online platforms that can facilitate good therapeutic outcomes. The importance of participant choice of counselling modality was reiterated. The broader implications of the findings and the future direction of a hybrid online and face-to-face counselling model were discussed.