In-person therapy vs. computer-mediated therapy for college students: Single session outcomes and implications for the patient-therapist relationship.

Objective: This study focused on college students to examine if the communication channel of their most recent therapy session influenced the strength of their relationship with their therapist, post-session symptoms of anxiety and depression, and their intentions to adhere to therapist recommendations.

Participants: 688 college students from a large Californian university.

Methods: The online survey took place on the Qualtrics survey platform and the proposed model was tested using structural equation modeling.

Results: College students' emotional self-disclosure was higher in mediated compared to in-person therapy sessions. Their perceived social presence from the therapist was greater in mediated compared to in-person sessions. Emotional self-disclosure and social presence were positive predictors of the patient-therapist relational bond strength, which subsequently predicted adherence and was associated with reduced post-session depression and anxiety levels.

Conclusions: A strong relational bond between patient and therapist is possible in both online and offline environments for college students.