Development of protocols for monitoring psychotherapy over the Internet

Abstract

Psychotherapy over the Internet is allowed to psychologists in Brazil only in the form of research. The aims of the present study were: (a) to present two protocols for monitoring psychotherapy over the Internet developed at the Psychology Post Graduate Programme at Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul. In Study I, 8 psychologists off ered 12 sessions of psychoanalytic psychotherapy to 24 patients: (n = 12) via Skype (n = 12) face-to-face. High scores in the Working Alliance Inventory (WAI) and signifi cant decrease in the scores of the Outcome Questionnaire (Q-45) were observed in both groups, indicating a strong therapeutic alliance and positive results in both types of treatment. The topics defi ned in the thematic analysis on the semi-structured interviews and focus group – presence, confi dence, connection, understanding and participation of the patient – showed a positive online therapeutic relationship in the perception of therapists and patients. In Study II, individuals (n = 21) who received a computerized cognitive behavioral intervention for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) were satisfied with the program and showed a decrease in scores in the obsessive section of the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y -BOCS). It was also found a statistically significant difference in subjective symptoms of OCD scale, with observed decrease between modules 1 and 2 and 2 and 3 of the program. The conclusion is that Studies I and II indicate possibilities on how online psychotherapy can be offered in Brazil and the results that can be expected.

Keywords: psychotherapy, treatment, Internet, outcomes.