Video conferencing technology in research on schizophrenia: a qualitative study of site research staff

The objective of this study was to advance knowledge of the experience of multisite research staff with video conferencing mental health data collection among study participants with schizophrenia. An end-of-study focus group was conducted with all (N = 19) study coordinators of a multisite randomized trial of pharmacotherapy for schizophrenia to characterize the experiences of coordinators overseeing semistructured assessments via video conferencing technology (VCT). Researchers conducted an audiotaped voluntary focus group. Investigators independently coded a transcript of the focus group, followed by discussions to reach consensus on key themes. Three key themes emerged, involving issues associated with (a) the technology itself, (b) the technology in the context of clinical care and research, and (c) the feasibility of using VCT for study assessments, including coordinators' perceptions of participants' experience of VCT. Additional themes were that (a) interviewer skills appeared to moderate the impact of VCT, (b) research participants with serious psychiatric disorders who participated in VCT assessments appeared, overall, to be more amenable to the technology than research coordinators anticipated, and (c) because VCT will be adapted in a wide range of settings, staffing and resource needs should be considered in planning for and adopting VCT for psychiatric research or clinical assessment. This study adds contextual detail and emphasis to the existing literature on the use of VCT in research and factors regarding the effective deployment of the technology in research.