Teletherapy Post-COVID-19: Comparisons With In-Person Client Characteristics and Service Utilization in Routine...

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Mental Health
• Digital Health

Background:

• Telehealth psychotherapy (TH) adoption surged post-COVID-19.
• TH is generally as effective and acceptable as in-person (IP) treatment.
• Limited data exists on post-pandemic TH vs. IP client characteristics and service use.

Purpose of the Study:

• Compare client demographics, clinical profiles, and service utilization between TH and IP psychotherapy in routine practice.
• Evaluate treatment outcomes for TH and IP psychotherapy.
• Inform clinical systems on offering both TH and IP services.

Main Methods:

• Analyzed data from 22,710 individual psychotherapy clients at 72 university counseling centers (2021-2023).
• Collected demographic and clinical data via client self-report.
• Determined service utilization through chart review.

Main Results:

• TH clients were more likely to be cisgender women, Hispanic/Latinx, bisexual, and less likely to live with roommates compared to IP clients.
• Symptom severity was similar at baseline; TH clients had less recent suicidal ideation but more history of prior therapy and medication.
• TH clients scheduled more appointments but attended a lower percentage; pre- to posttreatment symptom reduction was comparable between modalities.

Conclusions:

• Telehealth and in-person psychotherapy serve slightly different populations but have similar utilization and outcomes in university settings post-COVID-19.
• Offering both TH and IP services can enhance access to care for diverse populations.
• Policy and administrative support are crucial for sustained access to both telehealth and in-person psychotherapy.