Using Synchronous Videoconferencing to Deliver Family-Based Mental Healthcare

J Child Adolesc Psychopharmacol. 2016 Apr;26(3):229-34. doi: 10.1089/cap.2015.0012. Epub 2015 Oct 14.

Abstract

Objectives: Leading telemental healthcare programs are increasingly harnessing new technologies in innovative ways to broaden the reach of supported care for children and adolescents. Technology-based delivery methods drawing on synchronous videoteleconferencing can transcend geographic barriers to quality care and remotely provide real-time services to affected families, regardless of their proximity to an expert mental health facility.

Methods: The present review considers critical issues specific to family-based telemental healthcare, including: 1) Navigating varying levels of technological literacy across generations of participants; 2) deciding which family members to include in family-based telemental healthcare; 3) ensuring the safety of participants in family-based telemental healthcare; 4) optimizing therapeutic alliance and engagement in family-based telemental healthcare; 5) navigating logistical concerns in the conducting of sessions; and 6) ensuring privacy in family-based telemental healthcare.

Results: We discuss illustrations of recent child telemental healthcare advances that have focused explicitly on family-based treatment approaches, including Internet-delivered Parent-Child Interaction Therapy and Internet-delivered family-based cognitive-behavioral therapy for early-onset OCD.

Conclusions: We conclude with a consideration of future directions for the field of family-based telemental healthcare.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / methods*
  • Family Therapy / methods*
  • Humans
  • Mental Health Services*
  • Telemedicine*
  • Videoconferencing*