University of Twente Student Theses
Compassionate Technology in Mental Healthcare: A Qualitative Analysis of the Perceptions and Attitudes of Prospective Therapists Regarding the Use of Technology in ‘Blended Care’
Velikova, Simona (2022) Compassionate Technology in Mental Healthcare: A Qualitative Analysis of the Perceptions and Attitudes of Prospective Therapists Regarding the Use of Technology in ‘Blended Care’.
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| Abstract: | The demand for mental healthcare services and treatments is rising and technology is called forth to fill the gap between what society demands and what the mental healthcare field can currently provide. The use of technology in mental healthcare has the potential to allow for more people to have access to treatment and lower the waiting periods for receiving help. However, despite the demand for more services, research shows that therapists are reluctant to implement technology into their practice and perceive there to be too many barriers to the adoption of technology and Blended Care, which is the combination of online and face-to-face therapy combined with other internet or digital-based interventions. For this reason, there is a need to address the perceptions of current psychology students aiming to work in the field regarding the use of technology in Blended Care, as their attitudes and needs are what will drive the future development of the field. The use of technology is further framed by the concept of compassion, as compassion is considered to be a necessary key element for the successful client-therapist relationship, and is also linked to alleviating suffering. This paper describes a qualitative research conducted on the current perceptions and attitudes of current psychology students on the implementation of technology into the mental healthcare field and the levels of perceived compassion in Blended Care. Through the use of two in depth focus group interviews with current psychology students (N = 4), this paper reports on the visions of the future on how technology could be incorporated into practice and how it could support compassion between a therapist and client. The interviews were then transcribed and coded and three main codes were identified: Technology in Mental Healthcare, Compassion in Technology, and Future Expectations. Overall, participants had a lot of agreement amongst each other and provided interesting insights into possibilities to make Blended Care more accessible and appealing for both the therapist and the patient which are presented in this paper. |
| Item Type: | Essay (Bachelor) |
| Faculty: | BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences |
| Subject: | 77 psychology |
| Programme: | Psychology BSc (56604) |
| Link to this item: | https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/92113 |
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