Graduation Semester and Year
Summer 2024
Language
English
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Social Work
Department
Social Work
First Advisor
Regina T. Praetorius, PhD, LMSW-AP-S
Abstract
Background: American psychologist Carl Rogers is considered the main originator of person-centered therapy (PCT), a psychotherapeutic approach which focuses on self-actualizing abilities of the client which emerge when engaged in an environment of three core conditions established by the therapist: unconditional positive regard, empathy and congruence. Over the last several decades there have been thousands of studies that demonstrate support for these three core conditions as necessary features of effective therapy. However, with the emergence of psychotherapy being conducted via telehealth in the last several years, in particular since the onset of the global COVID-19 pandemic, it remains unknown if PCT can be sufficiently conducted virtually.
Objective: To conduct a systematic review focusing on PCT conducted virtually.
Methods: Google Scholar was searched through May 2024.
Results: Of the 570 reviewed studies, only 6 (1%) investigated PCT conducted via telehealth according to the pre-established criteria established for this review. Results were mixed overall, with four of the studies reporting positive results pertaining to PCT conducted virtually as compared to in-person, two of the studies reported neutral results, and four found negative results in comparison to in-person PCT.
Conclusions: Due to the recent switchover to telehealth for therapy purposes, research is limited on the topic of psychotherapy conducted virtually. However, it seems likely that more research will be conducted as the trend of therapy via telehealth continues. The studies reviewed in this paper found a mix of opinions regarding PCT conducted virtually, and further research is needed in order to come to more definitive conclusions.
Keywords
Person centered, Client centered, Carl Rogers, Unconditional positive regard, Empathy, Congruence, Virtual therapy, Teletherapy
Disciplines
Clinical Psychology | Counseling Psychology | Counselor Education | Social Work
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Feibush, Aaron, "Is the Virtual Therapy Experience a Sufficient Means for Person-Centered Therapy? A Systematic Review" (2024). Social Work Theses. 133.
https://mavmatrix.uta.edu/socialwork_theses/133
Included in
Clinical Psychology Commons, Counseling Psychology Commons, Counselor Education Commons, Social Work Commons