Counseling Self-Efficacy in Family Play Therapy Telemental Health Services Throughout the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study

• Published in: International journal of play therapy 2024-10, Vol.33 (4), p.206-221
• Main Authors: Smith, Tiffany N., Norton, Aaron, Marroquin, Latrisha J.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: COVID-19; Family Therapy; Female; Human; Male; Marriage and Family Therapists; Mental Health Services; Pandemics; Play Therapy; Self-Efficacy; Telemedicine
• ISSN: 1555-6824; 1939-0629
• DOI: 10.1037/pla0000223

Family play therapy and telemental health are understudied areas (Haslam & Harris, 2011; Smith et al., 2023). However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, clinicians across the globe were forced to move their family play therapy sessions from in-person to virtual ones without any prior training or supervision (Mitchell, 2020; Whaibeh et al., 2020). This study explored the feelings of self-efficacy of family play therapists transitioning their in-person sessions to telemental health sessions throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. This study used a qualitative design and a phenomenological approach. The study consisted of 18 participants who completed an online survey exploring self-efficacy through a qualitative interview questionnaire. This study indicated that years of experience might not determine confidence in applying family play therapy modality in telemental health sessions. This study is a starting point of research for family play therapy for telemental health. This study provides beginning steps to close the current research gaps and lay the groundwork for improving self-efficacy in family play therapy telemental health practice.