THE NATURE, SCOPE, AND ETHICS OF PSYCHOLOGISTS' E-THERAPY WEB SITES: WHAT CONSUMERS FIND WHEN SURFING THE WEB

Much has been written about e-therapy, but little is known about what consumers experience when they search the Web for psychological services. The goal of this study was to sample Web-based psychological services in a manner that simulated the experience of potential consumers. The obtained sample...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Psychotherapy (Chicago, Ill.) Ill.), 2003-03, Vol.40 (1-2), p.112-124
Main Authors: Heinlen, Kathleen T, Welfel, Elizabeth Reynolds, Richmond, Elizabeth N, O'Donnell, Melissa S
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Advertising
Computer Applications
Human
Internet
Mental Health Services
Online Therapy
Professional Ethics
Professional Fees
Telemedicine
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Summary:Much has been written about e-therapy, but little is known about what consumers experience when they search the Web for psychological services. The goal of this study was to sample Web-based psychological services in a manner that simulated the experience of potential consumers. The obtained sample of Web sites (n = 44) was assessed in terms of clinical services, fees, and advertising content. The sites were also evaluated on their compliance with the American Psychological Association (2002) Ethical Principles and the guidelines of the International Society for Mental Health Online (2000) . Results indicated that the number of psychologists offering e-therapy is small, their services are diverse, and their compliance with established ethical principles is uneven.
ISSN:0033-3204
1939-1536
DOI:10.1037/0033-3204.40.1-2.112