Does anyone see anything wrong with this? (therapy, issues, problems)

[braindead0]

There was an ad posted on CL yesterday, claiming to be from some 'team' at the University of Nevada -- Reno

Treatment for sexual or traumatic experience (UNR)

Have you had unwanted or stressful physical or sexual experiences in your lifetime?
Are you having problems related to these experiences?
If so, would you be interested in possible participation in research for a web-based treatment?

A research team at the University of Nevada -- Reno is conducting a study to test a web-based treatment for stressful life experiences. If you are a woman, over the age of 18, fluent in English, and have access to the internet, you may be eligible to partake in this study. Participation in this study will involve completing a phone screening, an in-person meeting, 3 web-based assessments, and six web-based treatment modules over six weeks. Total time commitment will range from about 9 to 10 hours.

I'm no expert but I'd think that a critical part of treatment would be talking to a real person, developing rapport/empathy.

Perhaps it's really a study to find out how many people would fall for this?

[ocnjgirl]

Originally Posted by braindead0

There was an ad posted on CL yesterday, claiming to be from some 'team' at the University of Nevada -- Reno



I'm no expert but I'd think that a critical part of treatment would be talking to a real person, developing rapport/empathy.

Perhaps it's really a study to find out how many people would fall for this?

That may well turn out to be the case, but that's why they do studies, to find out what is effective and what isn't. If it turns out though that web based therapy is a viable option, it will open the doors to many, many more people, such as those in rural areas which usually don't have the resources of urban areas, those who don't have reliable transportation to areas where in-person resources are located, or those without insurance coverage for mental issues who may not have access to in-person help. Seems like a worthy study to me.

[braindead0]

I suppose some people may also have an aversion to seeing a psychiatrist or the like. I'd have huge privacy and data security issues with anything of this nature.

[ocnjgirl]

Originally Posted by braindead0

I suppose some people may also have an aversion to seeing a psychiatrist or the like. I'd have huge privacy and data security issues with anything of this nature.

Yes, but it's going to be the future, probably in many health care areas. Like everything, it'll most likely have both good and bad sides. I have already given up the idea that we have privacy and security now and data breaches happen all the time. That is why I'm against a national identity card, with every iota of our lives on one government-run computer program.

[Tracysherm]

Of course I would first contact the university department and confirm that it's an actual study, but yes, this could be very legitimate. There has been a lot of recent work done in "telepsychiatry," web-based treatment, and developing ways to make "remote" treatment interventions more effective. Lots of work is being done to assess these interventions and to identify "evidence-based practices" that can be provided remotely, usually online.

A lot of really effective cognitive-behavioral interventions can be carried out remotely, with the client doing a lot of it in the form of exercises and homework. And these interventions have shown measurable positive effects, but it depends on the problem, the client, and their needs.

I think for something to be true "therapy" you need that personal connection, and that's how I was trained. I rely heavily on the therapeutic relationship as a tool for helping, and an instrument for measuring symptoms and progress. But lots of effective treatment interventions do not require the therapeutic relationship.