Online Therapy for Children: Yay or Nay? Clinicians' Insights from the COVID-19 Era

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic necessitated an almost overnight shift in mental healthcare from in-person to remote delivery. However, the feasibility of online therapy for children and its potential as a long-term fixture remain underexplored.ObjectiveThis study aimed to explore the advantages, disadvantages, and suitability of online therapy for children, as perceived by pediatric clinicians delivering remote psychological interventions during the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodSix qualified child psychologists with limited pre-pandemic online therapy experience were surveyed about their perspectives on online therapy for children using a qualitative descriptive approach. Data was analyzed using thematic network analysis.ResultsAnalysis revealed themes relating to: issues encountered in the areas of technology, resource availability, and therapeutic alliance; perceived advantages in children being digital natives, and online therapy's wide accessibility; and (un)suitability of specific client profiles and therapeutic techniques.ConclusionsPsychological interventions delivered via videoconferencing are not suitable for all children, but can be greatly beneficial for some. Client- and intervention-specific findings from this study can be used to guide future research aimed at clinical practice, developing tailored approaches, and informing policy for improving access to pediatric mental healthcare.