title: Distance therapeutic alliance: the participant's experience.
abstract: Access barriers to services result in extensive wait times. Distance delivery systems with no face-to-face contact are not yet widely accepted because of uncertainty about whether therapeutic alliance can exist. In this study, 131 participants completed a questionnaire designed to explore their distance treatment experience. The majority described positive comments about the relationship formed with their telephone coach including the strength/quality, coach attributes, and the inapprehension to disclose information to the coach. Moreover, 97% reported preference for distance treatment. Acceptance and integration of evidence-based distance delivery systems are a promising approach to primary healthcare reform.
authors.affiliation: IWK Health Centre and Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. patricia.pottie@iwk.nshealth.ca
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lingley-Pottie
authors.forename: Patrick J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: McGrath
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000534:rehabilitation; D003150:Community Health Workers; D019052:Depression, Postpartum / Q000534:rehabilitation; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008507:Medically Underserved Area; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009674:Nova Scotia; D016487:Parenting; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D019114:Remote Consultation; D019035:Rural Health Services; D013689:Telephone