Does the use of telemental health alter the treatment experience? Inmates' perceptions of telemental health versus face-to-face treatment modalities.
In corrections, where staffing limitations tax an overburdened mental health system, telemental health is an increasingly common mode of mental health service delivery. Although telemental health presents an efficient treatment modality for a spectrum of mental health services, it is imperative to study how this modality influences key elements of the treatment experience. In this study, the authors compared inmates' perceptions of the working alliance, postsession mood, and satisfaction with psychiatric and psychological mental health services delivered through 2 different modalities: telemental health and face-to-face. Participants consisted of 186 inmates who received mental health services (36 via telepsychology, 50 via face-to-face psychology, 50 via telepsychiatry, and 50 via face-to-face psychiatry). Results indicate no significant differences in inmates' perceptions of the work alliance with the mental health professional, postsession mood, or overall satisfaction with services when telemental health and face-to-face modalities were compared within each type of mental health service. Implications of these findings are presented.
Morgan
Robert D
RD
Department of Psychology, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409-2051, USA. robert.morgan@ttu.edu
Patrick
Amber R
AR
Magaletta
Philip R
PR
D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003134:Commitment of Persons with Psychiatric Disorders; D003695:Delivery of Health Care; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D008605:Mental Health Services; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011329:Prisoners / Q000523:psychology*; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D011567:Psychiatric Department, Hospital; D011613:Psychotherapy; D019114:Remote Consultation; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires