title: Psychosocial outcomes of telephone-based counseling for adults with an acquired physical disability: A meta-analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The delivery of mental health services by telephone, referred to as telecounseling, has the potential to improve the health outcomes of adults with an acquired physical disability in a cost-effective way. However, the efficacy of this form of treatment requires further evaluation before it is used on a larger scale.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This meta-analysis provides a critical and quantitative evaluation of the impact of telephone-administered psychological interventions on the psychosocial functioning of adults with an acquired physical disability caused by spinal cord injury, limb amputation, severe burn injury, stroke, or multiple sclerosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  A comprehensive search of eight electronic databases identified eight studies (N = 658 participants) that compared treatment efficacy to that of matched control groups. Differences in the psychosocial outcomes of treatment and control participants were examined using Cohen's d effect sizes. Fail-safe Ns and 95% confidence intervals were used to evaluate the significance of these results.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant improvements in coping skills and strategies (overall d = 0.57), community integration (overall d = 0.45), and depression (overall d = 0.44) were observed immediately after telecounseling, with modest improvements in quality of life maintained at 12 months post-intervention (overall d = 0.37).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggest that telecounseling is an effective treatment modality for adults adjusting to a physical disability; however, further trials are needed to establish the long term psychosocial benefits.
authors.affiliation: South Australian Spinal Cord Injury Service, Hampstead Rehabilitation Centre, Northfield, South Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Dorstyn
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Mathias
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Denson
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000671:Amputation, Surgical / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D002056:Burns / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003376:Counseling / Q000379:methods*; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D019114:Remote Consultation / Q000379:methods*; D012917:Social Adjustment; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D020521:Stroke / Q000523:psychology; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation; D016896:Treatment Outcome