Investigating individual online synchronous chat counselling processes and treatment outcomes for young people

Objective: The aim of the current study was to explore the progress and depth of counselling processes used during online chat sessions, and their relationships to the number of sessions attended and client treatment outcomes. Method: Transcripts from 49 online clients were analysed using the Counselling Progress and Depth Instrument. Psychological distress, life satisfaction, and hope measures were collected prior to the participant's first session and again 6 weeks later providing treatment outcomes. Results: Overall, progress and depth scores were higher for clients who attended multiple sessions and associated with greater alleviation in clients' psychological distress. Problem clarification and action planning processes were both correlated with reductions in psychological distress. Conclusions: Findings imply that advancing through more of the stages of counselling in greater depth may help improve client outcomes from online counselling.