Online Psychotherapy: The Main Problems and Evaluation of Effectiveness

The article explores the development and current state of online psychotherapy, the variety of methods and platforms that provide access to psychological assistance via the Internet. It discusses a broad spectrum of terminology related to digital technologies in the field of mental health, emphasizing the importance of standardizing terms to improve the quality of scientific research and practical activities in this area. The use of online technologies in psychotherapy practice has sparked numerous discussions regarding their effectiveness and suitability for widespread application. The advantages of online psychotherapy include accessibility, barrier reduction, convenience, and anonymity. However, the implementation of online psychotherapy creates serious issues related to the lack of personal contact, confidentiality, organizational, and legal questions. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated existing problems, including vicarious traumatization and a lack of experience in remote formats, and has also reignited debates about the advisability and effectiveness of online psychotherapy. Contra dictory and divergent opinions about online psychotherapy have set the goals for this article: to explicate the main issues arising from the use of the remote format in psychotherapeutic practice and to assess its effectiveness. The article discusses in detail the main issues of online psychotherapy at the current stage: disruption of non-verbal communication, the quality of the therapeutic alliance, ensuring confidentiality and security, vicarious traumatization, and low digital competencies. The results of a meta-analysis on the effectiveness of online psychotherapy are presented, showing a modest positive effect when compared to the traditional face-to-face format. The identified advantages and disadvantages of the online format reveal opportunities for its effective integration into practical activities.