Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy

A total of 269 outpatient psychotherapists from all specializations and 157 outpatient psychotherapy patients took part in the cross sectional online survey via REDCap©. They answered questions on their current usage behavior of digital psychotherapy interventions (video therapy, apps, VR, sensor-based psychotherapy), satisfaction with the implementation of the respective intervention, their own affinity for technology (TA-EG) and acceptance of technology (UTAUT) and their perception of the therapeutic relationship (WAI-SR-T/P) in the digital therapy context.

Both the psychotherapists and patients were satisfied overall with the implementation and delivery of video therapy. The participants stated that they used other digital interventions (apps, VR, etc.) to a limited extent. Patients perceived themselves as open, tech-savvy and competent in using technical devices. The psychotherapists rated the therapeutic relationship in the online context better than the patients.

Digital psychotherapy interventions are currently only used to a limited extent by psychotherapists and consequently by patients, although they were generally rated as positive. The reasons for their non-use to date are presumably multiple. Information about the possible applications and benefits of digital interventions appears to be essential in order to increase acceptance on the part of psychotherapists and, as a result, patients.