Social Workers' Experiences of Virtual Psychotherapeutic Caregivers Groups for Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Stroke, Frontotemporal Dementia, and Traumatic Brain Injury

ABSTRACT

The objective of this study was to examine the challenges for social workers who transition from facilitating face-to-face psychotherapeutic groups to online web-based video groups with family caregivers of persons with chronic disease. Study data consisted of survey responses of a group of therapists who had facilitated a series of web-based video-conferencing caregiver groups over a period of 4 years. All therapists were trained using an intervention training manual and weekly supervision. They received minimal training with regard to using technology (computers, Internet, web cams, and headsets). Despite reported challenges in how the technology affected the group process, therapists described overall positive experiences transitioning from face-to-face to working online. All therapists reported that group interactions and client outcomes in the Internet environment were overall comparable to those that occur in face-to-face groups.

KEYWORDS:

• Group process
• group work
• caregiving
• gerontology
• e-health
• dementia
• chronic illness
• therapeutic alliance
• social work

The authors acknowledge and thank the following social work therapists: Christina Black, Arlene Consky, Nancy Martin, Margaret McGinn, Kevin Oishi, Lesley Patterson, Alison Sellors, Trish Unruh.