Psychotherapy Research: Cohort Study of Engagement in Telehealth Psychotherapy versus In-Person Services

Psychotherapy Research: Cohort Study of Engagement in Telehealth Psychotherapy versus In-Person Services

This study aimed to compare patient engagement in in-person versus telehealth services in outpatient psychotherapy for mood and anxiety disorders. The study found a 26% increase in the total number of individual psychotherapy sessions attended when the clinics transitioned to telehealth services. In addition, patients who received telehealth psychotherapy were five times more likely to not cancel or miss any scheduled sessions. These results indicate that telehealth services may result in improved treatment engagement for outpatient centers focused on brief evidence-based psychotherapies for mood and anxiety disorders.