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Changes in Provision of Psychotherapy in the Early Weeks of the COVID-19 Lockdown in Austria

Author

Listed:
  • Thomas Probst

    (Department for Psychotherapy and Biopsychosocial Health, Danube University Krems, 3500 Krems, Austria)

  • Peter Stippl

    (Austrian Federal Association for Psychotherapy, 1030 Vienna, Austria)

  • Christoph Pieh

    (Department for Psychotherapy and Biopsychosocial Health, Danube University Krems, 3500 Krems, Austria)

Abstract

Reducing personal contacts is a central measure against the spreading of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). This troubles mental health, but also mental health care as treatments usually take place in personal contact and switching to remote treatments might be necessary in times of COVID-19. The present study investigated the question how the provision of psychotherapy changed in the early weeks of the COVID-19 lockdown in Austria and whether there were differences between the four therapeutic orientations eligible in Austria (psychodynamic, humanistic, systemic, behavioral). Psychotherapists ( N = 1547) completed an online survey. They entered their number of patients treated on average per week (in personal contact, via telephone, via Internet) in the early weeks of the COVID-19 lockdown in Austria as well as (retrospectively) in the months before. The number of patients treated on average per week in personal contact decreased (on average 81%; p < 0.001), whereas the number of patients treated on average per week via telephone and via Internet increased (on average 979% and 1561%; both p < 0.001). Yet, the decrease of psychotherapies through personal contact was not compensated for by increases of remote psychotherapies ( p < 0.001). No differences between the four therapeutic orientations emerged. Results imply an undersupply of psychotherapy in the COVID-19 lockdown and that further changes are necessary to cover the increased need for timely psychotherapy in times of COVID-19.

Suggested Citation

  • Thomas Probst & Peter Stippl & Christoph Pieh, 2020. "Changes in Provision of Psychotherapy in the Early Weeks of the COVID-19 Lockdown in Austria," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(11), pages 1-10, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:11:p:3815-:d:363836
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    3. Cristina Mazza & Eleonora Ricci & Silvia Biondi & Marco Colasanti & Stefano Ferracuti & Christian Napoli & Paolo Roma, 2020. "A Nationwide Survey of Psychological Distress among Italian People during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Immediate Psychological Responses and Associated Factors," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(9), pages 1-14, May.
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    Cited by:

    1. Stefanie Winter & Andrea Jesser & Thomas Probst & Yvonne Schaffler & Ida-Maria Kisler & Barbara Haid & Christoph Pieh & Elke Humer, 2023. "How the COVID-19 Pandemic Affects the Provision of Psychotherapy: Results from Three Online Surveys on Austrian Psychotherapists," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(3), pages 1-15, January.
    2. Elke Humer & Peter Stippl & Christoph Pieh & Wolfgang Schimböck & Thomas Probst, 2020. "Psychotherapy via the Internet: What Programs Do Psychotherapists Use, How Well-Informed Do They Feel, and What Are Their Wishes for Continuous Education?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(21), pages 1-9, November.
    3. Elke Humer & Barbara Haid & Wolfgang Schimböck & Andrea Reisinger & Marion Gasser & Heidrun Eichberger-Heckmann & Peter Stippl & Christoph Pieh & Thomas Probst, 2021. "Provision of Psychotherapy One Year after the Beginning of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Austria," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(11), pages 1-10, May.
    4. Nirmalya Thakur, 2022. "A Large-Scale Dataset of Twitter Chatter about Online Learning during the Current COVID-19 Omicron Wave," Data, MDPI, vol. 7(8), pages 1-16, August.
    5. Elke Humer & Wolfgang Schimböck & Ida-Maria Kisler & Petra Schadenhofer & Christoph Pieh & Thomas Probst, 2020. "How the COVID-19 Pandemic Changes the Subjective Perception of Meaning Related to Different Areas of Life in Austrian Psychotherapists and Patients," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(22), pages 1-12, November.
    6. Virginia Romano & Mirko Ancillotti & Deborah Mascalzoni & Roberta Biasiotto, 2022. "Italians locked down: people’s responses to early COVID-19 pandemic public health measures," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 9(1), pages 1-9, December.
    7. Yvonne Schaffler & Martin Kuska & Antonia Barke & Bettina K. Doering & Katharina Gossmann & Zdenek Meier & Natalia Kascakova & Peter Tavel & Elke Humer & Christoph Pieh & Peter Stippl & Wolfgang Schim, 2022. "Psychotherapists’ Reports regarding the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Their Patients: A Cross-National Descriptive Study Based on the Social-Ecological Model (SEM)," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(11), pages 1-19, June.
    8. Andrea Jesser & Johanna Muckenhuber & Bernd Lunglmayr & Rachel Dale & Elke Humer, 2021. "Provision of Psychodynamic Psychotherapy in Austria during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(17), pages 1-12, August.
    9. Nicole Korecka & Rafael Rabenstein & Christoph Pieh & Peter Stippl & Antonia Barke & Bettina Doering & Katharina Gossmann & Elke Humer & Thomas Probst, 2020. "Psychotherapy by Telephone or Internet in Austria and Germany Which CBT Psychotherapists Rate It more Comparable to Face-to-Face Psychotherapy in Personal Contact and Have more Positive Actual Experie," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(21), pages 1-11, October.
    10. Elke Humer & Christoph Pieh & Martin Kuska & Antonia Barke & Bettina K. Doering & Katharina Gossmann & Radek Trnka & Zdenek Meier & Natalia Kascakova & Peter Tavel & Thomas Probst, 2020. "Provision of Psychotherapy during the COVID-19 Pandemic among Czech, German and Slovak Psychotherapists," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(13), pages 1-15, July.

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