Date

4-2021

Department

School of Behavioral Sciences

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy in Counselor Education and Supervision (PhD)

Chair

John C. Thomas

Keywords

CACREP, Distance Counseling, Counselor Education

Disciplines

Counseling

Abstract

Among practitioners of professional counseling, the adoption of live videoconferencing, also known as telemental health (TMH), as a means to deliver distance counseling services went mainstream in 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Until then, this medium was primarily for clients who lived in remote areas or could not attend in-person sessions. A debate over the merits of TMH within the counseling profession has existed since the 1970s. In the early years of the 21st century, interest in TMH renewed as the service became affordable for most people. Yet, there is scant documentation addressing the training of professional counselors in the practice of TMH. Thus, the purpose of this study is to identify how two of CACREP’s technology standards influence a counselor’s beliefs, opinions, and attitudes toward TMH. A survey developed for this study was administered to 277 respondents who represented master’s students, doctoral students, and licensed professional counselors. The responses, analyzed using structural equation modeling analysis, suggest that the two CACREP technology standards have a small direct influence on the decision to provide TMH services except when they are moderated by technological competence and clinical experience.

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