The Impact of Video Calling Between Preterm Infants and Their Mothers on the Physiological Parameters of Infants and Mother-Infant Bonding.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to determine the effect of video calling between preterm infants treated in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and their mothers on the physiological parameters of infants and mother-infant bonding. BACKGROUND: Preterm infants need prolonged treatment in the NICU, and their families may have difficulty seeing their babies during this treatment process. METHODS: This is a prospective, randomized-controlled, experimental study. The study sample consisted of 75 preterm infants and their mothers. The data were collected using a maternal introductory information form, a preterm infant introductory information form, a preterm infant physiological parameters follow-up form, and the Mother-Infant Bonding Scale (MIBS). The study included 3 study groups: the video call group, the video call with lullaby group, and the control group. Video calls between preterm infants and their mothers were made through Zoom for 5 to 10 minutes daily for 7 days. The mothers filled out the MIBS online before and on the 7th and 30th days of the study. RESULTS: Preterm infants in the video call and the video call with lullaby groups had higher MIBS mean scores on the 7th and 30th days of the study than their pretest MIBS scores. Preterm infants in the video call and the video call with lullaby groups had statistically significantly higher MIBS mean scores on the seventh day of the study than those in the control group. At the end of the 7-day study period, there was an improvement in the physiological parameters of preterm infants in the video call group and the video call with lullaby group compared with those in the control group, and this relationship was statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, the implementation of video calls between mothers and preterm infants in NICUs had a healing effect on the physiological parameters of preterm infants and increased mother-infant bonding.

The Pace of Change in Videoconferencing and Face-to-Face Adult Psychotherapy: A Longitudinal Study.

BACKGROUND: The current study explores the pace of psychological change in face-to-face (F2F) and videoconferencing psychotherapy (VCP). It also aims to offer a methodological tool for studying it and to suggest some hypotheses that could explain the pace of change in F2F and VCP. Change in therapy was predicted to be non-linear and faster in F2F than in VCP. METHOD: Session-by-session records of two measures of change (as assessed by therapists and clients, respectively) were collected from 113 participants from F2F (n = 57) and VCP (n = 56), resulting in 2552 therapy sessions. A non-manipulative longitudinal design was proposed in which multilevel growth curve models were performed. Different models were specified to account for the trajectories followed on average by all cases as closely as possible. RESULTS: The chosen models for therapists' ( χ² = 4.42, p < .05, r² = .54) and clients' ( χ² = 6.31, p < .05, r² = .53)data, showed large effect sizes. The results were significant and showed that change was not linear and was faster in F2F, as we had predicted. CONCLUSIONS: Our results contribute to knowledge about psychological therapy provided through the internet. Several hypotheses are suggested to explain which processes may underlie those results.

Efficacy of technology-based mental health interventions in minimizing mental health symptoms among in immigrants, asylum seekers or refugees; systematic review.

Digital health technologies may offer an alternate approach to augmenting the established mental health care delivery systems for migrants and promoting their mental well-being. This review aims to provide a broad examination of literature, to determine the impact of technology-based interventions on outcomes of immigrants and refugees experiencing mental health symptoms associated with pre-and postmigration stress (depression, anxiety, psychological stress, PTSD). We searched five electronic databases (PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO, Web of Science, and the ACM digital library). We included studies that looked at the effectiveness of any technologybased intervention (internet or phone-based, telepsychiatry, telemedicine, digital technology, videoconferencing, or tele video). We limited our search to articles written in English and published up until January 2202. Two reviewers independently extracted article data and evaluated the quality of studies using the Cochrane risk-of-bias criteria and ROBINS-I risk of bias evaluation tool. We found scant evidence that the use of digital interventions, such as mobile-based therapies, video conferencing, and digital platforms, is associated with a statistically significant reduction in depressive and anxious symptoms among immigrants and refugees. In the included trials, no evidence of a substantial decrease in PTSD symptoms was found following the use of a self-help mobile app. Our systematic review revealed intriguing but limited evidence that digital psychological therapies can reduce depression in immigrants and refugees. Future study with a randomized experimental design is required to examine the effectiveness of digital treatments in lowering the impacts of mental health outcomes among immigrants.

Telapheresis: One institution's experience.

Telemedicine in its most common form is the use of videoconferencing to consult with a patient and telapheresis is telemedicine in the form of videotelephony applied to consult with a patient for apheresis. The article discusses how a large apheresis program in a metropolitan area provided physician coverage for apheresis in a more remote hospital using telapheresis with local physician "partners" and local nurses employed by and trained by the apheresis program that perform the procedure. Consent for the procedure was obtained, and orders were placed by the local physician after consultation with the apheresis physician, or the apheresis physician him/herself, having obtained privileges at the remote hospital. This allowed patients access to apheresis procedures nearer to their place of residence and in familiar surroundings which generally made them feel more positive about their health care experience.

Protocol for a randomized clinical trial to confirm the effectiveness of online guided self-help family-based treatment for adolescent anorexia nervosa.

BACKGROUND: The leading evidence-based treatment for anorexia nervosa (AN) in adolescents is Family-based Treatment (FBT). However, due to the intensive training requirements and lack of practitioners, it is often difficult for families to access FBT. Thus, innovations that improve access to care are needed. A pilot randomized study of a guided self-help version of Family-based Treatment (GSH-FBT) that utilized approximately 1/4 the amount of therapist time compared to FBT found that the approach was acceptable and appeared to achieve similar outcomes. The study protocol detailed in this manuscript compares the efficiency (clinician time) of GSH-FBT to Family-based Treatment via Videoconferencing (FBT-V) in a fully powered study in achieving clinical outcomes through a multi-site randomized clinical trial across the US and Ontario, Canada. METHODS: This study will randomize the families of adolescents ages 12-18 (n = 200) who meet DSM-5 criteria for AN to receive either GSH-FBT or FBT-V. Participants will be randomized to 15 sixty-minute sessions of FBT-V or to 10 twenty-minute sessions of online GSH-FBT. Major assessments will be conducted by a masked assessor at baseline, within treatment, at the end of treatment (EOT), and 6 and 12 months after the end of treatment (EOT). The primary outcomes of this study are changes to body weight and eating disorder cognitions relative to clinician time used (relative efficiency of treatment modality). CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study may help increase access to care by providing a time efficient, affordable, more scalable intervention for adolescent AN compared to standard FBT.

KEMoS: A knowledge-enhanced multi-modal summarizing framework for Chinese online meetings.

The demand for "online meetings" and "collaborative office work" keeps surging recently, producing an abundant amount of relevant data. How to provide participants with accurate and fast summarizing service has attracted extensive attention. Existing meeting summarizing models overlook the utilization of multi-modal information and the information offsetting during summarizing. In this paper, we develop a knowledge-enhanced multi-modal summarizing framework. Firstly, we construct a three-layer multi-modal meeting knowledge graph, including basic, knowledge, and multi-modal layer, to integrate meeting information thoroughly. Then, we raise a topic-based hierarchical clustering approach, which considers information entropy and difference simultaneously, to capture the semantic evolution of meetings. Next, we devise a multi-modal enhanced encoding strategy, including a sentence-level cross-modal encoder, a joint loss function, and a knowledge graph embedding module, to learn the meeting and topic-level presentations. Finally, when generating summaries, we design a topic-enhanced decoding strategy for the Transformer decoder which mitigates semantic offsetting with the aid of topic information. Extensive experiments show that our proposed work consistently outperforms state-of-the-art solutions on the Chinese meeting dataset, where the ROUGE-1, ROUGE-2, and ROUGE-L are 49.98%, 21.03%, and 32.03% respectively.

Validation of the Italian Version of the Telepresence in Videoconference Scale (TVS) in a Sample of Psychologists and Psychotherapists During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

OBJECTIVE: Telepresence may play a fundamental role in establishing authentic interactions and relationships in online psychological interventions and can be measured by the Telepresence in Videoconference Scale (TVS), which was validated only with patients to date. This post hoc study aimed to validate the Italian version of the TVS with mental health professionals. METHOD: The Italian TVS was included in an online survey, whose primary aim was to assess the experiences of Italian psychologists and psychotherapists with online interventions during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and was filled in by 296 participants (83.4% females, mean age = 42 years old). RESULTS: Exploratory factor analysis supported the original factor structure only partially because the scale 'Absorption' (i.e., the feeling of losing track of time), as it was formulated, did not measure telepresence. Correlations were also explored between the TVS scales and some survey items pertaining to intimacy and emotional closeness to patients, comfort and positive as well as negative experiences with online interventions. CONCLUSION: The TVS may be a useful tool to measure physical and social telepresence in online interventions, both in patients and in professionals.

Videoconferencing in mental health services for children and adolescents receiving child welfare services: a scoping review.

BACKGROUND: Videoconferencing is considered an alternative to face-to-face consultations and a possibility to help overcome access-to-care barriers in mental health care services. Barriers to child and adolescent mental health services are particularly apparent in the case of children and adolescents receiving child welfare services. This scoping review aims to provide an overview of research on videoconferencing in the mental health treatment of children and adolescents receiving support from child welfare services. METHODS: This scoping review follows the review framework outlined by the Joanna Briggs Institute. The following databases were searched from January 2012 to April 2024: Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, PsycINFO (Ovid), CINAHL Plus, Social Services Abstracts (ProQuest), Sociological Abstracts (ProQuest), and Google Scholar. RESULTS: The search yielded 4322 unique records and resulted in the inclusion of 22 articles that met the inclusion criteria. The studies originated from Denmark, England, Australia, Norway, Canada, Chile, and the USA, and were grouped into four areas: (1) videoconferencing to increase access to mental health treatment for vulnerable groups (2) young people's perspectives (3) videoconferencing in interdisciplinary collaborative meetings, and (4) use, awareness, and acceptance of videoconferencing among health and social care providers. CONCLUSIONS: This scoping review shows that if videoconferencing in mental health care is to become an established and trusted method aimed at children and adolescents receiving child welfare services, several unresolved and potentially negative issues need attention and more research. This particularly applies to whether videoconferencing decreases or exacerbates inequalities in access to mental health services. A further question is whether new barriers are raised by screen-based treatment to threaten good therapeutic relationships, and by extension treatment quality and clinical outcomes.

Healthcare professionals' experiences of video consultations in palliative care in rural areas: an intervention study in community care.

BACKGROUND: The population is aging, leading to an increased need for palliative care and end-of-life care. There is a lack of research on the use of video consultations for knowledge transfer between specialist and general palliative care. The aim of this study was to describe healthcare professionals' experiences of video consultations in palliative care in community homecare and nursing homes in rural areas. METHODS: Individual interviews (n = 11) were conducted with five community nurses, one occupational therapist, two specialist palliative nurses, and three specialist palliative care physicians. The data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. RESULTS: The analysis identified three themes: feeling comfortable with increased availability of specialist expertise; seeing each other facilitates communication; and being supported by physically present care professionals is essential. CONCLUSION: HCPs suggest that video consultations are an effective way to increase access to specialist palliative care and provide more equal care to patients with palliative care needs in rural community care.

Effectiveness of proactive video therapy for problematic alcohol use on treatment initiation, compliance, and alcohol intake: a randomised controlled trial in Denmark.

BACKGROUND: Few people with problematic alcohol use reach treatment and dropout is frequent. Therapy for problematic alcohol use delivered via video conference (e-alcohol therapy) might overcome treatment barriers. In this randomised study, we tested whether proactive e-alcohol therapy outperformed face-to-face alcohol therapy (standard care) regarding treatment initiation, compliance, and weekly alcohol intake at 3-month and 12-month follow-up. METHODS: In this two-arm randomised controlled trial, we recruited individuals who had problematic alcohol use, defined as a score of 8 or more on the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test; were 18 years or older; and had access to a personal computer, smartphone, or tablet with internet access in Denmark through online advertisements. Participants were assigned to receive alcohol therapy delivered either face-to-face or via video conference. The number, frequency, and duration of therapy sessions were individualised in both groups. Data analysis was conducted using masked data. Primary analyses were based on an intention-to-treat sample. The study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03116282). FINDINGS: Between Jan 22, 2018, and June 29, 2020, 816 individuals signed up for the trial and 502 (63%) were assessed for eligibility. We randomly assigned 379 to proactive e-alcohol therapy (n=187) or standard care (n=192), of which, 170 (48%) participants were female and 186 (52%) were male. In the intervention group, more participants initiated treatment (155 [88%] of 177 vs 96 [54%] of 179; odds ratio [OR] 6·3; 95% CI 2·8 to 13·8; p<0·0001 at 3 months; 151 [85%] of 177 vs 115 [64%] of 179; OR 3·2; 95% CI 1·6 to 6·2; p=0·0007 at 12 months) and complied with treatment (130 [73%] of 177 vs 74 [41%] of 179; OR 4·0; 95% CI 2·2 to 7·2; p<0·0001 at 3 months; 140 [79%] of 177 vs 95 [53%] of 179; OR 3·4; 95% CI 1·8 to 6·3; p=0·0002 at 12 months). Weekly alcohol intake was significantly lower in the intervention group only after 3 months (13·0 standard drinks per week vs 21·3 standard drinks per week; adjusted difference -6·7; 95% CI -12·3 to -1·0; p=0·019). INTERPRETATION: Proactive e-alcohol therapy was associated with increased treatment initiation and compliance and is promising as an easily accessible and effective alcohol treatment for individuals with problematic alcohol use. FUNDING: TrygFonden.

A Comparison of Remote Versus in-Person Assessments of Substance Use and Related Constructs Among Adolescents.

Objective: Underreporting of adolescent substance use is a known issue, with format of assessment (in-person vs. remote) a potentially important factor. We investigate whether being assessed remotely (via phone or videoconference) versus in-person affects youth report of substance use patterns, attitudes, and access, hypothesizing remote visits would garner higher levels of substance use reporting and more positive substance use attitudes. Methods: We used the Adolescent Brain and Cognitive DevelopmentSM [ABCD] Study data between 2021-2022 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants chose whether to complete assessments in-person (n=615; 49% female; meanage=13.9; 57% White) or remotely (n=1,467; 49% female, meanage=13.7; 49% White). Regressions predicted substance use patterns, attitudes, and access, by visit format, controlling for relevant sociodemographic factors. Effect sizes and standardized mean differences are presented. Results: 17% of adolescent participants reported any level of substance use. Youth interviewed remotely reported more negative expectancies of alcohol and cannabis. In addition, those queried remotely were less likely to endorse use), sipping alcohol, eating cannabis), and reported less curiosity or intent to try alcohol, though these differences did not survive an adjustment for multiple testing. Effect sizes ranged from small to medium. Conclusions: Preliminary evidence suggests youth completing remote visits were more likely to disclose negative expectancies toward alcohol and cannabis. Effect sizes were modest, though 37 of 39 variables examined trended toward restricted reporting during remote sessions. Thus, format of substance use assessment should be controlled for, but balanced by other study needs (e.g., increasing accessibility of research to all sociodemographic groups).

Women's experiences of remote video calls with a labour ward midwife during early labour.

BACKGROUND: In an increasingly strained maternity care system with a shortage of midwives and great demands for service, pregnant women in their early labour are at risk of receiving insufficient support. Women make calls and visit the labour ward on multiple occasions before being admitted. A video call with a labour ward midwife during early labour is an unknown practice but could support pregnant women and their partners during this uncertain period. AIM: The study aimed to describe women's experiences of remote video calls with a labour ward midwife during early labour. METHODS: A qualitative study comprising nine semi-structured interviews followed by an inductive thematic analysis was conducted. RESULTS: The results revealed that video calls prepared women and their partners by means of practical support. They received an assessment of early labour and the interaction with labour ward midwives prepared them for the impending birth. The participants reported feeling secure and strengthened by being met at their current stage of labour. Furthermore, they found the service accessible, easy to use and emphasised the need for increased availability and continuity. CONCLUSION: This study highlights the positive impact of video calls in early labour when conducted by competent labour ward midwives. The perceived accessibility and ease of use e-health system underscore a demand for extended availability. These findings indicate the potential benefits of integrating video calls in labour care to enhance support, security, accessibility and overall satisfaction for pregnant women and their partners.

An integrated mental health video consultations model for patients with somatic symptom disorder in primary care: The randomized VISION pilot trial.

OBJECTIVE: Symptoms of somatic symptom disorder (SSD) are one of the most common reasons for consultations in primary care. However, specialized psychological services are mostly unavailable. This pilot trial aimed to determine the feasibility, acceptability, and safety of the integrated mental health video consultations VISION model for patients with SSD in primary care. METHODS: We conducted a parallel group, randomized controlled pilot trial involving fifty-one patients with SSD from ten primary care practices in Germany, who we randomized to the VISION model or enhanced treatment-as-usual (eTAU). The VISION model comprised five video consultations which featured diagnostic clarification, psychoeducation (acknowledging and legitimizing of symptoms), and brief psychological therapy. eTAU included training primary care practice teams on the DSM-5 concept of SSD and on current guideline recommendations for its treatment in primary care. We assessed feasibility as the primary outcome at 6-months, measuring efficiency of recruitment, intervention acceptability, and safety. RESULTS: Recruitment was efficient reflected in an overall recruitment yield (number randomized per number screened) of 55% (51/92) and a consent rate (number randomized per number eligible) of 94% (51/54). Acceptability of the intervention was high with 98% (123/125) of the video consultations conducted as planned. No serious adverse events were reported in either group. CONCLUSION: An integrated mental health video consultations VISION model for patients with SSD presenting to primary care is feasible, acceptable, and safe. Potential clinical effectiveness of the model should be evaluated in confirmatory trial implementing the multifaceted approach tailored to the individual patient with SSD directly into primary care practice. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The trial protocol was registered at German Clinical Trials Register (number: DRKS00026075, https://www.drks.de).

Evaluation of completely online psychotherapy with app-support versus therapy as usual for clients with depression or anxiety disorder: A retrospective matched cohort study investigating the effectiveness, efficiency, client satisfaction, and costs.

INTRODUCTION: Depressive and anxiety disorders are common mental disorders ranking among the leading causes of global disease burden. Not all clients currently benefit from therapy and clients are looking for modern ways of therapy. Online psychotherapy is a promising option for better meeting clients' needs. Recently, a new psychotherapy concept has emerged that combines videoconferencing sessions with support through a mobile application. The latter allows for ecological momentary assessments and interventions, facilitates communication between patients and therapists in between sessions through chat, and allows for incorporating feedback-informed treatment principles. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study was a retrospective observational matched cohort study, comparing online psychotherapy with Therapy As Usual (TAU) for clients with depressive or anxiety disorders. Data were obtained via questionnaires, which are part of standard clinical care. Primary outcomes included general mental functioning, and symptoms of depression and anxiety. Secondary outcomes were efficiency, client satisfaction, and therapy costs. Primary endpoints were analyzed using linear mixed models analysis, with an interaction term between time and group. Secondary outcomes were analyzed using linear regression. RESULTS: Larger improvements were observed in the online compared to the TAU group for general mental functioning and depressive disorder (i.e., General mental functioning: B = -8.50, 95 CI: -15.01 - -1.97, p = 0.011; Depressive disorder: B = - 3.66, 95 % CI: -5.79 - -1.54p < 0.01). No significant differences in change over time between the two groups were observed for anxiety disorder (B = -3.64, 95 % CI: (-13.10 - 5.82) p = 0.447). The total number of sessions was significantly higher in the online psychotherapy group than in TAU (B = 3.71, p < 0.01), although clients were matched on treatment time in weeks. Treatment session duration in minutes was comparable across the groups. DISCUSSION: Online psychotherapy with app support showed to be a promising alternative to TAU for depressive and anxiety disorders. More research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness, cost-effectiveness and client satisfaction of online psychotherapy compared to TAU, such as randomized controlled trials or studies multiple baseline series designs, and in-depth qualitative research.

Virtual reality, face-to-face, and 2D video conferencing differently impact fatigue, creativity, flow, and decision-making in workplace dynamics.

Digital communication technologies are rapidly evolving, and understanding their impact on group dynamics and cognitive performance in professional settings becomes central. This study investigates the psychological impact of different interaction settings-two-dimensional Video Conferencing (VC), Face-To-Face (FTF), and Virtual Reality (VR)-on group dynamics, cognitive performance, and aspects of well-being in a professional context. Utilizing a sample of 40 participants from a large Italian electricity transmission company, the study employs a within-subjects design to explore various metrics, including flow, creativity, fatigue and aspects of interaction. The results indicate that FTF interactions are optimal for idea generation and task absorption. VR, although initially more fatiguing for first-time users, fosters a more collaborative and peaceful environment, encouraging participants to engage more openly with each other. VC was found to be the least fatiguing, but also the least engaging in terms of task absorption and idea generation. Additionally, age-related differences were observed, particularly in the perception of motivational and emotional fatigue in the VR setting. The study provides empirical evidence supporting the integration of VR in professional settings for specific types of meetings, while also highlighting the limitations and areas for future research. These findings have implications for organizational well-being, cognitive ergonomics, and the evolving landscape of remote work technologies.

A Virtual Communication Workshop to Increase Confidence Using Telehealth Modalities.

INTRODUCTION: COVID-19 ended in-person communication training workshops at our institution, so we sought to provide a way for family medicine residents to hone their telephone and audio-visual skills online. METHODS: We developed a 2-hour online workshop where residents practiced delivering serious news to family members via telephone or videoconferencing call and measured participant confidence via pre-, post-, and 6-month surveys. RESULTS: Participant confidence in delivering serious news via telephone and videoconferencing increased. Sustained confidence at 6-month follow-up was not confirmed. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSIONS: Offering an online opportunity to practice delivering serious news by telephone or videoconferencing call appears to be a successful way to bolster confidence. Participants found using realistic scenarios and discussion of best practices most helpful.

Interdisciplinary videoconference model for identifying potential adverse transition of care events following hospital discharge to postacute care.

Discharge from hospitals to postacute care settings is a vulnerable time for many older adults, when they may be at increased risk for errors occurring in their care. We developed the Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes-Care Transitions (ECHO-CT) programme in an effort to mitigate these risks through a mulitdisciplinary, educational, case-based teleconference between hospital and skilled nursing facility providers. The programme was implemented in both academic and community hospitals. Through weekly sessions, patients discharged from the hospital were discussed, clinical concerns addressed, errors in care identified and plans were made for remediation. A total of 1432 discussions occurred for 1326 patients. The aim of this study was to identify errors occurring in the postdischarge period and factors that predict an increased risk of experiencing an error. In 435 discussions, an issue was identified that required further discussion (known as a transition of care event), and the majority of these were related to medications. In 14.7% of all discussions, a medical error, defined as 'any preventable event that may cause or lead to inappropriate medical care or patient harm', was identified. We found that errors were more likely to occur for patients discharged from surgical services or the emergency department (as compared with medical services) and were less likely to occur for patients who were discharged in the morning. This study shows that a number of errors may be detected in the postdischarge period, and the ECHO-CT programme provides a mechanism for identifying and mitigating these events. Furthermore, it suggests that discharging service and time of day may be associated with risk of error in the discharge period, thereby suggesting potential areas of focus for future interventions.