Date of Award

January 2023

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

John Paul Legerski

Abstract

The outbreak of Coronavirus-19 (COVID-19) rapidly became a global pandemic in early 2020, forcing the wide spread implementation of social distancing safety precautions. Most mental health services across the United States shifted from traditional in-person services to telemental health (telehealth) in order to safely treat their clients. Using a Grounded Theory theoretical framework, participants were interviewed using a semi-structured format regarding their telehealth experience during COVID-19. Participants were 12 parents whose children had received telehealth services. Themes emerged from their coded responses and were organized into four categories: COVID-19 Impact on Mental Health, Positive Elements of Telehealth, Negative Elements of Telehealth and Parental Satisfaction and Preference. All participants identified positive and negative elements of telehealth; however, despite noting negative elements, all participants were satisfied with their telehealth experience. Recommendations based on the participants’ responses are provided for clinicians.

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