Telepsychology: A Potential Lifeline for People in the UAE

Abstract

The way in which we communicate has changed dramatically in the past twenty years—we see relatives in other countries regularly through videoconference, we have conversations over text and e-mail, and we learn about the wonderful or mundane events in our loved ones lives through perusal of their social media site rather than through in-person discussion. Telecommunications technologies—phone, e-mail, text, chat, videoconferencing, and the Internet—are transforming how we interact with one another. We may live in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), but we are able to reach far outside of it, with millions of people simultaneously able to reach in. These technologies and the access they offer are having a major impact on how mental health clinicians administer therapeutic services. Whether it is something as seemingly innocuous as a follow-up phone call or an e-mail to a client in between sessions, or something more controversial such as therapy via videoconference, telecommunications technology combined with psychology is giving way to a method of service delivery known as telepsychology. While we might debate the efficacy of this treatment modality, we cannot ignore the pervasiveness of these technologies and their impact on the mental health field. With these technologies, mental health clinicians are able to reach many more people with mental health challenges—for example, those who are located far from access to services, people whose work requirements prevent consistent help, people who are too ashamed to seek help in a traditional office, and people in crisis who need immediate intervention. For all of these different scenarios and many more, telepsychology may offer a lifeline to people in need. The purpose of this chapter is to define telepsychology, identify benefits and challenges to its application in the UAE, present important issues for discussion, and highlight challenges and implications for practice.