Video-based therapy for youth who have parents with alcohol and/or substance abuse problems

Description

Living with parents' substance abuse problems has an impact on children’s and youth’s everyday lives; practically, socially, and emotionally. This family situation can also give challenges into adulthood. There is a need for mental health services that can provide necessary help and support.

Blå Kors Kompasset is a voluntary organization that offers specialized therapeutic services to young people (aged 14-35) who have parents with alcohol- and/or other substance abuse problems. Kompasset has five departments (Oslo, Lillehammer, Bergen, Sandnes and Trondheim), where therapy and counseling are offered. In 2019, Kompasset established video-based therapy as an online service, to give available help and support for young people across Norway.

In 2020, the Blå Kors Kompasset and the Norwegian Center for E-health Research started a collaboration for a 3-year research project related to the new online video-based therapy service. The project follows the introduction of this new online service, by exploring the users’, therapists’, and the organization's experiences with the digital therapy service.

Goals

Aim of the study is to explore the users' and therapists' experiences with the digital service, and opportunities and challenges with the video-based therapy. The purpose is to produce knowledge about how online therapy can be a good, safe, and equivalent therapeutic service to youths who have a parent with alcohol- or substance abuse problems.

Method

Both qualitative and quantitative methods are used in this study; individual interviews, focus groups and questionnaires.