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Psychotherapeutic Competencies in Blended Care Psychotherapy: Development of a Competence Framework
Background: Blended care psychotherapy (BCP) combines face-to-face psychotherapy with #Digital interventions, such as videoconferencing, #Apps, or virtual reality, which can be incorporated in various ways and at different stages of the therapeutic process. Despite its increasing implementation, conceptual and terminological inconsistencies continue to impede a shared understanding of the competencies required for its effective delivery. Objective: This theoretical paper introduces a framework of psychotherapeutic competencies in BCP, designed to provide conceptual clarity. Methods: The framework was developed in four steps. (1) An exploratory literature search was conducted to identify existing competence and educational frameworks relevant to psychotherapy, #Digitalization, and educational psychology. (2) These models informed a preliminary theoretical framework. (3) This preliminary framework was critically reviewed and refined in an expert workshop with 5 licensed psychotherapists and researchers experienced in BCP. (4) Lastly, findings from a systematic review of 35 studies on BCP competencies were integrated, resulting in the final 8-domain framework. Results: The resulting framework comprises of BCP (eg, face-to-face, videoconferencing, and #Apps), (knowledge, skills, and attitudes), as well as 8 (Creation of Setting and Infrastructure; Transfer of Communication and Methods; Therapeutic Relationship; Self-Regulation, Self-Confidence, and Self-Care; Data Security, Legal Issues, Ethics, and Safety; Technological Aspects; Scientific Knowledge and Methods; and Individual and Cultural Diversity). Conclusions: This conceptual contribution aims to strengthen the theoretical foundation of BCP, support competence-based education for psychotherapists, and guide future research toward the empirical validation and refinement of BCP-specific competencies.
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