Working online due to the COVID‐19 pandemic: a research and literature review

Abstract

Given the contemporary situation of many analysts in the world now being forced to work online due to the effects of the COVID‐19 pandemic, it is important to review the working online issue. Substantial debate over previous years has questioned whether a genuine analytic process can unfold through online work. This debate is reviewed with the conclusion that such a process is not necessarily precluded. Research outcomes are then reviewed to highlight those things that can facilitate positive outcomes when working online. These cover the ‘online disinhibition effect’, the therapeutic alliance, particular ways of using the screen, focussing on trauma, the importance of self‐awareness, knowing the predictors of mental health, certain potential positives of isolation/quarantine and psychotherapy interventions that may be currently needed. Final recommendations and suggestions are then presented as in the diagnosis issue, professional development and guidelines to do with practical and ethical considerations.

Ethical and Legal Challenges of Telemedicine in the Era of the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…The concerns reported by the selected articles mostly pertain to the ethical and legal aspects (often interlinked), which were already highlighted in previous literature before the pandemic [7], but nevertheless remain crucial. These included the following: informed consent (information about the risks and benefits of remote therapy) and autonomy (87%), patient privacy (78%) and confidentiality (57%), data protection and security (74.%), malpractice and professional liability/integrity (70%), equity of access (30%), quality of care (30%), the professional-patient relationship (22%), and the principle of beneficence or being disposed to act for the benefit of others (13%) [1,6,8,10,11,[16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34]. Non-maleficence is the principle of preventing harm by actively promoting confidentiality, safety/safeguarding, and security.…”

“…Commentary Italy [1] Law/regulations/legal issues (83%) stress the absence or variation of the rules among countries and the need for guidelines/best practices or standardization of telemedicine services. In particular, the questions raised regarded the following aspects: costs of services and reimbursement, insurance coverage, virtual prescription of medications, accreditation, licensing, commercialization, recording (as an area of controversy), and evaluation of the effectiveness of the services such as health outcomes and delivery, in terms of quality and cost, individual experience, program implementation, and key performance indicators [1,6,8,10,11,16,19,[21][22][23][24][27][28][29][30][31][32]34].…”

“…On the other side, teleservices such as teleanalysis, previously avoided as they were considered unsafe because of security concerns, are now recommended given the contemporary situation of many analysts in the world now being forced to work online due to the COVID-19 pandemic emergency [8,9]. Indeed, in this particular situation, telemedicine services have proven indispensable in facing the emerging needs of health care in this specific context [10].…”

Praktik Manajemen Strategis Pada Masa Pandemi Covid-19: Studi Kasus Pt X Pelaksana Konstruksi Swasta

“…Sebagai perusahaan berbidang pelaksana konstruksi PT X umumnya perlu untuk berkomunikasi dan berbicara langsung dengan orang lain. Perusahaan dipaksa mampu "go digital" atau mengutamakan penggunaan teknologi terutama internet dalam operasional perusahaan secara online yang berkembang akibat pandemi COVID-19 (Merchant, 2021). Hal ini ditujukan supaya dikerjakan dari segala tempat, tidak hanya pada kantor saja.…”

Back to the future: when children and adolescents return to office sessions following episodes of teletherapy

“…Despite reservations noted here, he concluded that actual physical presence in the same space is not required for various reasons, including the activity of mirror neurons to simulate communication at a distance, the presence of transference and countertransference reactions, and possibilities for unconscious communication and synchronicities (ibid., p. 322). Given the circumstances of the COVID‐19 pandemic, Merchant recently updated his review (2021), largely reinforcing his previous conclusions, although he makes further note of problematic aspects, such as online exhaustion, contraindications for treating severe personality disorders, and requirements for licensing, as well as multiple issues related to confidentiality of data and privacy.…”