Comprehensive examination of support needs and mental well-being: a mixed-method study of the Austrian general population in times of crisis.

Introduction: In the recent years, the Austrian general population has faced a confluence of multiple crises. This study investigates the support wishes and mental health parameters of the Austrian general population aiming to comprehending the unmet needs and providing guidance for future psychosocial interventions and research endeavors. Methods: 1,031 participants attended the online survey and one third (n = 332) wished for further support to improve mental well-being in April 2022. A total of 280 participants accompanied their support wish with written accounts. Participants' mental health status was evaluated using the PHQ-9 (depression), GAD-7 (anxiety), ISI (insomnia), PSS-10 (perceived stress), CAGE (alcohol abuse), WHO-5 (well-being), and the SCOFF (eating disorder) questionnaires. Data analysis employed a mixed-methods approach. Results: The preeminent support wish identified was the need for professional mental support (29.3%), followed by communication (21.6%), other professional support except mental and medical support (13.9%). In line with these findings, participants expressing a support wish experienced increased mental health distress across all assessed parameters. Conclusion: The findings indicate the presence of a vulnerable population within the Austrian general population, which may benefit from targeted support interventions. Consequently, this study contributes to the identification of unmet support needs among the Austrian populace during times of crisis, facilitating the development and enhancement of precisely tailored intervention strategies.

Psychotherapy by Telephone or Internet in Austria and Germany Which CBT Psychotherapists Rate It more Comparable to Face-to-Face Psychotherapy in Personal Contact and Have more Positive Actual Experiences Compared to Previous Expectations?

Objectives: COVID-19 has led to changes in the provision in mental health services. The current study investigated influencing factors on: (i) the comparability of psychotherapy via internet/telephone with psychotherapy in face-to-face contact as well as (ii) the actual experience with psychotherapy via internet/telephone compared to respective prior expectations in CBT therapists. Methods: A quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted in the form of an online survey. The research samples, registered cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) psychotherapists in Austria and Germany, were contacted by e-mail. Results: One hundred and ninety CBT therapists were analyzed in this study. The total number of patients treated via telephone/internet is a decisive factor for the subjective evaluation of the comparability of psychotherapy via telephone/internet and psychotherapy in personal contact. This factor also influences the extent (positive/negative) of the assessment of the actual experience with psychotherapy via internet/telephone compared to previous expectations. Neither age nor gender were associated with comparability of psychotherapy via internet/telephone with psychotherapy in face-to-face contact or the actual experience with psychotherapy via internet/telephone compared to respective prior expectations. Conclusions: Implications of the results are that attitudes towards remote psychotherapy might be increased in CBT therapists when they treat more patients remotely and experiences with remote psychotherapies should be included in psychotherapy training.