Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42224427›Full record

ArticleJMIR medical education2026

Students' Perspectives on Digital Psychotherapy-Possible Solutions for Digital Inpatient-Like Care Concepts: Qualitative Interview Study.

Rebekka Robitzsch, Tania Lalgi, Alexander Diel, Sophie Schulz Genannt Menningmann, Lucy Ann Gresser, Patrick Jonas Wollenberg, Martin Teufel, Alexander Bäuerle, Anita Robitzsch

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in JMIR medical education, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Rebekka RobitzschClinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, LVR-University Hospital, University of Duisburg-Essen, Virchowstr, 174, Essen, 45147, Germany, +49 201 43 87 55 203.ORCID 0009-0009-7707-4079
Tania LalgiClinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, LVR-University Hospital, University of Duisburg-Essen, Virchowstr, 174, Essen, 45147, Germany, +49 201 43 87 55 203.ORCID 0009-0006-1174-0794
Alexander DielClinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, LVR-University Hospital, University of Duisburg-Essen, Virchowstr, 174, Essen, 45147, Germany, +49 201 43 87 55 203.ORCID 0000-0002-4362-8856
Sophie Schulz Genannt MenningmannClinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, LVR-University Hospital, University of Duisburg-Essen, Virchowstr, 174, Essen, 45147, Germany, +49 201 43 87 55 203.ORCID 0009-0009-0851-400X
Lucy Ann GresserClinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, LVR-University Hospital, University of Duisburg-Essen, Virchowstr, 174, Essen, 45147, Germany, +49 201 43 87 55 203.ORCID 0009-0002-8955-5493
Patrick Jonas WollenbergClinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, LVR-University Hospital, University of Duisburg-Essen, Virchowstr, 174, Essen, 45147, Germany, +49 201 43 87 55 203.ORCID 0009-0001-2758-8073
Martin TeufelClinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, LVR-University Hospital, University of Duisburg-Essen, Virchowstr, 174, Essen, 45147, Germany, +49 201 43 87 55 203.ORCID 0000-0003-2120-1840
Alexander BäuerleClinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, LVR-University Hospital, University of Duisburg-Essen, Virchowstr, 174, Essen, 45147, Germany, +49 201 43 87 55 203.ORCID 0000-0003-1488-8592
Anita RobitzschClinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, LVR-University Hospital, University of Duisburg-Essen, Virchowstr, 174, Essen, 45147, Germany, +49 201 43 87 55 203.ORCID 0009-0005-2941-1123

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: The demand for mental health treatment is increasing, while the availability of treatment remains insufficient to meet the rising demand. Alternative solutions need to be explored to enable access to care for patients who cannot participate in traditional psychotherapeutic settings due to common barriers like place of residence, professional obligations, or physical limitations. Objective: This study aimed to investigate attitudes toward digital psychotherapy, specifically within a digital inpatient-like therapy setting, among psychology and medical students. These students represent the future generation of therapists and possess the educational background necessary to develop innovative ideas to benefit a digital psychotherapeutic setting. Methods: We conducted qualitative, semistructured interviews with 20 participants (10 psychology students and 10 medical students). The data were analyzed using an inductive, thematic analysis according to the methodology outlined by Braun and Clarke. Results: The thematic analysis led to a codebook including 4 overarching categories: (1) evolution of digitalization in medical practice, (2) future directions for digital psychotherapy, (3) technical framework, and (4) artificial intelligence-based psychotherapy. Conclusions: In the context of mental health, digital psychotherapy is accepted as a viable option when conventional face-to-face therapy is not possible. The primary concerns were potential impairments in the therapeutic relationship and interaction. Artificial intelligence was rejected as a standalone therapy but was considered acceptable as a supplementary tool. Technical problems represent a major obstacle for the consistent and reliable implementation of digital psychotherapy. A successful digital psychotherapeutic concept for inpatient and outpatient settings needs to enable a sufficient interpersonal therapeutic relationship situated within a reliable technical framework.

Indexed as

PsychotherapyStudents, MedicalAdultAttitude of Health PersonnelDigital HealthDigital MediaFemaleHumansInpatientsInterviews as TopicMaleQualitative ResearchacceptanceAI psychotherapyartificial intelligencedigital mental healthe-mental healthmental health carepsychiatric care

Identifiers

PMID42224427
PMCPMC13225226

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.