Researchers at Utah State University are using Zoom therapy sessions to study the effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy for adolescents suffering from health anxiety.
Participants in the study range from 12 to 17 years old, according to a Utah State news release.
The adolescents meet with a therapist for 10 sessions on Zoom. Each session lasts an hour.
Participants choose whether to work with their therapist alone, or bring in a parent for the last part of the session as a more active participant in their therapy.
"There’s a mental health crisis going on with youth, and I’m hoping to add another treatment option that is supported by research," psychology PhD candidate Julie Petersen said.
The effectiveness of the program will be primarily assessed through what participants think of it and how it affects overall quality of life in addition to health anxiety symptoms.