JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Blended care psychotherapy (BCP) integrates face-to-face psychotherapy and digital interventions like videoconferencing, apps or virtual reality. 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 and serve as a foundation for training, practice, and future empirical research.

Methods:

The framework was developed as follows. (1) A comprehensive literature review to identify models in the field of competence development with regard to psychotherapeutic and digital aspects was implemented. Hereby, models stemming from educational psychology were considered as well. (2) A theoretical framework based on models in educational and clinical psychology was developed (3) and critically examined at an expert workshop. (4) Lastly, findings from a systematic review identifying six core competence domains relevant to BCP were integrated within the model.

Results:

The resulting framework comprises Modalities of psychotherapy (e.g. face-to-face, videoconferencing, apps), Competence Aspects (knowledge, skills, attitudes) as well as eight Competence Domains (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, and Technological Aspects, scientific knowledge, and individual-cultural diversity).

Conclusions:

This conceptual contribution aims to strengthen the theoretical foundation of BCP, support competency-based education for psychotherapists, and guide future research toward the empirical validation and refinement of BCP-specific competencies.