Comparison Between In-Person and Distance Delivery Treatment for Justice-Involved Youth: Implications for Family Counselors

Abstract

While the use of telemental health services continues to expand, couple and family counselors should further explore their application among diverse populations. This research explored a secondary dataset from a substance use intervention that was provided through both an in-person and telemental health formats to adolescents aged 10–17 years in a juvenile probation department in the Southwestern United States. The results indicated that in-person completers were more likely to develop a negative attitude toward drugs, whereas online completers attitudes became more neutral. As couple and family counselors continue to incorporate telehealth intervention, recommendations for future practice and research are discussed.