ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Digit. Health
Sec. Digital Mental Health
Volume 7 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fdgth.2025.1621551
This article is part of the Research TopicInnovative Approaches in Psychosocial and Mental HealthView all 17 articles
Psychologists' Experiences with Telepsychology: Qualitative Analysis Employing GDEISST Framework
Provisionally accepted
Tamadhir Al-Mahrouqi1*
Zena M Al-Sharbati2Kamila Al-Alawi3Ahmed Alharthi4
Asayel Al Siyabi3
Mohammed Al-Alawi5Shaima Al Humimia4Muna Al Salmi6Tharaya Al-Hashemi6Rahma Al Nuumani6Fatma Al Balushi6Hamed Al Sinawi7- 1Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat, Oman
- 2Sultan Qaboos Comprehensive Cancer Care and Research Center, muscat, Oman
- 3Oman Medical Specialty Board, Muscat, Oman
- 4Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman
- 5Sultan Qaboos Univeristy, Muscat, Oman
- 6Al Masarra Hospital, muscat, Oman
- 7Sultan Qaboos Univeristy Hospital, Muscat, Oman
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Objective: To explore Omani psychologists' perceptions and experiences of telephone‐based psychotherapy consultations, specifically regarding service quality, accessibility, and acceptability. Methods: An exploratory qualitative study was conducted at Al Masarra Hospital in Muscat, Oman, between December 1 and 31, 2024. Five psychologists who provided telephone‐based consultations were purposively sampled and participated in semi‐structured, face‐to‐face interviews guided by the first three domains of the GDEISST framework (quality of services, accessibility, and acceptability). The acronym GDEISST stands for the "Guide for the Design, Evaluation, and Implementation of Telemedicine-Based Health Services." Data analysis was conducted using inductive thematic analysis, while being guided by the first three domains of the GDEISST framework. Results: Telephone-based psychotherapy quality is optimized by adopting a hybrid model after in‐person sessions to establish trust and using clear, intentional communication supported by formal guidelines and training to compensate for lost non-verbal cues. Accessibility is hindered by client-side factors (privacy, scheduling, connectivity) and institutional constraints (limited phone lines, private spaces, and trained personnel). Finally, telephone consultations are broadly acceptable, particularly for clinically stable or stigma-sensitive clients, who appreciate the convenience and discretion they offer, but are considered unsuitable for high-risk cases such as active psychosis or suicidal ideation. Conclusion: Telephone‐based psychotherapy is viewed by Omani psychologists as a valuable adjunct to traditional care, enhancing access, reducing stigma, and supporting maintenance of stable clients provided that hybrid models (initial face‐to‐face engagement), structured training, and robust infrastructure are in place. However, high‐risk or acutely unwell clients require in‐person evaluation to ensure safety and treatment efficacy.
Keywords: telepsychology, Telemedicine, teletherapy, telehealth, Oman
Received: 01 May 2025; Accepted: 15 Sep 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Al-Mahrouqi, Al-Sharbati, Al-Alawi, Alharthi, Al Siyabi, Al-Alawi, Al Humimia, Al Salmi, Al-Hashemi, Al Nuumani, Al Balushi and Al Sinawi. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Tamadhir Al-Mahrouqi, tamadhiralmahrouqi@gmail.com
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