Emotional activation in video conferences equals that in in person meetings

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of this study was to increase our understanding of VCPs’ impact on the therapeutic factor emotion processing by investigating possible differences in emotional activation during autobiographical recall in VCPs and in person. Methods: We recruited 30 adult participants aged 21–53 (M = 26.50, SD = 6.68) with no current psychiatric diagnoses to join a controlled experiment. All participants completed two relaxation sessions and two autobiographical recall sessions. Each type of session was delivered once over a VCP and once in person. Emotional activation was measured by heart rate, skin conductance and self-assessment of affects during each session. Results: No significant differences in activation during autobiographical recall between VCP and in person. Conclusions: This result may indicate the viability of VCPs for work with emotion processing. We discuss the results in light of clients’ and therapists’ concerns about using VCPs in emotional work, with the caution that further practical implications should be considered.