‘We don't have the answers’: What do we know about the experiences of psychological professionals providing virtual psychological support to people with intellectual disabilities during the COVID‐19 pandemic?

Abstract

AbstractBackgroundGovernment restrictions enforced globally in response to COVID‐19 necessitated changes to the delivery of mental health services, with many psychology professionals (PPs) forced to transfer their face‐to‐face practice to virtual means (telephone/video therapy) overnight. This review explores what is known about the experiences of PPs providing psychological support to people with intellectual disabilities (PWID) during the pandemic.MethodLiterature was systematically searched and 11 papers were identified, critically appraised and thematically synthesised.ResultsFour themes were synthesised from findings: (1) ‘Impact at Service Level’, (2) ‘The Emotional Impact on PPs’, (3) ‘The Limitations of Virtual Support’, (4) ‘Unexpected Gains’.ConclusionsThis review highlights the challenges and positives in experiences of PPs, whilst acknowledging the inequalities experienced by PWID. It is hoped that the findings can be used to aid education and training, and inform future practice and policy. Future research is recommended.