An Examination of E-Helpers’ Perspectives on the Teletherapy Service Delivery Model

Yıl 2025, Cilt: 8 Sayı: 3, 379 - 402, 31.12.2025

Bircan Balseçen , Seren Düzenli Öztürk , Selim Günüç

https://doi.org/10.58563/dkyad-2025.83.8

Öz

Purpose: The aim of this study is to examine e-helpers’ experiences and perspectives regarding the teletherapy service delivery model. In the context of teletherapy, an e-helper is a parent, caregiver, or other adult who provides on-site support to the client during remote speech and language therapy sessions by assisting with technical setup, managing materials, and facilitating the implementation of the therapist’s instructions. This study aims to explore how e-helpers understand and perform their roles within the teletherapy process and how they evaluate this service model overall.

Method: Eleven e-helpers who regularly attended teletherapy sessions were included in the study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the e-helpers, and the data were analyzed using content analysis.

Results: Five themes were identified as a result of the analysis: (1) the pre-teletherapy decision-making process, (2) advantages and disadvantages of teletherapy, (3) intentions to continue, (4) views on communication with the therapist, and (5) suggestions for increasing the preferability of teletherapy. Most e-helpers stated that teletherapy provided convenience in terms of accessibility and time management; however, they indicated that the presence of an e-helper is critical for younger age groups or clients experiencing technological limitations.

Conclusion: Active participation by e-helpers in the teletherapy process is a significant factor in enhancing the service's effectiveness. The findings indicate a need for structured training programs to enable e-helpers to support teletherapy more efficiently. The study provides supporting evidence that teletherapy can be adopted as a more widespread service delivery model in the future.

Anahtar Kelimeler

teletherapy , e-helper , speech and language therapy , service delivery model , qualitative research

E-Yardımcıların Teleterapi Hizmet Sunum Modeline İlişkin Görüşlerinin İncelenmesi

Öz

Amaç: Bu çalışmanın amacı, e-yardımcıların teleterapi hizmet sunum modeline ilişkin deneyimlerini ve görüşlerini incelemektir. Teleterapi bağlamında e-yardımcı, uzaktan yapılan dil ve konuşma terapisi seansları sırasında danışana yerinde destek sağlayan; teknik kuruluma yardımcı olan, materyalleri yöneten ve terapistin talimatlarının uygulanmasını kolaylaştıran bir ebeveyn, bakımveren veya başka bir yetişkin olarak tanımlanmaktadır. Bu çalışma, e-yardımcıların teleterapi sürecindeki rollerini nasıl anladıklarını ve yerine getirdiklerini, ayrıca bu hizmet modelini genel olarak nasıl değerlendirdiklerini araştırmayı amaçlamaktadır.
Yöntem: Düzenli olarak teleterapi seanslarına katılan on bir e-yardımcı çalışmaya dahil edilmiştir. E-yardımcılarla yarı yapılandırılmış görüşmeler yapılmış ve veriler içerik analizi yöntemiyle değerlendirilmiştir.
Bulgular: Analiz sonucunda beş tema belirlenmiştir: (1) teleterapi öncesi karar verme süreci, (2) teleterapinin avantaj ve dezavantajları, (3) devam etme niyetleri, (4) terapist ile iletişime ilişkin görüşler ve (5) teleterapinin tercih edilebilirliğini artırmaya yönelik öneriler. Çoğu e-yardımcı, teleterapinin erişilebilirlik ve zaman yönetimi açısından kolaylık sağladığını belirtmiş; ancak, küçük yaş grupları veya teknolojik sınırlamalar yaşayan danışanlar için e-yardımcının varlığının kritik olduğunu vurgulamıştır.
Sonuç: E-yardımcıların teleterapi sürecine aktif katılımı, hizmetin etkinliğini artırmada önemli bir faktördür. Bulgular, e-yardımcıların teleterapiyi daha etkin destekleyebilmeleri için yapılandırılmış eğitim programlarına ihtiyaç olduğunu göstermektedir. Çalışma, teleterapinin gelecekte daha yaygın bir hizmet sunum modeli olarak benimsenebileceğine dair destekleyici kanıt sağlamaktadır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

teleterapi , e-yardımcı , dil ve konuşma terapisi , hizmet sunum modeli , nitel araştırma

Kaynakça

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