Young people's experiences of mobile phone text counselling: Balancing connection and control

Children and Youth Services Review

Volumn 43, Issue , 2014, Pages 96-104

  Gibson, Kerry ^a   Cartwright, Claire ^a  

^a UNIVERSITY OF AUCKLAND   (New Zealand)

Author keywords

Adolescence; Client agency; Counselling and psychotherapy; E Counselling; Thematic analysis; Youth

Indexed keywords

EID: 84902009445     PISSN: 01907409     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2014.05.010     Document Type: Article

References (46)

1. Abramson M.J., Benke G.P., Dimitriadis C., Inyang I.O., Sim M.R., Wolfe R.S., et al. Mobile telephone use is associated with changes in cognitive function in young adolescents. Bioelectromagnetics 2009, 30(8):678-686.
2. Agyapong V.I.O., Farren C.K., McLoughlin D.M. Mobile phone text message interventions in psychiatry - What are the possibilities?. Current Psychiatry Reviews 2011, 7:50-56.
3. Alleman J.R. Online counseling: The internet and mental health treatment. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice, Training 2002, 39(2):199-209.
4. Anthony K. Electronically delivered therapies. The SAGE handbook of counseling and psychotherapy 2006, 518-523. Sage, London, UK. C. Feltham, I. Horton (Eds.).
5. Binder P., Moltu C., Hummelsund D., Sagen S.H., Holgersen H. Meeting an adult ally on the way out into the world: Adolescent patients' experiences of useful psychotherapeutic ways of working at an age when independence really matters. Psychotherapy Research 2011, 21(5):554-566.
6. Block A.M., Greeno C.G. Examining outpatient treatment dropout in adolescents: A literature review. Child and Adolescent Social work 2011, 28:393-420.
7. Bolton Oetzel K., Scherer D.G. Therapeutic engagement with adolescents in psychotherapy. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice, Training 2003, 40(3):215-225.
8. Braun V., Clarke V. Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology 2006, 3(2):77-101.
9. Bury C., Raval H., Lyon L. Young people's experiences of individual psychoanalytic psychotherapy. Psychology and Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice 2007, 80:79-96.
10. Callahan A., Inckle K. Cybertherapy or psychobabble? A mixed methods study of online emotional support. British Journal of Guidance & Counseling 2012, 40(3):261-278.
11. Collins N., Knowles A.D. Adolescents' attitudes toward confidentiality between the school counselor and the adolescent client. Australian Psychologist 1995, 30:179-182.
12. Duncan B.L., Miller S.D., Sparks J. Common factors and the uncommon heroism of youth. Psychotherapy in Australia 2007, 13(2):34-43.
13. Dunne A., Thompson W., Leitch R. Adolescent males' experience of the counseling process. Journal of Adolescence 2000, 23(1):79-93.
14. Evans S.D. Youth sense of community: Voice and power in community contexts. Journal of Community Psychology 2007, 35(6):693-709.
15. Everall R.D., Paulson B.L. The therapeutic alliance: Adolescent perspectives. Counseling and Psychotherapy Research: Linking Research with Practice 2006, 2(2):78-87.
16. Freake H., Barley V., Kent G. Adolescent's views of helping professionals: A review of the literature. Journal of Adolescence 2007, 30(4):639-653.
17. Gibson K., Cartwright C. Agency in young clients' narratives of counseling: 'It's whatever you want to make of it'. Journal of Counseling Psychology 2013, 60(3):340-352.
18. Gibson K., Cartwright C. Young clients' narratives of the purpose and outcomes of counselling. British Journal of Guidance and Counselling 2014, (in press).
19. Green N. Outwardly mobile: Young People and mobile technologies. Machines that become us: The social context of personal communication technology 2003, 201-218. Transaction Publishers, New Brunswick, NJ. J.E. Katz (Ed.).
20. Guy N. Youthline's text counseling services (Downloaded from, November, 2013). http://www.youthline.co.nz/about-us/982-uncategorised/1226-youthlines-text-counseling-service.pdf.
21. Hanley T. The working alliance in online therapy with young people: Preliminary findings. British Journal of Guidance & Counseling 2009, 37(3):257-269.
22. Hanley T. Understanding the online therapeutic alliance through the eyes of adolescent service users. Counseling and Psychotherapy Research: Linking Research with Practice 2012, 12(1):35-43.
23. Hanna F.J., Hunt W.P. Techniques for psychotherapy with defiant, aggressive adolescents. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice, Training 1999, 36:56-68.
24. Helton D. Online therapeutic social service provision (Therap-pc): A state of the art review. Journal of Technology in Human Services 2003, 21(4):17-36.
25. Ito M. Mobile phones, Japanese youth, and the re-placement of social contact. Mobile communication and the re-negotiation of the public sphere 2005, 131-148. Springer Verlag, New York. R. Ling, P. Pederson (Eds.).
26. King R., Bambling M., Lloyd C., Gomurra R., Smith S., Reid W., et al. Online counseling: The motives and experiences of young people who choose the internet instead of face to face or telephone counseling. Counseling and Psychotherapy Research: Linking Research with Practice 2006, 6(3):169-174.
27. King R., Bambling M., Reid W., Thomas I. Telephone and online counseling for young people: A naturalistic comparison of session outcome, session impact and therapeutic alliance. Counseling and Psychotherapy Research: Linking Research with Practice 2006, 6(3):175-181.
28. Lambert M.J., Ogles B.M. The efficacy and effectiveness of psychotherapy. Bergin and Garfield's handbook of psychotherapy and behavior change 2004, 139-193. Wiley, New York. 5th ed. M.J. Lambert (Ed.).
29. Leibert T., Archer J., Munson J., York G. An exploratory study of client perceptions of internet counseling and the therapeutic alliance. Journal of Mental Health Counseling 2006, 28(1):69-83.
30. Ling R., Yttri B. Hyper-coordination via mobile phones in Norway. Perpetual contact: Mobile communication, private talk, public performance 2002, 139-169. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK. E.J. Katz, J.E., M. Aakhus (Eds.).
31. Morrow S.L. Quality and trustworthiness in qualitative research in counseling psychology. Journal of Counseling Psychology 2005, 52(2):250-260.
32. New Zealand Herald More mobile phones in NZ than people: Study. April 24, 2012 (Downloaded from, November, 2013). http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10801183.
33. Oksman V., Turtiainen J. Mobile communication as a social stage: Meanings of mobile communication in everyday life among teenagers in Finland. New Media and Society 2004, 6(3):319-339.
34. Preziosa A., Grassi A., Gaggioli A., Riva G. Developments in the use of technology in counseling and psychotherapy. British Journal of Guidance and Counseling 2009, 37(3):315-325.
35. Prout H.T. Counseling and psychotherapy with children and adolescents: Historical, developmental, integrative and effectiveness perspectives. Counseling and psychotherapy with children and adolescents: Theory and practice for school and clinical settings 2007, 1-31. Wiley, New York. 4th ed. H.T. Prout, D.T. Brown (Eds.).
36. Richards D., Vigano N. Online counseling: A narrative and critical review of the literature. Journal of Clinical Psychology 2013, 69(9):994-1011.
37. Smith P.K., Mahdavi J., Carvalho M., Fisher S., Russell S., Tippett N. Cyberbullying: Its nature and impact in secondary school pupils. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry 2008, 49(4):376-385.
38. Suler J. The online disinhibition effect. CyberPsychology & Behaviour 2004, 7(3):321-326.
39. Thomée S., Härenstam A., Hagberg M. Mobile phone use and stress, sleep disturbances, and symptoms of depression among young adults - A prospective cohort study. BMC Public Health 2011, 11:66.
40. Tokunaga R.S. Following you home from school: A critical review and synthesis of research on cyberbullying victimization. Computers in Human Behaviour 2010, 26(3):277-287.
41. Turkle S. Alone together: Why we expect more from technology and less from each other 2011, Basic Books, New York, NY.
42. Walsh S.P., White K.M., Young R. Over-connected? A qualitative exploration of the relationship between Australian youth and their mobile phones. Journal of Adolescence 2008, 31(1):177-192.
43. Warrington M., Younger M. 'Life is a tightrope': Reflections on peer group inclusion and exclusion amongst adolescent girls and boys. Gender and Education 2011, 23(2):153-168.
44. Williams R., Bambling M., King R., Abbott Q. In-session processes in online counselling with young people: An exploratory approach. Counselling and Psychotherapy Research: Linking Research with Practice 2009, 9(2):93-100.
45. Youthline Youth suicide prevention: Narrative funding report 2013 2013, Youthline, Auckland.
46. Zirkelback E.A., Reese R.J. A review of psychotherapy outcome research: Considerations for school-based mental health providers. Psychology in the Schools 2010, 47(10):1084-1100.