{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,13]],"date-time":"2026-07-13T16:06:49Z","timestamp":1783958809268,"version":"3.55.0"},"reference-count":37,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,3]],"date-time":"2026-06-03T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1780444800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Public Health"],"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Introduction<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>In China, family caregivers often serve as gatekeepers to mental health services, influencing whether patients initiate or continue treatment. Understanding their attitudes toward digital interventions is therefore critical for the successful implementation of online psychotherapy programs.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Objectives<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>To exploratorily examine caregivers\u2019 willingness to support online psychotherapy, preferred delivery formats, and perceived benefits and barriers.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>A structured questionnaire was administered to 291 family caregivers recruited in psychiatric settings across multiple Chinese cities. The instrument assessed caregiver demographics, technology access, patient characteristics, and attitudes toward online psychotherapy, including willingness (0\u2013100 visual analog scale), treatment preferences, perceived benefits and barriers and help-seeking stigma. Responses were analyzed using descriptive statistics, multiple linear regression, and deductive content categorization.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      Caregivers reported moderate-to-high willingness (mean\u202f=\u202f70.2\u202f\u00b1\u202f26.7). The most preferred delivery format was therapist-guided individual online counseling (37.8%). The key perceived benefit was time savings, while unstable internet connectivity emerged as a primary barrier. Caregivers also favored brief treatment courses (\u226410 sessions) and considered modest session fees (\u226455.4 USD) acceptable. Multiple linear regression identified small-city residence (\n                      <jats:italic>\u03b2<\/jats:italic>\n                      =\u202f0.216,\n                      <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\n                      =\u202f0.007) and female gender (\n                      <jats:italic>\u03b2<\/jats:italic>\n                      =\u202f\u22120.127,\n                      <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\n                      =\u202f0.042) as independent predictors of willingness, with modest explained variance (R\n                      <jats:sup>2<\/jats:sup>\n                      =\u202f0.081).\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Family caregivers in China are active decision-makers in mental health service utilization, not passive supporters. Their openness to online therapy is shaped by practical needs and confidence in clinician-led models. Caregivers in resource-scarce smaller cities show greater willingness, likely reflecting unmet local need, whereas female caregivers\u2014who bear disproportionate care responsibilities\u2014express more cautious attitudes. The modest explained variance highlights other influencing factors, necessitating further exploration. Successful digital mental health interventions must be co-designed with families, embedded in trusted healthcare institutions, and tailored to diverse socioeconomic contexts.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2026.1833997","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,3]],"date-time":"2026-06-03T06:00:54Z","timestamp":1780466454000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Family caregivers\u2019 willingness to use online psychological therapy for individuals with mental illness in China: a cross-sectional study"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"14","author":[{"given":"Qianqian","family":"Li","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital)","place":["Beijing, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Lijun","family":"Liu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Psychological Medicine, Zhongshan Hospital (Xiamen), Fudan University","place":["Xiamen, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Bingling","family":"Gao","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital)","place":["Beijing, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Huipeng","family":"Ren","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Psychiatry, First Hospital of Hebei Medical University","place":["Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Miao","family":"Pan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University","place":["Xinxiang, Henan, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Pingfang","family":"Zhong","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"The Third People's Hospital of Lincang","place":["Lincang, Yunnan, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Shixing","family":"Li","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Ji\u2019ao Brain Hospital of Siping","place":["Jilin, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Chenhong","family":"Zhang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Shaanxi Nuclear Industry 215 Hospital","place":["Xianyang, Shaanxi, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Xiaoxi","family":"Zhang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Mental Health, Changzhi Medical College","place":["Changzhi, Shanxi, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jun","family":"Yan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital)","place":["Beijing, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jinmin","family":"Liao","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth 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