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Therapist-Targeted Googling: Characteristics and Consequences for the Therapeutic Relationship

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Kathryn E. Cox
Kathryn E. Cox
Kathryn E. Cox
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Laura Simonds at University of Surrey
Laura Simonds
Alesia Moulton-Perkins at NeuroDiverse Online Ltd
Alesia Moulton-Perkins
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Abstract

Therapist-targeted googling (TTG) refers to a patient searching online to find information about their therapist. The present study investigated TTG prevalence and characteristics in a sample of adult psychotherapy clients. Participants (n = 266) who had attended at least one session with a therapist completed an anonymous online survey about TTG prevalence, motivations, and perceived impact on the therapeutic relationship. Two-thirds of the sample had conducted TTG. Those participants who were having therapy privately had worked with more than one therapist, or were having sessions more often than weekly were significantly more likely to conduct TTG; this profile was particularly common among patients who were having psychodynamic psychotherapy. Motivations included wanting to see if the therapist is qualified, curiosity, missing the therapist, and wanting to know them better. Nearly a quarter who undertook TTG thought the findings impacted the therapeutic relationship but only one in five had disclosed TTG to the therapist. TTG beyond common sense consumerism can be conceptualized as a patient’s attempt to attain closeness to the therapist but may result in impacts on trust and ability to be open. Disclosures of TTG may constitute important therapeutic material.
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Therapist-Targeted Googling: Characteristics and Consequences for the
Therapeutic Relationship
Kathryn E. Cox, Laura M. Simonds, and Alesia Moulton-Perkins
School of Psychology, University of Surrey
Therapist-targeted googling (TTG) refers to a patient searching online to find information about their
therapist. The present study investigated TTG prevalence and characteristics in a sample of adult
psychotherapy clients. Participants (n=266) who had attended at least one session with a therapist
completed an anonymous online survey about TTG prevalence, motivations, and perceived impact on the
therapeutic relationship. Two-thirds of the sample had conducted TTG. Those participants who were having
therapy privately had worked with more than one therapist, or were having sessions more often than weekly
were significantly more likely to conduct TTG; this profile was particularly common among patients who
were having psychodynamic psychotherapy. Motivations included wanting to see if the therapist is
qualified, curiosity, missing the therapist, and wanting to know them better.Nearly a quarter who undertook
TTG thought the findings impacted the therapeutic relationship but only one in five had disclosed TTG to the
therapist. TTG beyond common sense consumerism can be conceptualized as a patient’s attempt to attain
closeness to the therapist but may result in impacts on trust and ability to be open. Disclosures of TTG may
constitute important therapeutic material.
Public Significance Statement
This study suggests that there are multiple motivations for clients searching online for information about
their therapist. It highlights the need for practitioners to carefully consider the information available
about them online and the importance of client searching to the therapeutic relationship.
Keywords: therapist-targeted googling, therapeutic relationship, disclosure
The term “therapist-targeted googling”(TTG) has been used to
refer to the act of a psychotherapy patient using the internet in any
way to obtain information about their therapist (Eichenberg &
Sawyer, 2016). Zur et al. (2009) proposed various ways of classi-
fying TTG, apparently increasing in intrusiveness: Visiting the
therapist’s professional webpage; using a search engine such as
Google; searching for the therapist on a social networking site and
perhaps “friending”the therapist; joining a professional chat room
as an anonymous user or under the guise of a professional; paying
for a specialized yet legal background check on the therapist; and
hiring a company to conduct an illegal search for personal
information. The extent to which these types of TTG have been
empirically derived and validated is, however, unclear.
There are several possible reasons why therapy patients might
engage in TTG. The most obvious are curiosity and establishing
professional credentials. Beyond this, it has been observed that
patients in therapy may be motivated to balance what is perceived as
an unequal power relationship (Simonds & Spokes, 2017). This can
be understood in terms of humans’innate expectation of reciprocity
in their interpersonal relationships (Buunk & Schaufeli, 1999);
information-sharing in a therapeutic relationship is not reciprocal.
It is therefore understandable that a patient may be motivated to
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This article was published Online First July 22, 2021.
Kathryn E. Cox https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3964-6258
Laura M. Simonds https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8173-4051
Alesia Moulton-Perkins https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1820-9753
KATHRYN E. COX received her doctorate in clinical psychology from the
University of Surrey. As a practising clinical psychologist, her current
clinical work involves providing community-based support for older adults,
including evidence-based psychological interventions and neuropsychologi-
cal assessment. Her areas of professional and research interest include the
therapeutic relationship, attachment theory, and professional ethics in a
healthcare context.
LAURA M. SIMONDS received her PhD in psychology from the University of
Greenwich. She is currently an academic director of the clinical psychology
professional doctorate at the University of Surrey. Her research interests
include stigmatized identities, shame, disclosure, and the therapeutic
relationship.
ALESIA MOULTON-PERKINS received her doctorate in clinical psychology
from the University of Surrey. She is currently a part-time PhD student at the
University of Sussex and a clinical psychologist in private practice delivering
online therapy, supervision and training. Her areas of professional interest
include evaluating the acceptability and feasibility of delivering
Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy by videoconferencing. In connection
with the British Psychological Society, Division of Clinical Psychology, she
has been involved in developing competencies and training materials for
psychological therapists in digital mental health.
We have no conflicts of interest to disclose.
CORRESPONDENCE CONCERNING THIS ARTICLE should be addressed to Laura
M. Simonds, School of Psychology, University of Surrey, Guildford,
Surrey GU2 7XH, United Kingdom. Email: l.simonds@surrey.ac.uk
Professional Psychology: Research and Practice
© 2021 American Psychological Association 2021, Vol. 52, No. 6, 533–541
ISSN: 0735-7028 https://doi.org/10.1037/pro0000405
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