Treatment

Technology has had a noticeable impact on the ever changing world of treatment. The traditional face-to-face therapy session is often time-consuming and inconvenient. In some areas, there may be no in-person treatment available. Technology offers other options that put a premium on client ease and comfort. Digital technology, in the form of web sites, apps, and teleconferencing, are the future of psychotherapy. Revolutionary online mental health assessment tools like Clinicom are setting new standards in how treament is advancing in mental health.

 

Telemedicine

If the expansion of companies that offer services (e.g., Betterhelp and Talkspace) is any indicator, the popularity of telemedicine is growing. The name “tele” is a bit of a misnomer, as teletherapy can be done through video and texting as well as on the phone .. Video conferencing is quite similar to face-to-face treatment except it is online, such as Zoom, Skype Video calls or Facetime. Sessions that only use phone calls and texting seem to provide a different experience; body language, tone, and nuance are regularly lost because you aren’t able to see or hear your therapist. However, the advantage of receiving services, especially in underserved communities, may outweigh the disadvantages. Although much more groundwork is needed, some researchers have resolved that teletherapy is just as effective as traditional therapy.

 

Websites and Apps

There is an explosion of internet-related psychotherapeutic treatment. A majority of this is available through web sites and apps. Although some apps are basically conduits to teletherapy services, many are hybrids that offer education, self-help, and online support if necessary. The bulk of internet-based therapy uses cognitive-behavioral principles. As a whole, internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy has exhibited favorable results for a variety of psychological illnesses, including ADHD, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Mental health apps are unregulated, however, so consumers should certainly proceed with caution when in search of help.

Improved Self-Report

Most self-report actions, which are still the majority of psychological research and assessments, can be taken easily on a computer, as opposed to with pen and paper. This reduces costs and is generally easier, except in more mature communities who might not be as familiar with computer systems. This makes data analysis easier; data collected on a computer can be quickly reconstructed as computer statistical analysis. As an example, many assessment instruments (e.g., the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory and Beck Depression Inventory) automatically tabulate and interpret data right after it is entered.

 

Increasing Convenience

Cell phones and wearables (e.g., smartwatches, fitness trackers), allow it to become easy to compile information as it happens, instead of having to rely on a later self-report. Human memory is fallible and the faster the information is entered the more likely it is reliable. Some software instantly enters information, including programs measuring exercise and sleep habits. More information still has to be entered by hand (e.g., a food log) but can be done far more quickly and conveniently on a phone you carry with you all the time. Technology also allows researchers to perform measurements in natural settings instead of being restricted to the lab. For example, neuroscientist Melina Uncapher of the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) uses software on an iPad to cognitively evaluate the thinking processes of elementary school students in their school rooms.

 

New Instruments

Technology has introduced new ways to gather data, some of which are vast improvements over older methods. For instance, virtual reality tech allows researchers to collect data without actually visiting a specific environment. Besides this being cheaper and more effortless, but it also removes certain ethical issues and dependence on self-report. Another illustration of new technology is a sensor that is positioned on the skin to determine Galvanic Skin Response, an indicator of stress. Additionally, the utilization of mobile devices allows measurement to take place almost anyplace with a lot more accuracy.

 

Databases

Storage technology has allowed the development of huge databases of information. Many of these catalog human behavior which can be used in the study of psychology. For example, databases possess information on anything from crime figures to sleep deprivation. In addition, these databases collect information from a large and diverse human population, making them well suited for satisfying validity concerns. This presents psychologists with huge stores of knowledge in which to examine.

 

Improving Validity and Consistency

As technology advances, instruments are created which allow people to get larger samples and be more precise in their measurements. One of the great problems in psychological research is the reproduction of results. Pen and pencil self-report has been naturally unreliable. New instruments that demonstrate improved accuracy and accessibility are easier to replicate. Moreover, the larger the sample, the better the ability to measure effects and ensure external validity.

Technology has remodeled study regarding psychology. It has led to advancement in treatment, education, mental health assessment, and research. Technology typically provides a far more convenient and cheaper alternative when used for assessment and therapy reasons. Maybe most significantly, it has enabled more and more people to obtain information and utilize mental health services.