Treatment

Technology has had a noteworthy impact on the advancing world of treatment. The traditional face-to-face therapy session is often time-consuming and cumbersome. In some areas, there may be no in-person therapy available. Technology offers other choices that put a premium on client comfort and ease. Digital technology, in the form of websites, 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 therapy (e.g., Betterhelp and Talkspace) is any indication, the popularity of teletherapy 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 offer a different experience; body language, tone, and nuance are commonly 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 research is needed, some studies have determined that teletherapy is just as effective as traditional therapy.

 

Websites and Apps

There is an exploding market of internet-related psychotherapeutic treatment. A majority of this is available through websites and apps. Although some applications are basically conduits to teletherapy services, many are hybrids that offer education, self-help, and online support if needed. The majority of online 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 need to proceed with caution when attempting to find assistance.

Improved Self-Report

Many self-report measures, which are still the greater part of psychological research and assessments, can be implemented easily on a laptop or computer, as opposed to with paper and pencil. This reduces costs and is generally more convenient, except in more mature populations who will not be as familiar with computers. This makes data analysis easier; data collected on a computer can be quickly reconstructed as computer statistical analysis. For 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.

 

Adding to Convenience

Cell phones and wearables (e.g., smartwatches, fitness trackers), allow it to become easy to compile data as it takes place, rather than rely on a later self-report. Our memory is fallible and the faster the information is entered the more likely it is precise. Some software immediately enters information, such as programs measuring physical exercise and sleep habits. More information still must be entered by hand (e.g., a food log) but could be done much more quickly and conveniently on a phone you carry on hand at all times. Technology also allows analysts to perform measurements in natural settings instead of being limited to the lab. For example, neuroscientist Melina Uncapher of the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) uses software on an iPad to cognitively measure the brain function of elementary school students in their classrooms.

 

New Instruments

Technology has introduced new ways to gather information, some of which are vast advancements over older methods. For example, virtual reality tech allows scientists to gather data without actually having to go to a specific environment. Along with this being cheaper and more effortless, but it also eliminates certain ethical issues and reliance on self-report. Another example of new technology is a sensor that is affixed to the skin to measure Galvanic Skin Response, a signal of stress. Additionally, the use of mobile devices allows measurement to occur almost anyplace with more accuracy.

 

Databases

Storage technology has made it possible for the development of huge directories of data. Many of these catalog human behavior that can be used in the study of psychology. For example, databases possess information about everything from crime figures to sleep deprivation. In addition, these databases collect data from a large and diverse population, making them perfect for satisfying validity concerns. This provides psychologists with huge stores of data in which to examine.

 

Improving Validity and Trustworthiness

As technological know-how advances, instruments are created which allow professionals to get larger samples and be more exact in their measurements. One of many great problems in psychological research is the reproduction of results. Pen and pencil self-report has been naturally unreliable. New instruments that show improved accuracy and accessibility are easier to replicate. Furthermore, the greater the sample, the greater the ability to measure effects and ensure external validity.

Technology has improved the study of psychology. It has led to advancement in treatment, education, mental health assessment, and research. Technology often provides a far more convenient and cheaper alternative when used for assessment and therapy applications. Maybe most of all, it has enabled a lot more people to obtain information and utilize mental health services.