Treatment

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

 

Teletherapy

If the proliferation of companies that offer treatment (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 telephone. Video conferencing is quite similar to face-to-face treatment except it is online, such as Zoom, Skype Video calls or Facetime. Sessions that rely on phone calls and texting seem to provide you with a different experience; body language, tone, and nuance are most likely lost because you are not 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 researchers have established that teletherapy is just as effective as conventional therapy.

 

Websites and Apps

There’s definitely an explosion of internet-related psychotherapeutic treatment. A majority of this is available through web sites and apps. Although some software applications are simply conduits to teletherapy services, many are hybrids that offer education, self-help, and online support when needed. The majority of online based therapy uses cognitive-behavioral principles. As a whole, internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy has exhibited positive results for a variety of psychological disorders, including depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Mental health apps are unregulated, however, so users should proceed with caution when seeking out assistance.

Improved Self-Report

Most self-report options, which are still the greater part of psychological research and assessments, can be administered easily on a computer, rather than with paper and pencil. This reduces costs and is generally more convenient, except in more mature communities who will 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. For instance, many assessment instruments (e.g., the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory and Beck Depression Inventory) automatically tabulate and interpret data immediately after it is entered.

 

Increasing Convenience

Cell phones and wearables (e.g., smartwatches, fitness trackers), help it become easy to compile data as it happens, instead of having to rely on a later self-report. Human memory is fallible and the faster the details are entered the more likely it is accurate. Some software routinely enters information, such as programs measuring activity and sleep habits. More information still needs to be entered by hand (e.g., a food log) but could be done much more quickly and conveniently on a phone you carry with you all the time. Technology also allows analysts to perform measurements in natural settings rather than be restricted to the lab. For example, neuroscientist Melina Uncapher of the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) uses computer software on an iPad to cognitively study 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 upgrades over older methods. For instance, virtual reality tech allows researchers to collect data without actually going to a specific natural environment. Along with this being cheaper and more convenient, but it also eliminates certain ethical worries and reliance on self-report. Another instance of new technology is a sensor that is placed on the skin to measure Galvanic Skin Response, a signal of stress. Additionally, using mobile devices allows measurement to take place almost anywhere with increased accuracy.

 

Databases

Storage technology has helped the development of huge databases of information. Several of these catalog human behavior that can be used in the study of psychology. For example, databases possess details on everything from crime statistics to sleep deprivation. In addition, these databases collect data from a large and diverse population, making them ideal for satisfying validity concerns. This presents psychologists with huge stores of information in which to look into.

 

Improving Validity and Integrity

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

Technology has greatly improved study regarding psychology. It has led to innovation in treatment, education, mental health assessment, and background work. Technology typically provides a far more convenient and cheaper option when used for assessment and treatment reasons. Maybe most significantly, it has enabled more people to get information and benefit from mental health services.