1
|
Feijt M, de Kort Y, Westerink J, Bierbooms J, Bongers I, IJsselsteijn W. Integrating technology in mental healthcare practice: A repeated cross-sectional survey study on professionals' adoption of Digital Mental Health before and during COVID-19. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:1040023. [PMID: 36874171 PMCID: PMC9977803 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.1040023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 02/18/2023] Open
Abstract
As a consequence of the outbreak of the COVID-19 global pandemic in the spring of 2020, large-scale social distancing measures were implemented, resulting in the forced adoption of online or digital forms of psychological treatment. This sudden transition to digital care offered a unique opportunity to investigate if and how this experience impacted mental healthcare professionals' perceptions and use of Digital Mental Health tools. The current paper presents findings of a repeated cross-sectional study consisting of three iterations of a national online survey in the Netherlands. This survey contained open and closed questions on professionals' adoption readiness, frequency of use, perceived competency, and perceived value of Digital Mental Health collected in 2019 (before the pandemic), in 2020 (after the first wave), and in 2021 (after the second wave). The inclusion of data gathered prior to the COVID-19 pandemic offers a unique window to assess how professionals' adoption has developed through this transition from voluntary to mandatory use of Digital Mental Health tools. Our study also re-assesses the drivers, barriers, and needs of mental healthcare professionals after having gained experience with Digital Mental Health. In total, 1,039 practitioners completed the surveys (Survey 1: n = 432, Survey 2: n = 363, and Survey 3: n = 244). Results indicate that compared to the period before the pandemic, there was a particularly large increase in use, competency, and perceived value regarding videoconferencing. Small differences were also found for some other basic tools that were crucial to ensure the continuation of care, such as e-mail, text messaging, and online screening, but not for more innovative technologies, such as virtual reality and biofeedback. Many practitioners reported to have gained skills regarding Digital Mental Health and experienced several benefits of it. They expressed the intention to continue with a blended approach, using Digital Mental Health tools in combination with face-to-face care, focused on situations in which they found it to have specific added value, such as when clients are unable to travel. Others were less satisfied with the technology-mediated interactions and remained more reluctant to future use of DMH. Implications for broader implementation of Digital Mental Health and future research are discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Milou Feijt
- Human-Technology Interaction Group, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, Netherlands
| | - Yvonne de Kort
- Human-Technology Interaction Group, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, Netherlands
| | - Joyce Westerink
- Human-Technology Interaction Group, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, Netherlands.,Philips Research, Eindhoven, Netherlands
| | - Joyce Bierbooms
- TRANZO Digital, Tilburg University, Tilburg, Netherlands.,Erasmus School of Health Policy and Management, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Inge Bongers
- TRANZO Digital, Tilburg University, Tilburg, Netherlands.,Mental Healthcare Eindhoven, Eindhoven, Netherlands
| | - Wijnand IJsselsteijn
- Human-Technology Interaction Group, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Montgomery RM, Brandysky L, Neary M, Eikey E, Mark G, Schneider M, Stadnick NA, Zheng K, Mukamel DB, Sorkin DH, Schueller SM. Curating the Digital Mental Health Landscape With a Guide to Behavioral Health Apps: A County-Driven Resource. Psychiatr Serv 2021; 72:1229-1232. [PMID: 34030454 DOI: 10.1176/appi.ps.202000803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
With more than 10,000 mental health apps available, consumers and clinicians who want to adopt such tools can be overwhelmed by the multitude of options and lack of clear evaluative standards. Despite the increasing prevalence of curated lists, or app guides, challenges remain. Organizations providing mental health services to consumers have an opportunity to address these challenges by producing guides that meet relevant standards of quality and are tailored to local needs. This column summarizes an example of the collaborative process of app guide development in a publicly funded mental health service context and highlights opportunities and barriers identified through the process.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Robert M Montgomery
- Department of Psychology, California State University, Northridge (Montgomery); Kern County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services, Bakersfield, California (Brandysky); Department of Psychological Science (Neary, Schueller), Department of Informatics (Mark, Zheng, Schueller), Department of Population Health and Disease Prevention (Schneider), and Department of Medicine (Mukamel, Sorkin), University of California, Irvine; Department of Family Medicine and Public Health (Eikey), and Department of Psychiatry (Stadnick), University of California, San Diego. Dror Ben-Zeev, Ph.D., is editor of this column
| | - Lamar Brandysky
- Department of Psychology, California State University, Northridge (Montgomery); Kern County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services, Bakersfield, California (Brandysky); Department of Psychological Science (Neary, Schueller), Department of Informatics (Mark, Zheng, Schueller), Department of Population Health and Disease Prevention (Schneider), and Department of Medicine (Mukamel, Sorkin), University of California, Irvine; Department of Family Medicine and Public Health (Eikey), and Department of Psychiatry (Stadnick), University of California, San Diego. Dror Ben-Zeev, Ph.D., is editor of this column
| | - Martha Neary
- Department of Psychology, California State University, Northridge (Montgomery); Kern County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services, Bakersfield, California (Brandysky); Department of Psychological Science (Neary, Schueller), Department of Informatics (Mark, Zheng, Schueller), Department of Population Health and Disease Prevention (Schneider), and Department of Medicine (Mukamel, Sorkin), University of California, Irvine; Department of Family Medicine and Public Health (Eikey), and Department of Psychiatry (Stadnick), University of California, San Diego. Dror Ben-Zeev, Ph.D., is editor of this column
| | - Elizabeth Eikey
- Department of Psychology, California State University, Northridge (Montgomery); Kern County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services, Bakersfield, California (Brandysky); Department of Psychological Science (Neary, Schueller), Department of Informatics (Mark, Zheng, Schueller), Department of Population Health and Disease Prevention (Schneider), and Department of Medicine (Mukamel, Sorkin), University of California, Irvine; Department of Family Medicine and Public Health (Eikey), and Department of Psychiatry (Stadnick), University of California, San Diego. Dror Ben-Zeev, Ph.D., is editor of this column
| | - Gloria Mark
- Department of Psychology, California State University, Northridge (Montgomery); Kern County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services, Bakersfield, California (Brandysky); Department of Psychological Science (Neary, Schueller), Department of Informatics (Mark, Zheng, Schueller), Department of Population Health and Disease Prevention (Schneider), and Department of Medicine (Mukamel, Sorkin), University of California, Irvine; Department of Family Medicine and Public Health (Eikey), and Department of Psychiatry (Stadnick), University of California, San Diego. Dror Ben-Zeev, Ph.D., is editor of this column
| | - Margaret Schneider
- Department of Psychology, California State University, Northridge (Montgomery); Kern County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services, Bakersfield, California (Brandysky); Department of Psychological Science (Neary, Schueller), Department of Informatics (Mark, Zheng, Schueller), Department of Population Health and Disease Prevention (Schneider), and Department of Medicine (Mukamel, Sorkin), University of California, Irvine; Department of Family Medicine and Public Health (Eikey), and Department of Psychiatry (Stadnick), University of California, San Diego. Dror Ben-Zeev, Ph.D., is editor of this column
| | - Nicole A Stadnick
- Department of Psychology, California State University, Northridge (Montgomery); Kern County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services, Bakersfield, California (Brandysky); Department of Psychological Science (Neary, Schueller), Department of Informatics (Mark, Zheng, Schueller), Department of Population Health and Disease Prevention (Schneider), and Department of Medicine (Mukamel, Sorkin), University of California, Irvine; Department of Family Medicine and Public Health (Eikey), and Department of Psychiatry (Stadnick), University of California, San Diego. Dror Ben-Zeev, Ph.D., is editor of this column
| | - Kai Zheng
- Department of Psychology, California State University, Northridge (Montgomery); Kern County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services, Bakersfield, California (Brandysky); Department of Psychological Science (Neary, Schueller), Department of Informatics (Mark, Zheng, Schueller), Department of Population Health and Disease Prevention (Schneider), and Department of Medicine (Mukamel, Sorkin), University of California, Irvine; Department of Family Medicine and Public Health (Eikey), and Department of Psychiatry (Stadnick), University of California, San Diego. Dror Ben-Zeev, Ph.D., is editor of this column
| | - Dana B Mukamel
- Department of Psychology, California State University, Northridge (Montgomery); Kern County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services, Bakersfield, California (Brandysky); Department of Psychological Science (Neary, Schueller), Department of Informatics (Mark, Zheng, Schueller), Department of Population Health and Disease Prevention (Schneider), and Department of Medicine (Mukamel, Sorkin), University of California, Irvine; Department of Family Medicine and Public Health (Eikey), and Department of Psychiatry (Stadnick), University of California, San Diego. Dror Ben-Zeev, Ph.D., is editor of this column
| | - Dara H Sorkin
- Department of Psychology, California State University, Northridge (Montgomery); Kern County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services, Bakersfield, California (Brandysky); Department of Psychological Science (Neary, Schueller), Department of Informatics (Mark, Zheng, Schueller), Department of Population Health and Disease Prevention (Schneider), and Department of Medicine (Mukamel, Sorkin), University of California, Irvine; Department of Family Medicine and Public Health (Eikey), and Department of Psychiatry (Stadnick), University of California, San Diego. Dror Ben-Zeev, Ph.D., is editor of this column
| | - Stephen M Schueller
- Department of Psychology, California State University, Northridge (Montgomery); Kern County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services, Bakersfield, California (Brandysky); Department of Psychological Science (Neary, Schueller), Department of Informatics (Mark, Zheng, Schueller), Department of Population Health and Disease Prevention (Schneider), and Department of Medicine (Mukamel, Sorkin), University of California, Irvine; Department of Family Medicine and Public Health (Eikey), and Department of Psychiatry (Stadnick), University of California, San Diego. Dror Ben-Zeev, Ph.D., is editor of this column
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Affiliation(s)
- Akash R Wasil
- Department of Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass. (Wasil, Shingleton, Wilks, Weisz); Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia (Wasil); Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis (Gillespie)
| | - Sarah Gillespie
- Department of Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass. (Wasil, Shingleton, Wilks, Weisz); Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia (Wasil); Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis (Gillespie)
| | - Rebecca Shingleton
- Department of Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass. (Wasil, Shingleton, Wilks, Weisz); Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia (Wasil); Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis (Gillespie)
| | - Chelsey R Wilks
- Department of Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass. (Wasil, Shingleton, Wilks, Weisz); Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia (Wasil); Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis (Gillespie)
| | - John R Weisz
- Department of Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass. (Wasil, Shingleton, Wilks, Weisz); Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia (Wasil); Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis (Gillespie)
| |
Collapse
|