| Literature DB >> 35005695 |
Nele A J De Witte1, Steven Joris1, Eva Van Assche1, Tom Van Daele1.
Abstract
Background: Research increasingly shows how selective and targeted use of technology within care and welfare can have several advantages including improved quality of care and active user involvement. Purpose: The current overview of reviews aims to summarize the research on the effectiveness of technology for mental health and wellbeing. The goal is to highlight and structure the diverse combinations of technologies and interventions used so far, rather than to summarize the effectiveness of singular approaches.Entities:
Keywords: digital applications (apps); digital mental health; interventions; technologies; wellbeing
Year: 2021 PMID: 35005695 PMCID: PMC8732948 DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2021.754337
Source DB: PubMed Journal: Front Digit Health ISSN: 2673-253X
Figure 1PRISMA flowchart.
Figure 2Target groups of the included reviews. Each review could be assigned multiple categories.
Taxonomy of interventions determined through inductive qualitative analysis, and their description.
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| Preventive interventions | Preventive interventions aim to prevent complaints and problems. Prevention can be aimed at the entire population (universal prevention), at individuals with increased risk (selective prevention), or at individuals who already have symptoms (indicated prevention) ( |
| Measurement and follow-up | This includes all forms of measuring variables, whether by a professional, by the user themselves, or automatically. Therefore, this may involve (diagnostic) assessment, consisting of the measurement of the individual's strengths and needs through, e.g., questionnaires ( |
| Supportive interventions | Interventions can be aimed at supporting the well-being of users. These interventions can use psychoeducation (i.e., providing information about disorders and their physical and mental consequences) which can for instance include a focus on compliance, management of disorders and coping with stress ( |
| Skills training | These interventions focus on mentally or actually practicing skills to build or strengthen a particular competency ( |
| Behavioral interventions | Interventions focusing on behavior change, trying to reduce risky behaviors or encouraging health-promoting behaviors ( |
| Gamified interventions | Interventions can also be offered with game elements. These are called “serious games” or games that actively engage the user and contribute to achieving a particular goal ( |
| Psychotherapeutic interventions | The encyclopedia of Psychotherapy states that “Psychotherapy, defined within the broader context of the field of psychology, is a skilled and intentional treatment process whereby the thoughts, feelings, and behavior of a person are modified with the intention of facilitating increased functioning and life adjustment ( |
| Psychotherapeutic—Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) | CBT is a specific approach in psychotherapy that focuses primarily on the application of experimental methods and principles (such as learning principles) in clinical practice. Specific methodologies included within CBT are behavioral activation and exposure therapy. Behavioral activation consists of identifying, scheduling, and performing activities that are pleasurable or have a positive impact on mood with the goal of promoting or maintaining satisfying and enriching experiences ( |
| Psychotherapeutic—mindfulness & acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) | Mindfulness and ACT, also called third wave CBT, are psychotherapeutic interventions focused on accepting difficult thoughts and emotions and encouraging behaviors that align with personal values ( |
Taxonomy of implemented technologies, determined through inductive qualitative analysis, and their description.
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| Conventional, but online | Synchronous media | Synchronous communication implies that the user and professional have real-time contact virtual contact via, for example, video calling or chat. |
| Asynchronous media | In asynchronous communication, delayed exchange is expected, as is the case in e-mail conversations. | |
| Programs | Computer or laptop | This consists for example of online platforms or installed software. It can exist in the form of self-help and in combination with support from a professional who (a)synchronously monitors progress and/or provides feedback. |
| Smartphone | A second group of interventions is offered mobile via a smartphone application. It can exist in the form of self-help and in combination with support from a professional who (a)synchronously monitors progress and/or provides feedback. | |
| Digital interventions | This group covers a wide range of mixed digital interventions. In this lump category, reviews were placed that offered interventions that were both accessible via computer and smartphone and/or those that included peer support (e.g., via a forum) in addition to (a)synchronous follow-up from a professional. | |
| Emerging technologies | Extended reality (XR) | Extended reality (XR) refers to virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR). VR refers to the experience of an immersive computer-simulated three-dimensional environment through a headset ( |
| Social media | Social media (e.g., forums, social media platforms) can also lend itself to the provision of methodologies for care and well-being and are primarily used for peer contact and activating the social network. | |
| Wearables | This term refers to sensors and devices that can be worn on the body and can collect physiological and behavioral data (e.g., heart rhythm, physical activity) in a non-invasive manner continuously throughout daily life ( | |
| Other | This includes chatbots, programs that can converse and interact with the user through spoken, written, and visual communication ( |
Overview of the number of studies retrieved in the reviews for combinations of interventions and technologies.
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| Preventive interventions | 102 | 28 | 289 | 49 | 15 | 15 | 489 | |||
| Measurement and follow-up | 22 | 9 | 43 | 130 | 69 | 57 | 45 | 375 | ||
| Supportive interventions | 39 | 15 | 107 | 14 | 659 | 39 | 49 | 56 | 51 | 1,029 |
| Skills training | 54 | 22 | 58 | 44 | 178 | |||||
| Behavioral interventions | 13 | 21 | 58 | 92 | ||||||
| Gamified interventions | 30 | 20 | 5 | 17 | 72 | |||||
| Psychotherapeutic interventions | 200 | 71 | 399 | 354 | 1372 | 531 | 221 | 256 | 3,350 | |
| Psychotherapeutic—CBT | 19 | 520 | 8 | 244 | 15 | 806 | ||||
| Psychotherapeutic—mindfulness & ACT | 97 | 61 | 157 | 33 | 348 | |||||
| Total | 293 | 95 | 1330 | 588 | 2851 | 781 | 49 | 354 | 461 | 6,414 |
ACT, acceptance and commitment therapy; CBT, cognitive behavioral therapy; XR, extended reality.
Overview of the number of studies retrieved in the reviews for combinations focusing on interventions and self-help.
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| Preventive interventions | 102 | 20 | 28 | 13 |
| Measurement and follow-up | 43 | 43 | ||
| Supportive interventions | 107 | 8 | 14 | 14 |
| Skills training | 54 | 54 | 22 | 22 |
| Behavioral interventions | 21 | 13 | 58 | 58 |
| Gamified interventions | 30 | 20 | ||
| Psychotherapeutic interventions | 399 | 90 | 354 | 279 |
| Psychotherapeutic—CBT | 520 | 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Psychotherapeutic—mindfulness & ACT | 97 | 61 | 34 | |
| Total | 1330 | 215 | 588 | 471 |
ACT, acceptance and commitment therapy; CBT, cognitive behavioral therapy.