'Research, digested' is a series of summarised research papers, each drawing out the key points we believe are significant.
This paper looks at the potential for digital mental health interventions (DMHIs) to “expand the scale, efficiency and effectiveness of psychological services”, highlighting research and practice gaps as well as ways to advance the field.
DMHIs are web-based platforms, mobile apps, and virtual reality (VR) that provide psychological interventions to promote mental health and wellbeing.
Interest in and use of DMHIs has exploded: over the past 40 years, analysis found a consistent tripling in the rate of research publications across each decade.
Three key insights:
- 1.
DMHIs can utilise digital space for innovation, making tools more personalised, effective and accessible than traditional interventions. One aspect of this is using user feedback for continuous improvement. The 24/7 availability of DMHIs enables young people to engage with resources at their convenience and preferred pace, fostering autonomy
- 2.
DMHIs are not meant to replace a therapist’s role, but, rather, enhance it. A vital component of the most effective and engaging DMHIs is human support. Most young people described how their desire for human connection motivated their engagement with support online
- 3.
Some therapists may refrain from using DMHIs in their practice due to a lack of knowledge about which are safe, but the data that DMHIs are effective is exceptionally consistent
In summary: DMHIs should not be considered a fringe alternative to access care. They are an effective resource with the potential to improve wellbeing through increased accessibility, 24/7 availability, and personalisation.
This is certainly our experience as a digital mental health provider: personalised support that is there in-the-moment is what young people want. Today, the vast majority of our young service users dip into and out of support, like single session therapy, as and when it’s needed.