How Are Information and Communication Technologies Supporting Routine Outcome Monitoring and Measurement-Based Care in Psychotherapy? A Systematic Review

Patricia Gual-Montolio, Verónica Martínez-Borba, Juana María Bretón-López, Jorge Osma and Carlos Suso-Ribera
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Patricia Gual-Montolio: Department of Basic and Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, Jaume I University, Avda. Vicent Sos Baynat s/n, 12071 Castellon de la Plana, Spain
Verónica Martínez-Borba: Department of Basic and Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, Jaume I University, Avda. Vicent Sos Baynat s/n, 12071 Castellon de la Plana, Spain
Juana María Bretón-López: Department of Basic and Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, Jaume I University, Avda. Vicent Sos Baynat s/n, 12071 Castellon de la Plana, Spain
Jorge Osma: Department of Psychology and Sociology, Universidad de Zaragoza and Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Aragón, Ciudad Escolar s/n, 44003 Teruel, Spain
Carlos Suso-Ribera: Department of Basic and Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, Jaume I University, Avda. Vicent Sos Baynat s/n, 12071 Castellon de la Plana, Spain

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 9, 1-22

Abstract: Psychotherapy has proven to be effective for a wide range of mental health problems. However, not all patients respond to the treatment as expected (not-on-track patients). Routine outcome monitoring (ROM) and measurement-based care (MBC), which consist of monitoring patients between appointments and using this data to guide the intervention, have been shown to be particularly useful for these not-on-track patients. Traditionally, though, ROM and MBC have been challenging, due to the difficulties associated with repeated monitoring of patients and providing real-time feedback to therapists. The use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) might help reduce these challenges. Therefore, we systematically reviewed evidence regarding the use of ICTs for ROM and MBC in face-to-face psychological interventions for mental health problems. The search included published and unpublished studies indexed in the electronic databases PubMed, PsycINFO, and SCOPUS. Main search terms were variations of the terms “psychological treatment”, “progress monitoring or measurement-based care”, and “technology”. Eighteen studies met eligibility criteria. In these, ICTs were frequently handheld technologies, such as smartphone apps, tablets, or laptops, which were involved in the whole process (assessment and feedback). Overall, the use of technology for ROM and MBC during psychological interventions was feasible and acceptable. In addition, the use of ICTs was found to be effective, particularly for not-on-track patients, which is consistent with similar non-ICT research. Given the heterogeneity of reviewed studies, more research and replication is needed to obtain robust findings with different technological solutions and to facilitate the generalization of findings to different mental health populations.

Keywords: information and communication technologies; outcome monitoring; therapist feedback; measurement-based care; mental health (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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