Application of synchronous text-based dialogue systems in mental health interventions: Systematic review

Hoermann, S; McCabe, KL; Milne, DN; Calvo, RA

Application of synchronous text-based dialogue systems in mental health interventions: Systematic review

Hoermann, S McCabe, KL Milne, DN

Calvo, RA

Permalink

Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Journal of Medical Internet Research, 2017, 19 (8)
Issue Date:: 2017-08-01

Open Access

Copyright Clearance Process

Recently Added
In Progress
Open Access

This item is open access.

Adobe PDF

Download Published VersionAdobe PDF (808.22 kB)

View on publisher's site

View statistics

Full metadata record

Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Hoermann, S	en_US
dc.contributor.author	McCabe, KL	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Milne, DN https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0596-7814	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Calvo, RA	en_US
dc.date.available	2017-05-16	en_US
dc.date.issued	2017-08-01	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	Journal of Medical Internet Research, 2017, 19 (8)	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/123582
dc.description.abstract	© Simon Hoermann, Kathryn L McCabe, David N Milne, Rafael A Calvo. Background: Synchronous written conversations (or "chats") are becoming increasingly popular as Web-based mental health interventions. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to evaluate and summarize the quality of these interventions. Objective: The aim of this study was to review the current evidence for the feasibility and effectiveness of online one-on-one mental health interventions that use text-based synchronous chat. Methods: A systematic search was conducted of the databases relevant to this area of research (Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online [MEDLINE], PsycINFO, Central, Scopus, EMBASE, Web of Science, IEEE, and ACM). There were no specific selection criteria relating to the participant group. Studies were included if they reported interventions with individual text-based synchronous conversations (ie, chat or text messaging) and a psychological outcome measure. Results: A total of 24 articles were included in this review. Interventions included a wide range of mental health targets (eg, anxiety, distress, depression, eating disorders, and addiction) and intervention design. Overall, compared with the waitlist (WL) condition, studies showed significant and sustained improvements in mental health outcomes following synchronous text-based intervention, and post treatment improvement equivalent but not superior to treatment as usual (TAU) (eg, face-to-face and telephone counseling). Conclusions: Feasibility studies indicate substantial innovation in this area of mental health intervention with studies utilizing trained volunteers and chatbot technologies to deliver interventions. While studies of efficacy show positive post-intervention gains, further research is needed to determine whether time requirements for this mode of intervention are feasible in clinical practice.	en_US
dc.relation.ispartof	Journal of Medical Internet Research	en_US
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.2196/jmir.7023	en_US
dc.subject.classification	Medical Informatics	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Humans	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Feasibility Studies	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Mental Health	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Text Messaging	en_US
dc.title	Application of synchronous text-based dialogue systems in mental health interventions: Systematic review	en_US
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	8	en_US
utslib.citation.volume	19	en_US
utslib.for	0806 Information Systems	en_US
utslib.for	1103 Clinical Sciences	en_US
utslib.for	1701 Psychology	en_US
utslib.for	08 Information and Computing Sciences	en_US
utslib.for	11 Medical and Health Sciences	en_US
utslib.for	17 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences	en_US
pubs.embargo.period	Not known	en_US
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology/School of Information, Systems and Modelling
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - CAMGIS - Centre for Advanced Modelling and Geospatial lnformation Systems
utslib.copyright.status	open_access
pubs.issue	8	en_US
pubs.publication-status	Published	en_US
pubs.volume	19	en_US

Abstract:

© Simon Hoermann, Kathryn L McCabe, David N Milne, Rafael A Calvo. Background: Synchronous written conversations (or "chats") are becoming increasingly popular as Web-based mental health interventions. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to evaluate and summarize the quality of these interventions. Objective: The aim of this study was to review the current evidence for the feasibility and effectiveness of online one-on-one mental health interventions that use text-based synchronous chat. Methods: A systematic search was conducted of the databases relevant to this area of research (Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online [MEDLINE], PsycINFO, Central, Scopus, EMBASE, Web of Science, IEEE, and ACM). There were no specific selection criteria relating to the participant group. Studies were included if they reported interventions with individual text-based synchronous conversations (ie, chat or text messaging) and a psychological outcome measure. Results: A total of 24 articles were included in this review. Interventions included a wide range of mental health targets (eg, anxiety, distress, depression, eating disorders, and addiction) and intervention design. Overall, compared with the waitlist (WL) condition, studies showed significant and sustained improvements in mental health outcomes following synchronous text-based intervention, and post treatment improvement equivalent but not superior to treatment as usual (TAU) (eg, face-to-face and telephone counseling). Conclusions: Feasibility studies indicate substantial innovation in this area of mental health intervention with studies utilizing trained volunteers and chatbot technologies to deliver interventions. While studies of efficacy show positive post-intervention gains, further research is needed to determine whether time requirements for this mode of intervention are feasible in clinical practice.

Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:

http://hdl.handle.net/10453/123582