Webinars

In this session, Dr. Katharine Smith, MD PhD, a psychiatrist and clinical academic at the University of Oxford, will explore the current challenges and future opportunities in digital mental health care for individuals with schizophrenia and other severe mental illnesses. Drawing on the latest findings from an international consensus group, Dr. Smith will discuss the key barriers to digital health solutions, including issues of accessibility, ethics, and the gaps in current provisions. She will also highlight promising areas for future research and clinical implementation, offering actionable insights for improving access to mental health care for this underserved population.

Dr. Katharine Smith is a psychiatrist and clinical academic at the University of Oxford, where she is the Clinical Lead at the Oxford Health Clinical Research Facility. Her research focuses on precision mental health, evidence synthesis, and digital mental health interventions for severe mental illness. Dr. Smith has led multiple studies on telepsychiatry, online mental health resources, and digital tools aimed at improving care for individuals with severe psychiatric conditions. She is also involved in pioneering research on novel depression treatments, including psychedelics, and plays a key role in the Oxford Precision Psychiatry Lab. Through her work, Dr. Smith strives to enhance mental health care accessibility and contribute to innovative solutions for some of the most challenging areas in psychiatry. Read the full paper: https://mental.jmir.org/2024/1/e57155

In this presentation, Pamela Thomas, a PhD researcher at University College London, shares a systematic review and meta-analysis on the effectiveness of digital interventions for treating mild to moderate eating disorders. The study examines how digital tools grounded in clinically-based theory and behavior change techniques (BCTs) can help individuals recover from disordered eating behaviors. Pamela highlights the importance of integrating evidence-based psychological techniques to address the growing "treatment gap" for eating disorders.

Pamela Thomas is a PhD researcher at University College London’s Division of Psychiatry, specializing in the design and development of digital interventions for eating disorders. Her previous career in the pharmaceutical industry and expertise in health data analytics provide a unique approach to her research, combining clinical knowledge with multidisciplinary collaboration. Pamela works closely with clinicians and individuals with lived experience to create more effective, personalized digital health solutions.

In this session, Amy Oliver, BA, MSc, a Trainee Clinical Psychologist at University College London (UCL), will present the findings of her qualitative study on a digital inclusion initiative implemented at an inner London NHS mental health trust. The research explores how access to this program empowered service users, improving their access to healthcare, increasing autonomy, and creating new opportunities for social, educational, and entertainment engagement. Participants reported enhanced well-being and stronger social connections, underscoring the transformative impact of digital inclusion on mental health care. This session will highlight the role of digital tools in promoting health equity and reducing disparities in mental health services. Read the full paper: https://mental.jmir.org/2024/1/e51315

About Amy Oliver: Amy Oliver is a Trainee Clinical Psychologist at University College London (UCL), with a strong focus on health equity and trauma-informed care. Her research aims to explore and reduce disparities in healthcare, particularly within mental health services. Amy’s work emphasizes the importance of inclusive, accessible, and innovative approaches to treatment, particularly for underserved populations. In both her clinical and research roles, she advocates for the integration of digital tools in mental health care to promote empowerment, well-being, and social connection. Through her research on digital inclusion, Amy seeks to ensure that all individuals, regardless of background, have access to the healthcare and resources they need for improved mental health.

In this session, Dr. Courtney Beard, PhD, a clinical psychologist and Associate Professor of Psychology at Harvard Medical School, will present the results of her research on digital mental health interventions (DMHIs) for individuals from minoritized communities, with a focus on Black and Latinx adults. She will explore how smartphone-delivered interventions, such as the "HabitWorks" interpretation bias intervention, can improve engagement and the acceptability of mental health care among these populations. Dr. Beard will discuss the potential of DMHIs to increase access to evidence-based mental health care, especially for those facing unique barriers to traditional treatment. The findings from her study offer promising insights into how digital tools can play a pivotal role in addressing mental health care disparities. Read the full study: https://mental.jmir.org/2024/1/e56758

About Dr. Courtney Beard: Dr. Courtney Beard is a clinical psychologist and Associate Professor of Psychology at Harvard Medical School. She is also the Director of the Cognition and Affect Research and Education (CARE) Laboratory at McLean Hospital, where she has led research funded by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) since 2008. Dr. Beard's research focuses on uncovering the cognitive and emotional mechanisms underlying psychiatric disorders, with a particular emphasis on anxiety and mood disorders. She is dedicated to developing targeted interventions to improve mental health care, especially for underserved populations. Through her innovative work on digital mental health interventions, Dr. Beard seeks to enhance accessibility and effectiveness of mental health treatments for individuals from diverse and minoritized backgrounds.

In this insightful presentation, Dr. Sundas Saboor, a doctoral student at the University of Michigan, explores the effectiveness of Positive Psychology Interventions (PPIs) in improving mental health among children, adolescents, and young adults. Based on a systematic review and meta-analysis of controlled trials, the study reveals that digital PPIs—such as web-based and smartphone tools—significantly enhance well-being by boosting key psychological factors like purpose, gratitude, and hope, while also reducing stress and negative emotions. While the findings are promising, Dr. Saboor highlights the need for further research to tailor these interventions to meet the diverse needs of global populations. This presentation sheds light on the growing role of digital tools in addressing the increasing mental health challenges faced by young people today. Read the paper: https://mental.jmir.org/2024/1/e56045

About Dr. Sundas Saboor: Dr. Saboor is a physician from Pakistan and a doctoral student in the Department of Health Behavior and Health Education at the University of Michigan. She holds an MPH from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health with a focus on Maternal and Child Health. Her research interests include global health, AI in health behavior change, and Muslim women’s health.

​About Dr. Laura Marciano: Dr. Marciano is a Research Associate at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, specializing in the intersection of digital media use and well-being. She leads the HappyB and HappyB2.0 projects, which investigate the relationship between smartphone use, social media, and mental health in young people. A passionate science communicator, she has also authored the book Smartphone: Ally or Enemy?

In this presentation, C. Mahony Reategui-Rivera, MD, a PhD candidate at the University of Utah, presents a systematic review and meta-analysis on the effectiveness of self-administered interventions using Natural Language Processing (NLP) models to reduce depressive and anxious symptoms. The study shows that NLP-based interventions are promising tools for scalable and accessible mental health support, though further research is needed to refine and expand these results.

About Mahony Reategui-Rivera: Mahony Reategui-Rivera is a PhD candidate at the University of Utah in the Department of Biomedical Informatics. His work focuses on the intersection of mental health and informatics, with a particular interest in using technology to improve mental health care globally. Christian has also contributed to the International Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Medicine and has been elected as the Trainee Representative for the Mental Health Informatics Working Group of AMIA.