E-mental health – using digital technologies to advance mental health care

Abstract

Due to their flexible modes of delivery and low barriers to access, eMHIs are encouraging, not only in treatment but especially in the prevention of mental disorders and the promotion of mental health, also in non-clinical settings. While the question of the effectiveness of eMHIs in the clinical setting or general population has been addressed in previous research with promising results, the evidence regarding occupational e-mental health is limited. Thus, the first aim of this dissertation was to investigate the effectiveness of eMHIs in an occupational context, exploring potentials and limits of these technologies in mental health promotion and treatment of mild psychological conditions in non-clinical settings. However, despite the proven effectiveness and delivery advantages, the acceptance of eMHIs among the general population and therapists, although varying across different countries, is still limited. The reasons for the unfavourable perception of eMHIs are not yet well understood. Thus, the second aim of this dissertation was to investigate the underlying reasons for the low acceptance of eMHIs by exploring attitudes and preferences towards eMHIs among users and providers in Germany, which serves as an example of a country with low e-mental health utilisation level.