8. Making and Keeping the Connection: Improving Consumer Attitudes and Engagement in E-Mental Health Interventions

Abstract

E-mental health services are internet-based treatment options for mental illness. Potential benefits of e-mental health interventions include increased cost effectiveness, enhanced dissemination of evidence based treatments, and decreased burden on existing healthcare systems (Griffiths, Farrer, & Christensen, 2007). E-mental health services may also overcome various barriers to care such as stigma, accessibility, and socioeconomic status. Despite these benefits, consumer uptake and engagement in e-mental health services remains less than optimal. Available research indicates that consumer attitudes toward e-mental health services are problematic (Klein & Cook, 2010) but may be improved by the provision of information about the services (Casey, Joy & Clough, 2013). Research also suggests that the medium by which this information is delivered may have a significant influence on the efficacy of such interventions (Casey et al., 2013). Similarly, client engagement in e-mental health services is less than optimal, with a weighted average of 31% of clients prematurely ceasing involvement in psychological interventions delivered via the internet (Melville, Casey & Kavanagh, 2010). The current chapter will provide a review and discussion of consumer attitudes toward e-mental health services, as well as the efficacy and use of strategies to improve attitudes and enhance engagement. Recommendations for future research and clinical practice are also provided.