Information Technologies: An Augmentation to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Treatment Among Trauma Survivors.

Abstract

This review article presents existing research describing how information technologies can be used to improve mental health services for trauma survivors, either by enhancing existing treatment approaches or as a stand-alone means of delivering trauma-relevant interventions. The potential ways in which technology aids in overcoming barriers to care are first addressed in terms of providing mental health treatment. The use of technologies enables shifting the locus of care from the traditional provider's office to mobile, online, and virtual environments which are less threatening for patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), helping to overcome the core nature of the illness which includes avoidance and increased personal isolation. We then outline how different technological tools can be used for key therapeutic tasks and conclude by discussing key emergent issues that are shaping current and future use of electronic technologies as part of the continuum of care for trauma-related disorders such as PTSD.