Panel Discussions
Telehealth/m-Health
Giovanni Ramos, M.A.
University of California Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Adrian Aguilera, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, California
Jeffrey M. Cohen, Psy.D.
Assistant Professor of Medical Psychology (In Psychiatry)
Columbia University
Brooklyn, New York
Torrey A. Creed, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Emily G. Lattie, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
Chicago, Illinois
Stephen M. Schueller, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Psychological Science
University of California, Irvine
Irvine, California
Colleen Stiles-Shields, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Rush University Medical Center
Chicago, Illinois
Despite decades of research identifying effective evidence-based treatments, unmet mental health need is especially high among marginalized groups, such as low-socioeconomic status (SES) individuals, rural communities, sexual/gender minorities (SGMs), and people of color (POC) (Cook et al., 2017; Cummings et al., 2017; Dahlhamer et al., 2016; Evans-Lacko et al., 2018). While no single approach will address all factors driving these disparities, digital mental health interventions (DMHIs) represent a paradigmatic shift in service delivery that could reduce the treatment gap among marginalized groups (Ramos & Chavira, 2019; Schueller et al., 2019). However, DMHIs designed with individuals who are of middle- or high-SES, urban, heterosexual, and White in mind may inadvertently alienate users from marginalized identities, perpetuating longstanding mental health inequities, or even worse, creating a new digital divide that is wider than the already existing disparities (Ramos et al., 2021). Therefore, carefully considering issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the design, selection, and use of DMHIs with marginalized groups is crucial (Bunyi et al., 2021; Cohen et al., 2022; Lattie et al., 2022).
Aligned with this year’s theme of Using cognitive and behavioral science to make an impact and its goal to Examine ways to facilitate and support novel methods of treatment delivery, particularly in underserved communities, this panel seeks to 1) discuss methodologies for the design of DMHI content relevant to groups with marginalized identities, 2) provide resources to select and assess appropriate DMHIs for marginalized groups, and 3) provide clinical recommendation for the use of DMHIs that were not necessarily developed with marginalized groups in mind. Discussants have extensive experience using DMHIs with marginalized groups, including low-SES individuals, rural populations, SGMs, and POC. Panelists also bring expertise in designing and developing a wide range of DMHIs (e.g., text messaging interventions, apps, websites, chatbots), collaborating and consulting with DMHI industry, and creating guidelines for the selection and use of DMHIs with marginalized groups in everyday clinical practice.