Consensus statement on the problem of terminology in psychological interventions using the internet or digital components

Smoktunowicz E, Barak A, Andersson G, Banos RM, Berger T, Botella C, Dear BF, Donker T, Ebert DD, Hadjistavropoulos H, Hodgins DC, Kaldo V, Mohr DC, Nordgreen T, Powers MB, Riper H, Ritterband LM, Rozental A, Schueller SM, Titov N, Weise C, Carlbring P (2020)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2020

Journal

Book Volume: 21

Article Number: 100331

DOI: 10.1016/j.invent.2020.100331

Abstract

Since the emergence of psychological interventions delivered via the Internet they have differed in numerous ways. The wealth of formats, methods, and technological solutions has led to increased availability and cost-effectiveness of clinical care, however, it has simultaneously generated a multitude of terms. With this paper, we first aim to establish whether a terminology issue exists in the field of Internet-delivered psychological interventions. If so, we aim to determine its implications for research, education, and practice. Furthermore, we intend to discuss solutions to mitigate the problem; in particular, we propose the concept of a common glossary. We invited 23 experts in the field of Internet-delivered interventions to respond to four questions, and employed the Delphi method to facilitate a discussion. We found that experts overwhelmingly agreed that there were terminological challenges, and that it had significant consequences for conducting research, treating patients, educating students, and informing the general public about Internet-delivered interventions. A cautious agreement has been reached that formulating a common glossary would be beneficial for the field to address the terminology issue. We end with recommendations for the possible formats of the glossary and means to disseminate it in a way that maximizes the probability of broad acceptance for a variety of stakeholders.

Involved external institutions

SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities / Uniwersytet Humanistycznospołeczny Poland (PL) Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU) / University Amsterdam Netherlands (NL) University of Regina Canada (CA) University of Calgary Canada (CA) Linnaeus University (LNU) / Linnéuniversitetet Sweden (SE) Northwestern University United States (USA) (US) Haukeland University Hospital / Haukeland universitetssykehus Norway (NO) Baylor University Medical Center United States (USA) (US) University of Virginia (UVA) United States (USA) (US) Karolinska Institute Sweden (SE) University of California Irvine United States (USA) (US) Macquarie University Australia (AU) University of Haifa / אוניברסיטת חיפה Israel (IL) Linköping University Sweden (SE) Philipps-Universität Marburg Germany (DE) University of València / Universitat de València Spain (ES) Universität Bern Switzerland (CH) Spanish Biomedical Research Centre in Physiopathology of Obesity and Nutrition / Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBERObn) Spain (ES) Stockholm University / Stockholms universitet Sweden (SE)

How to cite

APA:

Smoktunowicz, E., Barak, A., Andersson, G., Banos, R.M., Berger, T., Botella, C.,... Carlbring, P. (2020). Consensus statement on the problem of terminology in psychological interventions using the internet or digital components. Internet Interventions, 21. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.invent.2020.100331

MLA:

Smoktunowicz, Ewelina, et al. "Consensus statement on the problem of terminology in psychological interventions using the internet or digital components." Internet Interventions 21 (2020).

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