DynAMo: A Modular Platform for Monitoring Process, Outcome, and Algorithm-Based Treatment Planning in Psychotherapy
- PMID: 28729233
- PMCID: PMC5544897
- DOI: 10.2196/medinform.6808
DynAMo: A Modular Platform for Monitoring Process, Outcome, and Algorithm-Based Treatment Planning in Psychotherapy
Abstract
Background: In recent years, the assessment of mental disorders has become more and more personalized. Modern advancements such as Internet-enabled mobile phones and increased computing capacity make it possible to tap sources of information that have long been unavailable to mental health practitioners.
Objective: Software packages that combine algorithm-based treatment planning, process monitoring, and outcome monitoring are scarce. The objective of this study was to assess whether the DynAMo Web application can fill this gap by providing a software solution that can be used by both researchers to conduct state-of-the-art psychotherapy process research and clinicians to plan treatments and monitor psychotherapeutic processes.
Methods: In this paper, we report on the current state of a Web application that can be used for assessing the temporal structure of mental disorders using information on their temporal and synchronous associations. A treatment planning algorithm automatically interprets the data and delivers priority scores of symptoms to practitioners. The application is also capable of monitoring psychotherapeutic processes during therapy and of monitoring treatment outcomes. This application was developed using the R programming language (R Core Team, Vienna) and the Shiny Web application framework (RStudio, Inc, Boston). It is made entirely from open-source software packages and thus is easily extensible.
Results: The capabilities of the proposed application are demonstrated. Case illustrations are provided to exemplify its usefulness in clinical practice.
Conclusions: With the broad availability of Internet-enabled mobile phones and similar devices, collecting data on psychopathology and psychotherapeutic processes has become easier than ever. The proposed application is a valuable tool for capturing, processing, and visualizing these data. The combination of dynamic assessment and process- and outcome monitoring has the potential to improve the efficacy and effectiveness of psychotherapy.
Keywords: algorithms; health information management; mental disorders; mental health; psychotherapeutic processes.
©Tim Kaiser, Anton Rupert Laireiter. Originally published in JMIR Medical Informatics (http://medinform.jmir.org), 20.07.2017.
Conflict of interest statement
Conflicts of Interest: None declared.
Figures
Similar articles
-
Web platform using digital image processing and geographic information system tools: a Brazilian case study on dengue.Biomed Eng Online. 2015 Jul 16;14:69. doi: 10.1186/s12938-015-0052-2. Biomed Eng Online. 2015. PMID: 26178732 Free PMC article.
-
Critical Care Network in the State of Qatar.Qatar Med J. 2019 Nov 7;2019(2):2. doi: 10.5339/qmj.2019.qccc.2. eCollection 2019. Qatar Med J. 2019. PMID: 31763205 Free PMC article.
-
Internet and information technology use in treatment of diabetes.Int J Clin Pract Suppl. 2010 Feb;(166):41-6. doi: 10.1111/j.1742-1241.2009.02277.x. Int J Clin Pract Suppl. 2010. PMID: 20377663 Review.
-
[Real-time monitoring in psychotherapy - methodology and casuistics].Neuropsychiatr. 2011;25(3):135-41. Neuropsychiatr. 2011. PMID: 21968377 German.
-
Case conceptualization from a process-based and modular perspective: Rationale and application to mood and anxiety disorders.Clin Psychol Psychother. 2019 Mar;26(2):175-190. doi: 10.1002/cpp.2340. Epub 2018 Nov 13. Clin Psychol Psychother. 2019. PMID: 30338874 Review.
Cited by
-
Process-symptom-bridges in psychotherapy: An idiographic network approach.J Pers Oriented Res. 2018 Dec 26;4(2):49-62. doi: 10.17505/jpor.2018.06. eCollection 2018. J Pers Oriented Res. 2018. PMID: 33569133 Free PMC article.
-
Cystic Fibrosis Point of Personalized Detection (CFPOPD): An Interactive Web Application.JMIR Med Inform. 2020 Dec 16;8(12):e23530. doi: 10.2196/23530. JMIR Med Inform. 2020. PMID: 33325834 Free PMC article.
-
Feasibility and utility of idiographic models in the clinic: A pilot study.Psychother Res. 2021 Apr;31(4):520-534. doi: 10.1080/10503307.2020.1805133. Epub 2020 Aug 24. Psychother Res. 2021. PMID: 32838671 Free PMC article.
-
Advantages and disadvantages of online and blended therapy: Replication and extension of findings on psychotherapists' appraisals.Internet Interv. 2020 May 7;21:100326. doi: 10.1016/j.invent.2020.100326. eCollection 2020 Sep. Internet Interv. 2020. PMID: 32477885 Free PMC article.
-
How Are Information and Communication Technologies Supporting Routine Outcome Monitoring and Measurement-Based Care in Psychotherapy? A Systematic Review.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020 May 2;17(9):3170. doi: 10.3390/ijerph17093170. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020. PMID: 32370140 Free PMC article.
References
-
- NIMH. 2015. [2016-10-10]. Strategic Objective 3: Strive for Prevention and Cures https://www.nimh.nih.gov/about/strategic-planning-reports/strategic-obje... 6l9Zewplv.
-
- Drapeau M. 10 tools for progress monitoring in psychotherapy. Integrating Science and Practice. 2012 Nov;2(2):1–45. http://opq.sednove.ca/pdf/2012_11_Integrating_SandP_10_Tools_for_Progres...
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources
Other Literature Sources
Miscellaneous