Ramos G, Taylor M, Tabak N, Poola N, Schueller S. State of the Science in Clinical Practice: Digital Mental Health Interventions. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice. 2026;doi:10.1016/j.cbpra.2026.03.001
This article outlines not only how digital mental health interventions (DMHIs) can support clinical practice by improving the assessment and monitoring of client symptoms, behaviors, and skill use, but also provides detailed information on how clinicians can incorporate DMHIs into their daily practice. DMHIs include tools such as standardized measures, digital tracking systems, and journaling features that allow clinicians to gather real-time data without using valuable session time. DMHIs can be administered more frequently than traditional methods, enhancing the ability to track client progress and as the content is accessible at any time, clients can revisit it as needed, which may enhance their understanding and long-term retention. Despite the numerous benefits of DMHIs, selecting an appropriate option can be challenging for clinicians. This article proposes a three-prong method for evaluating DMHIs: empirical evidence, user experience, and safety and privacy. Once an appropriate DMHI has been selected, patients must be assessed for access to technology as well as digital literacy. While access to the internet is nearly universal, a digital divide still exists in terms of access to broadband internet and ownership of computers across low-socioeconomic-status and racially and ethnically minoritized groups. In the session where clinicians introduce the selected DMHI, they are encouraged to help their patients download and install the tool and provide clear guidelines on when and how to use it. Additionally, expectations for what the DMHI can and cannot provide should be set before a patient accesses any DMHI. When clinicians analyze the data gathered by DMHIs, rather than distinguishing between objective and subjective data, it is more helpful to classify DMHI data based on how it was generated, including passively collected or self-report data. This facilitates easier integration with other data and provides a framework to better use the new information. As the field of DMHIs continues to grow, clear actionable recommendations for clinicians to guide them in selecting appropriate digital tools should remain a priority.