The Internet and related technologies have reconfigured every aspect of life, including mental health. Although the negative and positive effects of digital technology on mental health have been debated, all too often this has been done with much passion and few or no supporting data. In Mental Health in the Digital Age, Elias Aboujaoude and Vladan Starcevic have edited a book that brings together distinguished experts from around the world to review the evidence relating to this area. The first part of the book addresses threats resulting from the growing reliance on, and misuse of, digital technology; it also looks at how some problematic behaviors and forms of psychopathology have been shaped by this technology. This section reviews problematic Internet and video game use, effects of violent video games on the levels of aggression and of online searches for health-related information on the levels of health anxiety, use of digital technology to harm other people, and promotion of suicide on the Internet. The second part of Mental Health in the Digital Age examines the ways in which digital technology has boosted efforts to help people with mental health problems. These include the use of computers, the Internet, and mobile phones to educate and provide information necessary for psychiatric treatment and to produce programs for psychological therapy, as well as use of electronic mental health records to improve care. Mental Health in the Digital Age is a unique and timely book because it examines comprehensively an intersection between digital technology and mental health and provides a state-of-the-art, evidence-based, and well-balanced look at the field. The book is a valuable resource and guide to an area often shrouded in controversy, as it is a work of critical thinking that separates the hype from the facts and offers data-driven conclusions. It is of interest particularly to mental health professionals, but also to general audience. "In Mental Health in the Digital Age: Grave Dangers, Great Promise, Aboujaoude and Starcevic bring together technoskeptics and technophilics, who outline potential psychological risks and opportunities of using the Internet. Expert discussions on addiction, violence and bullying are followed up with an analysis of online and digital therapies. The plethora of view points presented overcomes the ubiquitous paragon of risky and problematic Internet use by providing a well-balanced and considered picture of digital technology in the context of mental health." - Daria Kuss, PhD MSc MA BA CPsychol, International Gaming Research Unit, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, UK " "The book provides a timely, state of the art collection of highly-focused reviews of intriguing professional subjects related to mental health in the era of new media. Putting together a broad scope of such themes - from problematic gaming to cyberchondria to Internet violence, to eTherapy - grants readers a great academic resource on pathological and therapeutic perspectives of cyberpsychology. By thoughtful and useful organization, the book chapters guide readers in this relatively new field of research and shed lights on relevant psychological, medical, and sociological phenomena. The blend of theory, research, and practical issues covers important aspects of each subject and offers a comprehensive yet deep understanding of the topics covered. Readers from various disciplines - such as psychology, psychiatry, education, and social work - could highly benefit and get enriched by this volume." - Professor Azy Barak, Dept. of Counseling and Human Development, University of Haifa, Israel" "Mental Health in the Digital Age is an excellent compendium of useful and up-to-date information about a diverse range of issues in Internet psychology, including gaming addiction, video game aggression, cyberbullying, online therapy, virtual reality, plus much more. A team of distinguished experts have parsed a complex and ever-growing bank of scientific literature, providing detailed, clear, and critical perspectives on key issues and controversies, making this work a highly accessible resource for researchers, educators, clinicians, policymakers, and students. A particular highlight of this text is its strong focus on the many significant challenges facing the field of clinical psychology as the Internet is increasingly intersecting with mental health issues - provided with ethical, practical, and objective statements of how to address these issues effectively in the future." - Dr. Daniel King, School of Psychology, The University of Adelaide, Australia" "Authoritative and comprehensive, a key strength of this book is its systematic coverage of both the risks and the benefits of technology for mental health. An important addition to the library of any mental health practitioner and an invaluable text for students and researchers seeking a thoughtful review of the field." - Professor Kathy Griffiths, Director, National Institute of Mental Health Research, The Australian National University." "The digital age promises much for improving our way of life, health, wellbeing, and connectedness to others. Along with this, it is critical that we ensure the benefits are not outweighed by the emergence of new mental health problems related to the immersion of technology into our daily lives. Mental Health in the Digital Age is an important and novel addition to the field, which explores the neurobiology, psychology and sociology of problematic digital media use and its integration into society. Mental Health in the Digital Age covers the spectrum of mental health problems to mental health solutions, all in one place, and provides readers with access to the range of research evidence across this spectrum in chapters that are easy to digest and comprehensive in their reach. - Frances Kay-Lambkin, Associate Professor, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia; Centre for Translational Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Newcastle, Australia" Contents: Contents Introduction: www (dot) Mental Health by Elias Aboujaoude & Vladan Starcevic Section I: Challenges Chapter 1. Problematic Internet Use: An Overview by Elias Aboujaoude & Aviv Weinstein Chapter 2. An Overview of Problematic Gaming by Mark D. Griffiths, Orsolya Kiraly, Halley M. Pontes & Zsolt Demetrovics Chapter 3. Assessment of Problematic Internet Use and Online Video Gaming by Orsolya Kiraly, Katalin Nagygyorgy, Beatrix Koronczai, Mark D. Griffiths & Zsolt Demetrovics Chapter 4. Neurobiological Aspects of Problematic Internet and Video Game Use by Sun Mi Kim & Doug Hyun Han Chapter 5. Video Game Violence and Offline Aggression by Christopher L. Groves & Craig A. Anderson Chapter 6. Cyberchondria: An Old Phenomenon in a New Guise? by Vladan Starcevic & David Berle Chapter 7. Cyberbullying: A Mental Health Perspective by Matthew W. Savage, Sarah E. Jones & Robert S. Tokunaga Chapter 8. Life vs. Death: The Suicidal Mind, Online by Keith M. Harris Section II: Opportunities Chapter 9. Psychoeducation and the Internet by Nicola J. Reavley & Anthony F. Jorm Chapter 10. Internet-Based Psychotherapy by Gerhard Andersson Chapter 11. Software-Based Psychotherapy: The Example of Computerized Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (cCBT) by Lina Gega & Simon Gilbody Chapter 12. Next Frontier: Virtual Reality in Exposure Therapy by Eric Malbos Chapter 13. mTherapy: An Overview of Mobile Device-Assisted Psychological Therapy and Prevention of Mental Health Problems by Sylvia Kauer & Sophie C. Reid Chapter 14. Electronic Mental Health Records in the United States: Promise and Pitfalls by David J. Peterson & Jeffrey G. Miller Contributors: Elias Aboujaoude, MD, MA Clinical Professor Stanford University School of Medicine Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Stanford, CA USA Craig A. Anderson, PhD Distinguished Professor Iowa State University Department of Psychology Ames, IA USA Gerhard Andersson, PhD Professor Linkoping University Department of Behavioral Sciences and Learning Linkoping Sweden and Karolinska Institute Department of Clinical Neuroscience Stockholm Sweden David Berle, BA(Hons), MPsychol(Clin), PhD Senior Clinical Psychologist Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District Nepean Anxiety Disorders Clinic Penrith, NSW Australia Zsolt Demetrovics, PhD Professor Eotvos Lorand University Institute of Psychology Department of Clinical Psychology and Addiction Budapest Hungary Lina Gega, PhD, BA(Hons), BN(Hons), RMN, ENB(650) Reader in Mental Health Northumbria University Faculty of Health and Life Sciences Newcastle upon Tyne United Kingdom Simon Gilbody, DPhil, FRCPsych, FRSA Professor of Psychological Medicine and Health Services Research University of York Department of Health Sciences and HYMS Mental Health and Addiction Research Group York United Kingdom Mark D. Griffiths, PhD Professor Nottingham Trent University Psychology Division International Gaming Research Unit Nottingham United Kingdom Christopher L. Groves, MS Graduate Student Iowa State University Department of Psychology Ames, IA USA Doug Hyun Han, MD, PhD Associate Professor Chung Ang University School of Medicine Department of Psychiatry Seoul South Korea Keith M. Harris, PhD Affiliate Investigator NHMRC Centre for Research Excellence in Suicide Prevention University of New South Wales Randwick, NSW Australia Sarah E. Jones, MA Doctoral Student Arizona State University Hugh Downs School of Human Communication Tempe, KY USA Anthony F. Jorm, PhD, DSc Professorial Fellow University of Melbourne Centre for Mental Health, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health Parkville, Victoria Australia Sylvia Kauer, PhD Post Doctoral Research Fellow University of Melbourne General Practice and Primary Health Care Academic Centre Carlton, Victoria Australia Sun Mi Kim, MD, PhD Clinical Assistant Professor Chung Ang University School of Medicine Department of Psychiatry Seoul South Korea Orsolya Kiraly, MA Doctoral Student Eotvos Lorand University Institute of Psychology Department of Clinical Psychology and Addiction and Doctoral School of Psychology Budapest Hungary Beatrix Koronczai, PhD Assistant Lecturer Eotvos Lorand University Institute of Psychology Department of Developmental and Clinical Child Psychology Budapest Hungary Eric Malbos, MD, PhD Physician and Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy Specialist University Hospital of Sainte Marguerite Department of Medical Psychology Marseille France Jeffrey G. Miller, DNP, ACRN, APNP Assistant Professor Medical College of Wisconsin Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine Milwaukee, WI USA Katalin Nagygyorgy, MA Doctoral Student Eotvos Lorand University Institute of Psychology Department of Clinical Psychology and Addiction Budapest Hungary David J. Peterson, MBA, FACMPE Administrator Medical College of Wisconsin Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine Milwaukee, WI USA Halley M. Pontes, BSc (Psychology), MSc (Clinical Psychology) Doctoral Student Nottingham Trent University Psychology Division International Gaming Research Unit Nottingham United Kingdom Nicola J. Reavley, PhD Senior Research Fellow University of Melbourne Centre for Mental Health, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health Parkville, Victoria Australia Sophie C. Reid, MPsych (Clinical), PhD Honorary Research Fellow and Clinical Psychologist Murdoch Children's Research Institute Parkville, Victoria Australia Matthew W. Savage, PhD Assistant Professor University of Kentucky Department of Communication Lexington, KY USA Vladan Starcevic, MD, PhD, FRANZCP Associate Professor of Psychiatry University of Sydney Sydney Medical School - Nepean Discipline of Psychiatry Sydney Australia Robert S. Tokunaga, PhD Assistant Professor University of Hawaii at Manoa Department of Communicology Honolulu, HI USA Aviv Weinstein, PhD Senior Lecturer University of Ariel Israel and Senior Research Fellow Department of Nuclear Medicine Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center Tel Aviv Israel |