Then: Handwritten Notes and Cassette Tapes

Now: Virtual Visits During Lunch

Telehealth has revolutionized the healthcare industry.

How has your field evolved over the past 25 years?

Afton Kapuscinski (AK): Across my time in the field of psychology, I have observed significant changes, with the growing influence of technology in research, clinical practice and daily life emerging as one of the most notable developments.  My early clinical training involved handwritten clinical notes and reliance on poor-quality cassette-tape recordings of my therapy sessions to receive supervision – and this was a mere 20 years ago.

Even the smallest-scale practices have now shifted to the use of electronic scheduling and medical records systems, which offer many advantages such as increased security of records, quality assurance checks and the creation of networks where providers can more easily share records.  Patients’ ability to readily access their own health information has also offered mental health providers the opportunity to refine how we document our work.  

What has been the largest advancement of this time frame?

(AK): The rapid explosion of telehealth as a viable treatment option in 2020 stands out as the most notable recent technological advancement in the practice of psychology.  Telehealth availability eliminates geographic distance and travel as prohibitive factors for patients who may have otherwise faced long waitlists or logistical challenges to receiving treatment. Patients can now schedule therapy on their lunch breaks or while their baby naps.

Although preliminary research suggests that virtual treatment with qualified providers is effective and often preferable to patients, we are also left to grapple with some legitimate risks and ethical questions about technology-mediated therapy.  Chief among these questions are whether quality and safety of services can be maintained with “big business” online therapy platforms, as well as whether artificial intelligence can serve as a substitute for the healing relationship that psychology has long believed to be the most critical ingredient of successful outcomes. 

Looking ahead to the next 25 years, what should people be aware of?

(AK): Technology’s omnipresence in everyday life also has implications for our mental health. One of the more frequent questions I am asked as a psychologist is whether excessive time spent scrolling on social media is harmful.  Excessive cell phone and social media use may have some negative effects on our psychological health such as decreasing attention span, encountering cyberbullying, isolation and worsening body image in at-risk adolescents.

However, social media also affords plenty of opportunities for increased connection with others. Additionally, spending time being socially active apart from screens seems to buffer against potential effects of higher social media use.