mHealth and technology innovations for anxiety and OC spectrum disorders

Interdisciplinary mobile health (mHealth) technologies and intervention approaches are changing the nature of health research, providing the opportunity to shift from more reactive approaches for patient care to a more proactive stance. As with the larger field of medicine, mHealth and technology-enhanced approaches in psychiatry and clinical psychology are opening an unparalleled number of avenues to help reduce the risk for psychiatric disease, treat psychological disorders, and increase well-being of our patients. While promising, this research is characterized by complex challenges across the domains of concept development, initial design and testing, and downstream implementation and scaled-up dissemination. This Special Issue in the British Journal of Clinical Psychology was designed to highlight the development and implementation of mHealth research in the anxiety and obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders. In addition to informing readers about important advances that have been made, the present special issue also draws attention to the myriad challenges that will need to be considered in future research. Three domains relevant for mHealth research are addressed, including a careful consideration of where the research currently stands and what challenges we should prepare for, the adaptation of traditional and adjunctive treatments to mobile or online platforms, and the ability for technology and associated methodological approaches to provide further insight into aetiological investigations.