The Open Communication Journal

2008, 2 : 86-92
Published online 2008 July 10. DOI: 10.2174/1874916X00802010086
Publisher ID: TOCOMMJ-2-86

New Technological Settings of Communication to Improve the Traditional Techniques in Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy

Gianluca Castelnuovo
Istituto Auxologico Italiano IRCCS, Psychology Research Laboratory, San Giuseppe Hospital, Verbania, Italy and Department of Psychology, Catholic University of Milan, Italy.

ABSTRACT

Internet and new communication technologies have achieved a rapid development in the last years producing a significative impact on clinical psychology and psychotherapy. Psychotherapists seem to rely with more and more interest on the new technological tools such as telemedicine, audio and video chats, e-mail, SMS, MMS and the Instant Messaging Tools (IMs). All these technologies outline a stimulating as well as complex scenario: in order to effectively exploit their potential, it is important to study which is the possible role played by the Internet-based tools inside a psychotherapeutic or psychological treatment. The main goal of this article is to provide a framework for the integration of new technological tools and settings in mental health care. Different theoretical positions about the possible role played by Internet based therapy (e-therapy) are reported showing the possible changes that psychotherapy will necessarily cope with.