Computer Mediated Communication for the Enhancement of Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy and psychosocial interventions rely mainly on verbal communication and language. With the expanding use of computers as well as the capacity of the Internet to bridge geographic distances and to increase access, computer mediated communication (CMC) plays an increasing role for the delivery of psychosocial interventions. This chapter focuses on the advantages and limitations of CMC for psychosocial and psychotherapeutic approaches and introduces three specific CMC-based interventions developed for the provision of step-down treatments in psychotherapy, in which e-mail, Internet chat and the Short Message Service (SMS) were used. Empirical findings on the feasibility, user acceptance, and effectiveness of these interventions are reported. Finally, future perspectives for CMC in psychosocial and psychotherapeutic contexts as well as research directions are outlined.