PhD Scientific Days 2025

Mental Health Sciences I.

E-Mental Health in Contemporary Clinical Practice: Technologies, Applications, and Multidisciplinary Perspectives

Name of the presenter

Fontanini Walter

Institute/workplace of the presenter

Semmelweis Univ, Doctoral School of Mental Health Sciences

Authors

Mr. Walter Fontanini¹

1: Semmelweis University, Doctoral School of Mental Health Sciences

Text of the abstract

Introduction
E-mental health technologies—including internet-delivered interventions, mobile health applications, wearable biosensors, AI-based conversational agents, and social media platforms—are reshaping psychological care. Growing demands for accessibility, scalability, and personalisation drive their development. This paper examines the clinical potential, technological challenges, and socioethical implications of e-mental health, focusing on integrating AI chatbots and social media within therapeutic ecosystems. The presentation adopts a multidisciplinary lens, incorporating psychological, sociological, and digital ethical frameworks.
Methods
The analysis is based on a structured narrative review of scholarly literature published between 2018 and 2024, including randomised controlled trials, meta-analyses, and regulatory reports. Domains under investigation include AI-mediated e-therapy (e.g., Woebot, Wysa), digital peer support via social media, and hybrid models such as blended and stepped-care interventions. Findings are contextualised through an interdisciplinary synthesis, informed by clinical psychology, technology ethics, and the sociology of health.
Results
AI-based chat therapy tools have shown preliminary efficacy for anxiety and depression symptom reduction in low-intensity formats. Yet, challenges remain concerning therapeutic alliance, algorithmic opacity, and safety in crisis scenarios. Social media platforms provide informal peer support and psychoeducational content but may also expose users to misinformation and affective dysregulation. Blended approaches, combining digital tools with human oversight, appear most viable for sustainable adoption.
Discussion
E-mental health must be understood not merely as a set of technologies but as a complex socio-technical transformation in the delivery and experience of psychological care. Future development must integrate clinical evidence with ethical design, interdisciplinary collaboration, and equity-focused policy to address its limitations while harnessing its potential. This contribution argues for a critical and reflexive approach to digital mental health innovation that supports therapeutic integrity, professional standards, and the existential dimensions of care
No funding
Keywords: E-mental health; AI therapy; social media; digital interventions; interdisciplinary mental health