Emerging Role for Technology in Positive Psychiatry Interventions

Increasing well-being, happiness, resilience, wisdom, and related positive psychiatry outcomes is possible via behavioral and psychological interventions. Convergence of psychiatry with computer science, engineering, and related disciplines will allow for the impact of these interventions to be personalized, maintained, and augmented in a number of ways. To illustrate such potential impacts, the authors use an example of a recent trial of a novel intervention to improve resilience within senior housing communities. Specialized technologies have the potential to improve fidelity and dissemination of positive psychiatry interventions. With the shortage of specialized mental health clinicians and the growing need for mental health services, technology can be used to extend the in-clinic services and provide greater support in the free-living environment. Development of such technologies to improve well-being will require mental health specialists to work directly with computer scientists, engineers, and people with mental illnesses. These collaborations will require infrastructure and support from research and academic organizations that partner with industry and community-based agencies and organizations.