Technology's Role in Fostering Therapist-Client Collaboration and Engagement with Goals

DOI

Psychosocial therapies play a crucial role in effectively treating anxiety and depression. An integral aspect of therapy involves setting goals that clients engage in outside therapy, known as therapy homework or between-session goals . Yet clients overwhelmingly do not complete between-session goals. This study explores mental health therapists' and clients' challenges in collaborating to set and manage engagement with between-session goals, and how technology could better support them. We interviewed 13 therapists and 14 clients about their experiences with therapy goals. We identify therapist information needs for supporting the client, challenges in collaboration, and how technology can support client-therapist collaboration. Therapists need in-the-moment information about client engagement with goals to inform decision-making. Clients can feel reluctant to share information due to a lack of trust, embarrassment, or not knowing what to share. Clients could use technology to asynchronously communicate about sensitive topics to therapists. Technologies could facilitate gathering in-the-moment data that supports client-therapist collaboration for goals.