Webinar - A Review of the Evolving Role and Scope of Internet - and Mobile-based Mental Health Interventions

Digital technologies are reshaping the landscape of mental health care—and at the center of this transformation are Internet- and Mobile-Based Interventions (IMIs). Since EFPA’s 2018 report on IMIs, the field has evolved dramatically, driven by new technologies, implementation research, and the growing potential of artificial intelligence.

In this webinar, we’ll explore findings from a newly updated narrative review on the use of IMIs in mental health prevention and treatment. We’ll dive into the latest evidence, examine how IMIs are categorized and applied, and discuss the emerging role of AI in shaping personalized digital care. We’ll also confront real-world questions. What legal, ethical, and clinical challenges remain? How are IMIs being implemented in routine care? What can we do to ensure equitable access and responsible integration?

The webinar is intended to offer a nuanced view of both the promise and the pitfalls of digital interventions, and outlines why IMIs are not just tools of the future—but essential assets for mental health practitioners today.

About the speaker:

João Salgado is a psychologist and researcher with expertise in process outcome studies, with a particular focus on depression, psychotherapy, and e-health interventions. His current focus as a researcher is to study and develop better practices facilitating mental emotional processing, as well to better understand the emotional mechanisms of change in those same practices. As the principal investigator of funded projects, his grants have been mainly in the treatment of depression. The most recent ones, "iCare4Depression" and "STOP Depression," both aimed to develop innovative blended psychotherapy interventions integrating face-to-face sessions with digital solutions for depression management and prevention. His publication record includes 81 publications, comprising peer-reviewed articles, book chapters, conference papers, and co-authored books. He is currently serving as the Vice-Rector for Research at the University of Maia since July 2021 and has held several positions related with academic management throughout his career. He has also been actively involved in assessing grant proposals for the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) and has gained international experience in evaluating doctoral dissertations in Portugal, Spain, Finland, and Ireland.

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Recording available here :