Smart Apps, Smarter Matches: Using Sensor Data to Improve Mental Health Support
Why should I attend?
Despite significant innovation in the mental health app space, low app usage has constrained their impact. In this webinar, Jane Mikkelson, Bridget Dwyer, and Dr. John Torous will discuss how digital phenotyping can personalize mobile app recommendations to improve user engagement (study linked here). They will also talk about the crucial role of habit formation in sustaining app use and how the real-world applications of this research can enhance mental health support.
Bridget Dwyer
Bridget joined the Division of Digital Psychiatry as a Clinical Research Coordinator under Dr. John Torous in June of 2023, shortly after graduating Northeastern University. At Northeastern, she studied Psychology with a double minor in Neuroscience and Business. At Digital Psych, her research interests/efforts surround increasing digital health access and literacy through sustainable digital interventions. She hopes to pursue a career in Clinical Psychology.
Jane Mikkelson
Jane Mikkelson is a Clinical Research Coordinator at the Division of Digital Psychiatry at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. She holds a BA in Psychology and Communication Studies and a minor in Studio Art from American University in Washington, DC. Her primary research interests surround how digital devices mediate social interactions and the development of social emotional skills, and the clinical utility of digital tools to develop precision mental health care treatments. Jane plans to pursue a PhD in Clinical Psychology with emphasis in child development.
John Torous, MD, MBI
Dr. Torous directs the Digital Psychiatry division at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, affiliated with Harvard Medical School. He's a psychiatrist and faculty member, with a background in engineering and computer science. He completed his education at UC Berkeley and UC San Diego before pursuing residency and fellowships at Harvard. He's a leading figure in exploring mobile mental health technologies, with numerous publications and leadership roles in psychiatric associations and research programs. Additionally, he serves as the editor-in-chief of JMIR Mental Health.