Digital Innovations and Emerging Technologies in Clinical Psychology  – Volume II

This Research Topic is the second collection on 'Digital Innovations and Emerging Technologies in Clinical Psychology' exploring telepsychology, eHealth, AI, VR and mHealth. You can check out the first Research Topic here.

Clinical psychology is seeing a transformation driven by digital innovations and emerging technologies across varied contexts and clinical settings. With advances in telepsychology, eHealth, artificial intelligence (AI), virtual reality (VR), and mobile health (mHealth), clinicians now have wider opportunities to enhance the way psychological assessment, intervention, and care are delivered. Recent studies highlight that digital platforms can improve accessibility, cost-effectiveness, and personalization, particularly for populations underserved by traditional systems. However, gaps remain regarding the consistent effectiveness of these interventions, their integration into standard care and clinical practice, as well as the ethical, legal, and privacy considerations they raise. Some models, such as blended care and technology-assisted therapies, show promise; further research exploration is needed regarding engagement, adherence, and long-term outcomes.

This Research Topic aims to explore and collate the translational impact of digital innovation in clinical psychology, with a focus on effectiveness, safety, and equitable integration into clinical and wider settings. The collection hopes to evaluate clinical outcomes across psychiatric and psychological conditions, understanding technological adoption by practitioners and patients, and addressing challenges in implementation and digital literacy. The collection welcomes investigations that bridge laboratory-developed solutions with real-world practice and that help inform evidence-based guidelines for integrating such tools into clinical contexts.

The scope of this Research Topic includes empirical, theoretical, and methodological contributions addressing digital and technological advancements in clinical psychology with direct relevance to clinical populations and clinical practice settings. Submissions may include, but are not limited to, the following themes:

• Telepsychology and hybrid models exploring clinical outcomes, engagement, and best practices
• Effectiveness, usability, and adherence in eHealth and mHealth interventions
• AI applications for diagnosis, clinical support, and patient interaction; transparency and validation
• VR and AR interventions for therapy and assessment, and comparative effectiveness
• Blended care approaches, implementation strategies, and cost-effectiveness analyses
• Digital literacy, clinician adoption, and organizational readiness
• Equity, access, and cultural responsiveness in digital mental health
• Ethical, legal, and privacy challenges in clinical technology use

The collection welcomes various article types including original research, systematic and scoping reviews, registered reports, clinical trials, qualitative and mixed-methods studies, implementation research, protocol papers, and meta-analyses that meet these aims.