Mobile phones and all that they interact with—including
apps, wearable sensors, and social media—are deeply affecting
every aspect of life. They help one navigate not only places and
purchases, but also social identities and psychological transitions.
Many apps invite self-tracking of emotional and physical
health, and participation in citizen science, in which individuals
contribute their data for self-investigation and to enable population
studies. Mobile technology is beginning to influence
psychological assessment and intervention. Therapeutic intervention
based on tracking will become increasingly sophisticated,
offering therapeutic value to many who do not have
access to therapy and enhancing therapy for those who are in
treatment. Wearable sensors will facilitate self-tracking, identify
contextual variables associated with distress, and help tailor
mobile therapy to one’s situation. Social networking applications,
largely accessed through mobile phones, pose both promise
and risk for mental health, as people share very personal
data in search of support, role modeling, and insights about how
they relate to others. As consumers demand more nuanced
expression and control over their data, applications will emerge
that are increasingly valuable for enhancing assessment and
psychotherapy. Clinicians who stay abreast of technology advances
and associated research will be able to help their patients
reap the most benefit from these tools.