Digital Therapeutics in Child Psychiatry: Harnessing Technology to Treat Pediatric Mental Health

Abstract

Abstract Innovations in interface design have made digital mediums increasingly appealing to children and adolescents. Today’s youth adapt quickly to new digital technologies, from smartphones to video game consoles. These factors have fueled interest in digital therapeutics to augment existing treatment modalities for various pediatric diseases. Digital therapeutics use gamification, momentary symptom assessment, and sensor-based data collection to provide immediate feedback to users in order to teach skills and manage maladaptive thoughts and behaviors. The first Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved digital therapeutic for child mental health, EndeavorRx, was approved in 2020 for the treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)-associated symptoms. Other promising digital treatments include ecological momentary intervention (EMI) protocols for depression and anxiety and as mindfulness-based interventions for substance use disorders (SUDs). Despite the surging interest in digital therapeutics for mental health, their efficacy remains mostly unclear. Independent clinical trials are few in number, and it is challenging to compare studies that use different study populations, methodologies, and/or outcome measures. Outstanding issues of data security, digital literacy, and lack of clinician familiarity further limit incorporation of digital therapeutics into the clinical setting. Collaborative problem-solving between private industry, researchers, clinicians, and policymakers will be critical in order to ensure the creation of both efficacious technologies and equitable access.

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