Engaging and supporting children and families: Technology-enhanced services research

Abstract

This chapter aims to convey the pathway to and processes by which I conduct research in technology-enhanced service delivery with children and families. I start the chapter by describing my training, with an emphasis on highlighting how a strong foundation in cognitive behavioral practice and clinical work and research with underserved groups led, perhaps unexpectedly, to my current focus on technology as a service-delivery tool with low-income families. After describing the preliminary research base for our ongoing work, I provide a case vignette, one in which I aim to convey a representative or typical family enrolled in our ongoing program of research using technology to engage low-income families of children with early onset disruptive behavior disorders in clinic-based services. Finally, I consider the advantages, as well as disadvantages, to conducting a program of research that rests and depends upon technology. An important caveat in this section is that my experiences are limited to work in a university-based research setting where a primary focus of my research includes an investment in graduate student training and development. With this in mind, I hope that this chapter informs and perhaps even excites graduate students and other trainees entering the field as they consider technology careers in mental health.