The rapid growth in the use of smartphones has opened a new world of opportunities for use in behavioral health care. Mobile phone software applications (apps) are available for a variety of useful tasks to include symptom assessment, psychoeducation, resource location, and tracking of treatment progress. The latest two-way communication functionality of smartphones also brings new capabilities for telemental health. There is very little information available, however, regarding the integration of smartphone and other mobile technology into care. In this paper, we provide an overview of smartphone use in behavioral health care and discuss options for integrating mobile technology into clinical practice. We also discuss limitations, practical issues, and recommendations.

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ObjectiveThis research developed and tested the Military Stigma Scale (MSS), a 26‐item scale, designed to measure public and self‐stigma, two theorized core components of mental health stigma.MethodThe sample comprised 1,038 active duty soldiers recruited from a large Army installation. Soldiers’ mean age was 26.7 (standard deviation = 5.9) years, and 93.6% were male. The sample was randomly split into a scale development group (n = 520) and a confirmatory group (n = 518).ResultsFactor analysis conducted with the scale development group resulted in the adoption of two factors, named public and self‐stigma, accounting for 52.1% of the variance. Confirmatory factor analysis conducted with the confirmatory group indicated good fit for the two‐factor model. Both factors were components of a higher order stigma factor. The public and self‐stigma scales for the exploratory and confirmatory groups demonstrated good internal consistency (α = .94 and .89; α = .95 and .87, respectively). Demographic differences in stigma were consistent with theory and previous empirical research: Soldiers who had seen a mental health provider scored lower in self‐stigma than those who had not.ConclusionsThe MSS comprises two internally consistent dimensions that appear to capture the constructs of public and self‐stigma. The overall results indicate that public and self‐stigma are dimensions of stigma that are relevant to active duty soldiers and suggest the need to assess these dimensions in future military stigma research.

Telemental health (TMH) care provided directly to the home is an emerging area of care delivery. TMH care involves awareness of safety issues and adequate safety planning, although detailed practical recommendations for home-based TMH safety planning are absent in the literature. With this article we aim to increase awareness of safety issues associated with home-based synchronous TMH treatment and to discuss recommendations for consistent safety planning that can inform the development of standard operating procedures, emergency protocols, and overall good TMH practice. Specific areas discussed include consideration of state and local requirements, appropriateness of TMH care, technology and infrastructure, and emergency management and monitoring procedures. The topic of safety, as it relates to TMH policy, as well as the need for additional TMH research are also discussed.

Religious variables, including religious support and spiritual struggle, might affect recovery from severe mental illnesses.

An upward trend of suicides has emerged in the U.S. military, and record high suicide rates have been reported. There is abundant evidence of the negative consequences of trauma, especially posttraumatic stress disorder, as risk factors for suicide. However, stressful events and trauma sometimes can have positive psychological consequences, commonly labeled posttraumatic growth (PTG). Little formal research has examined the role of PTG in moderating suicide in the military. We examined the relationship between PTG and suicidal ideation in data reported by 5302 service members with war zone or combat experience completing the Army's Automated Behavioral Health Clinic electronic screening. Controlling for other known risk factors for suicide, we found that the more PTG service members reported, the less suicidal ideation they subsequently espoused. Our results suggest the need for further research to determine the potential clinical value of PTG as a therapeutic component of suicide prevention.

Practicing psycbologists and otber bealtb professionals are facing a growing patient population of United States military service members witb significant psycbological and behavioral bealtb concems retuming from war zones in Afgbanistan and Iraq. Some of these issues are new and unfamiliar to many bealtb providers. Furtbermore, because of a military culture of self-reliance, strengtb, and tbe perceived stigma of seeking mental bealtb services, a second and substantial population of service members-in-need is cboosing not to consult bealtb professionals at all. Tbe Intemet and otber networked multimedia tecbnologies now offer a deb expert resource for providers, and an anonymous, less stigmatizing venue for self-management for service members and tbeir families. Over tbe last 2 years tbe U.S. Defense Department's National Center for Telebealtb & Tecbnology bas developed afterdeployment.org, a Web-based set of resources, tools, and aids for service members, veterans, and tbeir families, afterdeployment.org provides education and skills-development exercises aimed at overcoming cballenges to tbe adjustment process after a deployment. Tbe Website also provides bealtb professionals witb a comprebensive resource to serve as an adjunct to face to face treatment of individuals in tbe military community.

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