Multidisciplinary Training Program in Digital Mental Health

The long-term goal of the Multidisciplinary Training Program in Digital Mental Health is to develop the field of digital mental health by continuing to provide postdoctoral training that integrates behavioral and psychological sciences (BPS) and human-computer interaction (HCI; encompassing design, computer science, communication, engineering, and human factors) aimed at producing successful, independent investigators who will become leaders in this emerging field. Digital mental health, which focuses technology use and implementation in the psychological and behavioral sciences, requires expertise across a range of disciplines. However, research and training has largely been siloed. This multidisciplinary training program is breaking down those silos for the next generation of researchers. We recruit a mix of fellows in BPS and HCI. Fellows develop core competencies in digital mental health, team science, research methods, leadership, as well as other topics as needed such as implementation science or computer science. Fellows expand their skills in their research domain, and also develop a working understanding of the methods and principles in the complementary domain that the fellow is learning (e.g. BPS for HCI fellows, HCI design methods for BPS fellows). Each trainee is co-mentored by a faculty member who specializes in BPS research and one specializing in HCI. At least 75% of the fellow’s time is spent in mentored research. To support these research activities, the program offers seminars, professional development activities, workshops, and other didactic experiences to prepare the fellow for a successful research career. The program is housed in Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine and supported by faculty and programs from the McCormick School of Engineering, and the School of Communication, which together provide a rich training experience. Fellows have access to the wide range of educational resources made available by Northwestern, including grant writing workshops, paper writing seminars, team science training, and other resources dedicated to career development. This program was the first in the nation to jointly train mental health and technology specialists and serves as a model for the emerging field of digital mental health. We propose to admit 2 fellows each year for a two year fellowship.