THE OVER-ALL OBJECTIVE OF THE PROPOSED RESEARCH IS TO DEVELOP THE MEANS (SOFTWARE, INSTUCTIONS, SELF-TEACHING PACKAGES) TO ASSIST SOLE PRACTITIONERS IN MENTAL HEALTH FIELDS TO EXTEND THEIR PROFESSIONAL CAPABILITIES THROUGH THEUSE OF MICROCOMPUTERS

THE OVER-ALL OBJECTIVE OF THE PROPOSED RESEARCH IS TO DEVELOP THE MEANS (SOFTWARE, INSTUCTIONS, SELF-TEACHING PACKAGES) TO ASSIST SOLE PRACTITIONERS IN MENTAL HEALTH FIELDS TO EXTEND THEIR PROFESSIONAL CAPABILITIES THROUGH THEUSE OF MICROCOMPUTERS SYSTEMS. THE SPECIFIC AIM OF THE PHASE I FEASIBILITY STUDY IS TO DETERMINE WHAT KINDS OF MICROCOMPUTER SYSTEMS WOULD MOST EFFECTIVELY ASSIST SOLE PROVIDERS. THE STUDY WILL DOCUMENT THE SPECIFIC COMPUTER INFORMATION REQUIREMENTS OF PRACTICING PSYCHIATRISTS AND PSYCHOLOGISTS AND THE CURRENT STATUS OF HARDWARE, SOFTWARE AND TRAINING PACKAGES FOR THE MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDER. INFORMATION NEEDS AND USES OF THE MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALWILL BE DETERMINED THROUGH A LITERATURE SURVEY, QUESTIONNAIRE SURVEY, AND IN-DEPTH INTERVIEWS. ASSESSMENT OF COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY WILL BE CONDUCTED THROUGH PUBLISHED AND UNPUBLISHED LITERATURE REVIEWS, TELEPHONE INTERVIEWS, AND SITE VISITS TO VENDOR/DEALERS FOR HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE WITH THE TECHNOLOGY.