COMPUTER COMMUNICATION FOR PSYCHIATRIC RESEARCH/THERAPY

THE PURPOSE OF THE PROJECT IS TO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT COMPUTER HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE WHICH CAN BE USED TO COLLECT ONGOING RESEARCH DATA FROM PSYCHIATRIC OUTPATIENTS WITH RESPECT TO SUCH TOPICS AS PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGICAL SIDE EFFECTS, AND ONGOING THERAPY RELATED INFORMATION FROM NONINSTITUTIONALIZED PSYCHIATRIC PATIENTS, AND TO PROVIDE AND MONITOR ""HOMEWORK'' ACTIVITIES AMONG SUCH PATIENTS WITH RESPECT TO CERTAIN TREATMENT PROTOCOLS. PHASE I ACTIVITIES WILL INCLUDE A FIELD TEST INVOLVING 40 SUBJECTS: 20 OUTPATIENTS FROM A MAJOR PSYCHIATRIC FACILITY, AND 20 PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGICAL RESEARCH SUBJECTS FROM A SECOND MAJOR TEACHING FACILITY. PHASE I EVALUATION WILL FOCUS ON ISSUES RELATING TO FEASIBILITY: COST, COMPLIANCE, AND SATISFACTION OF PARTICIPANTS, BOTH PATIENTS AND PRACTITIONERS.