Ethical and Safety Concerns Regarding the Use of Mental Health–Related Apps in Counseling: Considerations for Counselors

Mental health–related smartphone apps (MHapps) have the potential to greatly enhance and enrich the counseling relationship, and dramatically improve the lives of clients. However, a large portion of MHapps have not been empirically researched and found to be effective. An average of 2 million apps are available in the Apple and Android stores, and users average more than 80 apps on their phones. Many of the apps lack disclaimers about the collection of user information, and there is no governing body to oversee and regulate app development and availability. This is particularly problematic with mental health–related smartphone apps, because many developers are not affiliated with mental health professionals, and many apps do not provide emergency information should a mental health emergency occur while using the app. Moreover, users are left to haphazardly make decisions about health-related apps usage without assistance. Counselors who supplement counseling with mental health–related smartphone apps could unknowingly violate their Code of Ethics by integrating apps that may jeopardize their clients’ safety. The authors review literature related to mental health–related app efficacy, safety, and ethics and provide a compilation of items to consider that can be used before supplementing counseling with mental health–related apps.