Article Review
What Your Waitlisted Clients Really Need: New Research on Digital Interventions
Reference: https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2025-07939-001
Article:
Digital Interventions for People Waitlisted for Mental Health Services: A Needs Assessment and Preference Survey
Authors: Benjamin Buck, Arya Kadakia, et al.
The Uncomfortable Truth About Our Waitlists
We all know the statistics: demand for mental health services has exploded while our workforce remains stretched thin. But a new study from the University of Washington puts real numbers to what many of us have suspected—and the findings should give us pause. When we tell clients "we'll call you when something opens up," what's actually happening during those months of waiting?
The Research Question
Benjamin Buck and his team at the University of Washington tackled three critical questions that directly impact our practice:
Who are the people on our waitlists, and what happens to them while they wait?
How does extended waiting affect their readiness for treatment when we finally have availability?
What digital resources could we realistically offer to bridge this gap?
The Study Design
The researchers surveyed 135 individuals across the U.S. who had sought mental health services in the past year but remained without care. Using rigorous online recruitment and screening methods (including phone verification to ensure data quality), they captured a diverse sample seeking various services. Participants completed comprehensive questionnaires about their demographics, symptom severity, waitlist experiences, and preferences for digital interventions.
What We Learned (And Why It Matters for Your Practice)
The Waiting Game:
The average participant had been seeking services for 7.74 months—with some waiting over three years. Most commonly, they were seeking individual therapy for anxiety (87%) and depression (75%). Perhaps most telling: only 42% were even given an estimate of wait time, and when estimates were provided, three-quarters were told to expect three months or longer.
The Motivation Paradox: A Clinical Concern
Here's where it gets concerning for those of us on the provider side. Compared to when they first sought help, waitlisted individuals showed significant decreases in:
Treatment interest (moderate effect size)
Motivation to engage (moderate effect size)
Hope for recovery (small to moderate effect size)
Belief in treatment efficacy (small to moderate effect size)
The silver lining? Symptom distress also decreased over time, suggesting some natural recovery or adaptation. But the motivation findings should worry us—we may be inheriting clients who are less engaged than when they initially reached out.
The Resource Gap
Only 8% of participants reported satisfaction with resources provided during their wait. Let that sink in. Nearly 70% were explicitly dissatisfied with what we gave them to bridge the gap. This isn't just about resources—it's about maintaining therapeutic alliance before therapy even begins.
What They Actually Want: Digital Solutions That Make Sense
The good news? There's a tremendous appetite for digital interventions specifically designed for the waitlist period. But not just any digital tools—they have clear preferences.
Delivery Method: Mobile apps were the clear winner (58% top choice), followed by websites. Social media and text messages ranked lowest.
Content Priorities:
Information about therapy types (95% interested)—they want to understand what they're waiting for
Treatment locator resources (91%)—help finding alternatives or additional options
Sleep strategies (86%)—practical, immediate relief
Interactive cognitive practices (85%)—not just psychoeducation, but skill-building
Mental health literacy (87%)—basic understanding of their conditions
Format Preferences: Interactive features like journaling prompts topped the list, followed by video content. They want engagement, not just information consumption.
Clinical Implications: What This Means for Your Practice
Rethinking Waitlist Management
This research suggests we need to reconceptualize waitlists from passive waiting periods to active intervention opportunities. The motivation decline findings indicate that how we manage waitlists directly impacts treatment outcomes.
The Digital Bridge Opportunity
The high interest in app-based interventions (83% showed moderate or greater interest) represents a scalable solution. Unlike therapist-delivered interventions, digital tools can serve unlimited waitlisted clients simultaneously without adding to clinician workload.