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Digital media are arguably the most vital communication methods of our time. Technological advancements have afforded us the tools to readily make media using digital technologies and share them with our social networks across the world.
The rapidly changing communication environment of the digital age has generated needed discussion amongst social work scholars regarding the ethical and practical implications of digital media technologies within the therapeutic context mostly centered on technology-mediated client-therapist interactions. However, an evaluation of digital media-making (DMM) as therapy is critically lacking in this discussion, despite support from practitioners and scholars across several disciplines who have employed such methods. Some promising empirical studies of the use of DMM as therapy highlight the need for a more nuanced and critical understanding of the benefits and risks of DMM as a therapeutic practice in social work and related fields.
Methods:
To identify best practices for harnessing the therapeutic potential of DMM while mitigating potential risks, this study systematically reviews and evaluates the academic literature on DMM as therapy in social work and related disciplines. Six databases were searched with relevant search terms, yielding 35 studies after applying inclusion criteria. Studies were evaluated for methodological rigor, and findings were analyzed to identify distinct forms of DMM therapies and their respective therapeutic benefits and hazards, relative to client population and presenting problem.
Results:
Multimedia biography, digital collage, collaborative digital assessment tools, digital art therapy, digital storytelling, and film/video production are distinct forms of DMM therapies that emerged from this review. Of these, digital storytelling currently has the largest evidence base in the scholarly literature. DMM therapies have proven to be beneficial amongst a broad range of populations, most commonly young people. Some of the most frequently mentioned therapeutic benefits include: enhanced self-efficacy, increased range of emotional expression, increased social connection, and improvements in psychosocial functioning. Issues of representation, ethics, ownership, cost, and time were the most oft-noted risks of DMM therapies. A major finding of this study is that DMM therapies are particularly effective with trauma-exposed populations, activating evidence-based psychological mechanisms commonly used in leading trauma treatment modalities, namely Exposure Titration Control and Reciprocal Inhibition Tuning.
Conclusions and Implications:
By understanding the ways in which DMM has been effectively utilized as a form of therapy, practitioners are empowered to apply evidence-based DMM practices that are relevant to our digitally-connected society in their work with clients. While most of the literature reviewed presents descriptive case studies or qualitative data from small sample sizes that is not generalizable to a broader population, this scholarship does provide a strong foundation for future research. This review illustrates the value of DMM therapies across a variety of contexts and a considerable range of populations and problems that merit further consideration to build the evidence base for such practices. The findings of this review offer initial insights that will help practitioners interested in DMM therapies to apply best practices in their use.