title: Systematic review of research investigating psychotherapy and information and communication technologies.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Information and communication technologies (ICTs) are devices, services and knowledge that reproduce, process and distribute information. Psychotherapy has been influenced by these technologies, and there is a tendency for their role to expand.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe the current panorama of the scientific literature on psychotherapy and ICTs.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a systematic and descriptive review. Searches were run on the electronic databases Biblioteca Virtual em Saude (BVS), PsycINFO, Scopus, PePSIC, ScienceDirect and Index Psi, using the Boolean operator AND and the descriptors psychotherapy, computers, Internet, cell phones and social networks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A considerable volume of empirical research was found, published recently in many different parts of the world, especially in the United States. There is very little Brazilian research on the subject. The majority of the studies identified assess the efficacy or describe the development of techniques and psychotherapies, via ICTs, for prevention, diagnosis or treatment of mental and behavioral disorders. The psychopathology most investigated in this area is depression and it was not possible to draw conclusions on a possible trend for research into the subject to increase. The technology most investigated was the Internet and cognitive-behavioral therapy was the most common theoretical approach in these studies.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Systematic reviews of published studies can detect gaps in the research agenda within a specific field of knowledge.
authors.affiliation: Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Sílvia Cristina Marceliano
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Hallberg
authors.affiliation: PUCRS, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Carolina Saraiva de Macedo
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Lisboa
authors.affiliation: Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Déborah Brandão
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: de Souza
authors.affiliation: PUCRS, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ariela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mester
authors.affiliation: PUCRS, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Andréia Zambon
authors.initials: AZ
authors.lastname: Braga
authors.affiliation: PUCRS, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Artur Marques
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Strey
authors.affiliation: PUCRS, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Camila Sartori
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: da Silva
mesh_terms: D001938:Brazil; D040421:Cell Phone; D006801:Humans; D038622:Internationality; D020407:Internet; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000628:therapy; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000295:instrumentation*