Personalized, But How? A Systematic Review of Methods and Measures in Personalized Interventions

Personalized psychological interventions aim to tailor therapy to an individual’s unique needs, preferences, and functioning. Although recent meta-analyses have demonstrated the effectiveness of personalization, less is known about how personalization is actually operationalized in practice. This systematic review examined the methods and measures used to personalize psychological interventions. We analyzed twenty-nine studies identified through two recent meta-analyses and an updated systematic search. We classified study methods, decision strategies, and the content of 51 unique measures using the Collect-Share-Act model. Most personalization relied on static, pre-treatment data and used limited measurement domains, predominantly focused on affective and cognitive domains, neglecting other areas like self and motivation. Therapist input and patient engagement in the personalization process were infrequent. These findings suggest that current personalization practices are narrow in scope and underutilize feedback-informed and process-based frameworks. Broadening measurement domains and strengthening patient–therapist input may enhance the flexibility and impact of personalized interventions.