Subscribers’ Perspectives and Satisfaction with the MoreGoodDays Supportive Text Messaging Program and the Impact of the Program on Self-Rated Clinical Measures

<b>Background:</b> Young adults (18 to 30 years of age) are confronted with numerous challenges, such as academic stressors and peer pressure. The MoreGoodDays program was co-designed with young adults to alleviate psychological issues, improve their mental well-being and provide support...

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Main Authors: Belinda Agyapong, Reham Shalaby, Ejemai Eboreime, Katherine Hay, Rachal Pattison, Mark Korthuis, Yifeng Wei, Vincent Israel Opoku Agyapong
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-01-01
Series:Journal of Clinical Medicine
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/13/2/580
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author Belinda Agyapong
Reham Shalaby
Ejemai Eboreime
Katherine Hay
Rachal Pattison
Mark Korthuis
Yifeng Wei
Vincent Israel Opoku Agyapong
author_facet Belinda Agyapong
Reham Shalaby
Ejemai Eboreime
Katherine Hay
Rachal Pattison
Mark Korthuis
Yifeng Wei
Vincent Israel Opoku Agyapong
author_sort Belinda Agyapong
collection DOAJ
description <b>Background:</b> Young adults (18 to 30 years of age) are confronted with numerous challenges, such as academic stressors and peer pressure. The MoreGoodDays program was co-designed with young adults to alleviate psychological issues, improve their mental well-being and provide support for young adults in Alberta during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. <b>Objective:</b> The current study aimed to explore subscribers’ perspectives and satisfaction with the MoreGoodDays supportive text messaging program and the impact of the program on self-rated clinical measures. <b>Methods:</b> Subscribers of the MoreGoodDays program were invited via a link delivered in a text message to complete online evaluation surveys at six weeks, three months and six months. Program perception and satisfaction questions were adapted from those used to evaluate related programs. Anxiety, depression and PTSD symptoms were respectively assessed using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 scale, the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 scale and the PTSD Civilian Checklist 5, and resilience levels were assessed using the Brief Resilience Scale (BRS). Data were analyzed with SPSS version 26 for Windows utilizing descriptive and inferential statistics. <b>Results:</b> There was a total of 168 respondents across the three follow-up time points (six weeks, three months and six months). The overall mean satisfaction with the MoreGoodDays program was 8.74 (SD = 1.4). A total of 116 (69.1%) respondents agreed or strongly agreed that MoreGoodDays messages helped them cope with stress, and 118 (70.3) agreed the messages helped them cope with loneliness. Similarly, 130 (77.3%) respondents agreed that MoreGoodDays messages made them feel connected to a support system, and 135 (80.4) indicated the program helped to improve their overall mental well-being. In relation to clinical outcomes, the ANOVA test showed no significant differences in mean scores for the PHQ-9, GAD-7 and PCL-C scales and the BRS from baseline to the three follow-up time points. In addition, there was no statistically significant difference in the prevalence of likely GAD, likely MDD, likely PTSD and low resilience at baseline and at six weeks. <b>Conclusions:</b> Notwithstanding the lack of statistically significant clinical improvement in subscribers of the MoreGoodDays program, the high program satisfaction suggests that subscribers accepted the technology-based intervention co-created with young adults, and this offers a vital tool to complement existing programs.
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spelling doaj.art-9efc7ca42671408db8e402df7febcc732024-01-29T14:03:22ZengMDPI AGJournal of Clinical Medicine2077-03832024-01-0113258010.3390/jcm13020580Subscribers’ Perspectives and Satisfaction with the MoreGoodDays Supportive Text Messaging Program and the Impact of the Program on Self-Rated Clinical MeasuresBelinda Agyapong0Reham Shalaby1Ejemai Eboreime2Katherine Hay3Rachal Pattison4Mark Korthuis5Yifeng Wei6Vincent Israel Opoku Agyapong7Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2B7, CanadaDepartment of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2B7, CanadaDepartment of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3H 2E2, CanadaKickstand, Edmonton, AB T5K 2J5, CanadaKickstand, Edmonton, AB T5K 2J5, CanadaGlenrose Rehabilitation Hospital Foundation, Edmonton, AB T5G 0B7, CanadaDepartment of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2B7, CanadaDepartment of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2B7, Canada<b>Background:</b> Young adults (18 to 30 years of age) are confronted with numerous challenges, such as academic stressors and peer pressure. The MoreGoodDays program was co-designed with young adults to alleviate psychological issues, improve their mental well-being and provide support for young adults in Alberta during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. <b>Objective:</b> The current study aimed to explore subscribers’ perspectives and satisfaction with the MoreGoodDays supportive text messaging program and the impact of the program on self-rated clinical measures. <b>Methods:</b> Subscribers of the MoreGoodDays program were invited via a link delivered in a text message to complete online evaluation surveys at six weeks, three months and six months. Program perception and satisfaction questions were adapted from those used to evaluate related programs. Anxiety, depression and PTSD symptoms were respectively assessed using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 scale, the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 scale and the PTSD Civilian Checklist 5, and resilience levels were assessed using the Brief Resilience Scale (BRS). Data were analyzed with SPSS version 26 for Windows utilizing descriptive and inferential statistics. <b>Results:</b> There was a total of 168 respondents across the three follow-up time points (six weeks, three months and six months). The overall mean satisfaction with the MoreGoodDays program was 8.74 (SD = 1.4). A total of 116 (69.1%) respondents agreed or strongly agreed that MoreGoodDays messages helped them cope with stress, and 118 (70.3) agreed the messages helped them cope with loneliness. Similarly, 130 (77.3%) respondents agreed that MoreGoodDays messages made them feel connected to a support system, and 135 (80.4) indicated the program helped to improve their overall mental well-being. In relation to clinical outcomes, the ANOVA test showed no significant differences in mean scores for the PHQ-9, GAD-7 and PCL-C scales and the BRS from baseline to the three follow-up time points. In addition, there was no statistically significant difference in the prevalence of likely GAD, likely MDD, likely PTSD and low resilience at baseline and at six weeks. <b>Conclusions:</b> Notwithstanding the lack of statistically significant clinical improvement in subscribers of the MoreGoodDays program, the high program satisfaction suggests that subscribers accepted the technology-based intervention co-created with young adults, and this offers a vital tool to complement existing programs.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/13/2/580MoreGoodDayssatisfactionyoung adultscognitive behavioural therapytext messages
spellingShingle Belinda Agyapong
Reham Shalaby
Ejemai Eboreime
Katherine Hay
Rachal Pattison
Mark Korthuis
Yifeng Wei
Vincent Israel Opoku Agyapong
Subscribers’ Perspectives and Satisfaction with the MoreGoodDays Supportive Text Messaging Program and the Impact of the Program on Self-Rated Clinical Measures
Journal of Clinical Medicine
MoreGoodDays
satisfaction
young adults
cognitive behavioural therapy
text messages
title Subscribers’ Perspectives and Satisfaction with the MoreGoodDays Supportive Text Messaging Program and the Impact of the Program on Self-Rated Clinical Measures
title_full Subscribers’ Perspectives and Satisfaction with the MoreGoodDays Supportive Text Messaging Program and the Impact of the Program on Self-Rated Clinical Measures
title_fullStr Subscribers’ Perspectives and Satisfaction with the MoreGoodDays Supportive Text Messaging Program and the Impact of the Program on Self-Rated Clinical Measures
title_full_unstemmed Subscribers’ Perspectives and Satisfaction with the MoreGoodDays Supportive Text Messaging Program and the Impact of the Program on Self-Rated Clinical Measures
title_short Subscribers’ Perspectives and Satisfaction with the MoreGoodDays Supportive Text Messaging Program and the Impact of the Program on Self-Rated Clinical Measures
title_sort subscribers perspectives and satisfaction with the moregooddays supportive text messaging program and the impact of the program on self rated clinical measures
topic MoreGoodDays
satisfaction
young adults
cognitive behavioural therapy
text messages
url https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/13/2/580
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