Preferences for Digital Smartphone Mental Health Apps Among Adolescents: Qualitative Interview Study
BackgroundMental health digital apps hold promise for providing scalable solutions to individual self-care, education, and illness prevention. However, a problem with these apps is that they lack engaging user interfaces and experiences and thus potentially result in high att...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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JMIR Publications
2021-08-01
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| Series: | JMIR Formative Research |
| Online Access: | https://formative.jmir.org/2021/8/e14004 |
| _version_ | 1827859115293016064 |
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| author | Robert Ribanszki Jose Andres Saez Fonseca Joseph Matthew Barnby Kimberly Jano Fatima Osmani Soma Almasi Elias Tsakanikos |
| author_facet | Robert Ribanszki Jose Andres Saez Fonseca Joseph Matthew Barnby Kimberly Jano Fatima Osmani Soma Almasi Elias Tsakanikos |
| author_sort | Robert Ribanszki |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
BackgroundMental health digital apps hold promise for providing scalable solutions to individual self-care, education, and illness prevention. However, a problem with these apps is that they lack engaging user interfaces and experiences and thus potentially result in high attrition. Although guidelines for new digital interventions for adults have begun to examine engagement, there is a paucity of evidence on how to best address digital interventions for adolescents. As adolescence is a period of transition, during which the onset of many potentially lifelong mental health conditions frequently occurs, understanding how best to engage this population is crucial.
ObjectiveThe study aims to detect potential barriers to engagement and to gather feedback on the current elements of app design regarding user experience, user interface, and content.
MethodsThis study used a qualitative design. A sample of 14 adolescents was asked to use the app for 1 week and was interviewed using a semistructured interview schedule. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed using thematic analysis.
ResultsOverall, 13 participants completed the interviews. The authors developed 6 main themes and 20 subthemes based on the data that influenced engagement with and the perceived usefulness of the app. Our main themes were timing, stigma, perception, congruity, usefulness, and user experience.
ConclusionsIn line with previous research, we suggest how these aspects of app development should be considered for future apps that aim to prevent and manage mental health conditions. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T13:03:44Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ad2d2fab9ea9454496b58e5d70551f00 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2561-326X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T13:03:44Z |
| publishDate | 2021-08-01 |
| publisher | JMIR Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | JMIR Formative Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-ad2d2fab9ea9454496b58e5d70551f002023-08-28T18:34:23ZengJMIR PublicationsJMIR Formative Research2561-326X2021-08-0158e1400410.2196/14004Preferences for Digital Smartphone Mental Health Apps Among Adolescents: Qualitative Interview StudyRobert Ribanszkihttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-7760-1432Jose Andres Saez Fonsecahttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-0373-3213Joseph Matthew Barnbyhttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-6002-1362Kimberly Janohttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-6450-8044Fatima Osmanihttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-2294-5999Soma Almasihttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-1355-4358Elias Tsakanikoshttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-7792-5402 BackgroundMental health digital apps hold promise for providing scalable solutions to individual self-care, education, and illness prevention. However, a problem with these apps is that they lack engaging user interfaces and experiences and thus potentially result in high attrition. Although guidelines for new digital interventions for adults have begun to examine engagement, there is a paucity of evidence on how to best address digital interventions for adolescents. As adolescence is a period of transition, during which the onset of many potentially lifelong mental health conditions frequently occurs, understanding how best to engage this population is crucial. ObjectiveThe study aims to detect potential barriers to engagement and to gather feedback on the current elements of app design regarding user experience, user interface, and content. MethodsThis study used a qualitative design. A sample of 14 adolescents was asked to use the app for 1 week and was interviewed using a semistructured interview schedule. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed using thematic analysis. ResultsOverall, 13 participants completed the interviews. The authors developed 6 main themes and 20 subthemes based on the data that influenced engagement with and the perceived usefulness of the app. Our main themes were timing, stigma, perception, congruity, usefulness, and user experience. ConclusionsIn line with previous research, we suggest how these aspects of app development should be considered for future apps that aim to prevent and manage mental health conditions.https://formative.jmir.org/2021/8/e14004 |
| spellingShingle | Robert Ribanszki Jose Andres Saez Fonseca Joseph Matthew Barnby Kimberly Jano Fatima Osmani Soma Almasi Elias Tsakanikos Preferences for Digital Smartphone Mental Health Apps Among Adolescents: Qualitative Interview Study JMIR Formative Research |
| title | Preferences for Digital Smartphone Mental Health Apps Among Adolescents: Qualitative Interview Study |
| title_full | Preferences for Digital Smartphone Mental Health Apps Among Adolescents: Qualitative Interview Study |
| title_fullStr | Preferences for Digital Smartphone Mental Health Apps Among Adolescents: Qualitative Interview Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Preferences for Digital Smartphone Mental Health Apps Among Adolescents: Qualitative Interview Study |
| title_short | Preferences for Digital Smartphone Mental Health Apps Among Adolescents: Qualitative Interview Study |
| title_sort | preferences for digital smartphone mental health apps among adolescents qualitative interview study |
| url | https://formative.jmir.org/2021/8/e14004 |
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