Engagement in Digital Mental Health Interventions: Can Monetary Incentives Help?
Digital mental health interventions (DMHI) are scalable and cost-effective strategies for increasing access to mental health care; however, dropout rates associated with digital interventions are high, particularly for open-access digital interventions. While some studies have focused on predictors...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2021-11-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.746324/full |
| _version_ | 1819002711171923968 |
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| author | Eliane M. Boucher Haley E. Ward Amelia C. Mounts Acacia C. Parks |
| author_facet | Eliane M. Boucher Haley E. Ward Amelia C. Mounts Acacia C. Parks |
| author_sort | Eliane M. Boucher |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Digital mental health interventions (DMHI) are scalable and cost-effective strategies for increasing access to mental health care; however, dropout rates associated with digital interventions are high, particularly for open-access digital interventions. While some studies have focused on predictors of dropout from digital mental health programs, few studies have focused on engagement features that might improve engagement. In this perspective article, we discuss whether monetary incentives (MI) are one avenue to increasing user engagement in DMHI. We begin by reviewing the literature on the effects of MI for behavior change in health domains (e.g., dietary behaviors, substance use, and medication adherence). Then, drawing on a pilot study we conducted to test the effects of different levels of MI on usage and improvement in subjective well-being among users of a DMHI (Happify), we discuss the potential applications of MI for DMHI, the potential drawbacks of financial incentives in this context, and open questions for future research. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-20T23:09:27Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c9b11c1c619f4391a0676931c8403f6b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-20T23:09:27Z |
| publishDate | 2021-11-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-c9b11c1c619f4391a0676931c8403f6b2022-12-21T19:23:47ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782021-11-011210.3389/fpsyg.2021.746324746324Engagement in Digital Mental Health Interventions: Can Monetary Incentives Help?Eliane M. BoucherHaley E. WardAmelia C. MountsAcacia C. ParksDigital mental health interventions (DMHI) are scalable and cost-effective strategies for increasing access to mental health care; however, dropout rates associated with digital interventions are high, particularly for open-access digital interventions. While some studies have focused on predictors of dropout from digital mental health programs, few studies have focused on engagement features that might improve engagement. In this perspective article, we discuss whether monetary incentives (MI) are one avenue to increasing user engagement in DMHI. We begin by reviewing the literature on the effects of MI for behavior change in health domains (e.g., dietary behaviors, substance use, and medication adherence). Then, drawing on a pilot study we conducted to test the effects of different levels of MI on usage and improvement in subjective well-being among users of a DMHI (Happify), we discuss the potential applications of MI for DMHI, the potential drawbacks of financial incentives in this context, and open questions for future research.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.746324/fullmonetary incentivesdigital interventionsmobile appsbehavior changeuser engagement |
| spellingShingle | Eliane M. Boucher Haley E. Ward Amelia C. Mounts Acacia C. Parks Engagement in Digital Mental Health Interventions: Can Monetary Incentives Help? Frontiers in Psychology monetary incentives digital interventions mobile apps behavior change user engagement |
| title | Engagement in Digital Mental Health Interventions: Can Monetary Incentives Help? |
| title_full | Engagement in Digital Mental Health Interventions: Can Monetary Incentives Help? |
| title_fullStr | Engagement in Digital Mental Health Interventions: Can Monetary Incentives Help? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Engagement in Digital Mental Health Interventions: Can Monetary Incentives Help? |
| title_short | Engagement in Digital Mental Health Interventions: Can Monetary Incentives Help? |
| title_sort | engagement in digital mental health interventions can monetary incentives help |
| topic | monetary incentives digital interventions mobile apps behavior change user engagement |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.746324/full |
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