App-Tailoring Requirements to Increase Stress Management Competencies Within Families: Cross-sectional Survey Study
BackgroundFamilies experiencing high levels of psychological distress are considered a particularly vulnerable population for adverse effects on mental and physical health. Moreover, highly stressed individuals engage less in mental health promoting activities and show low st...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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JMIR Publications
2021-07-01
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| Series: | Journal of Medical Internet Research |
| Online Access: | https://www.jmir.org/2021/7/e26376 |
| _version_ | 1797735839776636928 |
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| author | Laura Luise Bischoff Hannes Baumann Charlotte Meixner Patricia Nixon Bettina Wollesen |
| author_facet | Laura Luise Bischoff Hannes Baumann Charlotte Meixner Patricia Nixon Bettina Wollesen |
| author_sort | Laura Luise Bischoff |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
BackgroundFamilies experiencing high levels of psychological distress are considered a particularly vulnerable population for adverse effects on mental and physical health. Moreover, highly stressed individuals engage less in mental health promoting activities and show low stress management competencies. App-based stress interventions seem promising for the treatment and prevention of stress outcomes and might be a low-threshold solution.
ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to identify the requirements for a tailored app to reduce stress in a cohort of highly stressed families that have low stress management skills.
MethodsParents (n=1008; age: mean 47.7 years, SD 6.1; female: 599/1008, 59.7%) completed an extensive web-based survey and were subdivided into a target (stressed individuals with low stress competency) and nontarget group according to their reported stress level and stress management competencies. Group differences were analyzed using analysis of variance. In principal component analysis with Kaiser varimax rotation, personally defined stress management goals were grouped into components. Linear regression models were also calculated.
ResultsA 3-factor solution cumulatively explained 56% of the variance in personally defined goals of interest for stress management with (1) active strategies (25.61% explained variance), (2) general competency (17.95% explained variance) and (3) passive strategies (12.45% explained variance). The groups differed in age (F1,978=27.67, P<.001), health index (F1,958=246.14, P<.001), personally defined general-competency goal (F1,958=94.16 P<.001), as well as “information acquisition” (F1,971=14.75, P<.001) and “need for stimulation” (F1,981=54.49, P<.001) personality traits. A regression model showed that for the active strategies goals of interest, only app feature information or instructional videos had a significant effect (P=.02). The general competency factor showed none, and the passive strategies factor showed significant effects for 2 app features—suggestions for planning possible activities with the family (P=.01) and diaries for documentation and development of strategies (P=.03).
ConclusionsThe results of this survey study highlight the need to develop an app to increase stress management competencies that takes into consideration perceived stress level, stress management skills, personality, and personally defined goals of the user. The content of the app should be tailored to previously detected personality traits, especially selective information acquisition and low need for stimulation. Furthermore, personally defined stress management goals seem to affect interest in some features. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T13:04:54Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ef6ef7bff12a4ad7a103409e531bdd94 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1438-8871 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T13:04:54Z |
| publishDate | 2021-07-01 |
| publisher | JMIR Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Medical Internet Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-ef6ef7bff12a4ad7a103409e531bdd942023-08-28T17:10:44ZengJMIR PublicationsJournal of Medical Internet Research1438-88712021-07-01237e2637610.2196/26376App-Tailoring Requirements to Increase Stress Management Competencies Within Families: Cross-sectional Survey StudyLaura Luise Bischoffhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-8765-2970Hannes Baumannhttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-4714-3722Charlotte Meixnerhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-0781-7019Patricia Nixonhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-9747-3845Bettina Wollesenhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-1082-9141 BackgroundFamilies experiencing high levels of psychological distress are considered a particularly vulnerable population for adverse effects on mental and physical health. Moreover, highly stressed individuals engage less in mental health promoting activities and show low stress management competencies. App-based stress interventions seem promising for the treatment and prevention of stress outcomes and might be a low-threshold solution. ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to identify the requirements for a tailored app to reduce stress in a cohort of highly stressed families that have low stress management skills. MethodsParents (n=1008; age: mean 47.7 years, SD 6.1; female: 599/1008, 59.7%) completed an extensive web-based survey and were subdivided into a target (stressed individuals with low stress competency) and nontarget group according to their reported stress level and stress management competencies. Group differences were analyzed using analysis of variance. In principal component analysis with Kaiser varimax rotation, personally defined stress management goals were grouped into components. Linear regression models were also calculated. ResultsA 3-factor solution cumulatively explained 56% of the variance in personally defined goals of interest for stress management with (1) active strategies (25.61% explained variance), (2) general competency (17.95% explained variance) and (3) passive strategies (12.45% explained variance). The groups differed in age (F1,978=27.67, P<.001), health index (F1,958=246.14, P<.001), personally defined general-competency goal (F1,958=94.16 P<.001), as well as “information acquisition” (F1,971=14.75, P<.001) and “need for stimulation” (F1,981=54.49, P<.001) personality traits. A regression model showed that for the active strategies goals of interest, only app feature information or instructional videos had a significant effect (P=.02). The general competency factor showed none, and the passive strategies factor showed significant effects for 2 app features—suggestions for planning possible activities with the family (P=.01) and diaries for documentation and development of strategies (P=.03). ConclusionsThe results of this survey study highlight the need to develop an app to increase stress management competencies that takes into consideration perceived stress level, stress management skills, personality, and personally defined goals of the user. The content of the app should be tailored to previously detected personality traits, especially selective information acquisition and low need for stimulation. Furthermore, personally defined stress management goals seem to affect interest in some features.https://www.jmir.org/2021/7/e26376 |
| spellingShingle | Laura Luise Bischoff Hannes Baumann Charlotte Meixner Patricia Nixon Bettina Wollesen App-Tailoring Requirements to Increase Stress Management Competencies Within Families: Cross-sectional Survey Study Journal of Medical Internet Research |
| title | App-Tailoring Requirements to Increase Stress Management Competencies Within Families: Cross-sectional Survey Study |
| title_full | App-Tailoring Requirements to Increase Stress Management Competencies Within Families: Cross-sectional Survey Study |
| title_fullStr | App-Tailoring Requirements to Increase Stress Management Competencies Within Families: Cross-sectional Survey Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | App-Tailoring Requirements to Increase Stress Management Competencies Within Families: Cross-sectional Survey Study |
| title_short | App-Tailoring Requirements to Increase Stress Management Competencies Within Families: Cross-sectional Survey Study |
| title_sort | app tailoring requirements to increase stress management competencies within families cross sectional survey study |
| url | https://www.jmir.org/2021/7/e26376 |
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