Accepted for/Published in: JMIR Formative Research
Date Submitted: Jun 26, 2019
Open Peer Review Period: Jul 2, 2019 - Jul 4, 2019
Date Accepted: Aug 17, 2019
(closed for review but you can still tweet)
Feasibility and acceptability of an interactive mental well-being intervention for people with intellectual disabilities: Pilot study
ABSTRACT
Background:
The availability of both digital and traditional mental well-being interventions is rising but typically do not consider people with intellectual disabilities as potential users.
Objective:
We aimed to explore the acceptability and feasibility of a new digital intervention, developed with and for people with intellectual disabilities, to improve their subjective well-being.
Methods:
Using a single-group pre-post design, participants with intellectual disabilities and their caregivers completed the 4-week intervention. Mixed-methods questionnaires assessed the acceptability of the intervention, in addition to self-report and proxy-report measures of subjective well-being and behavioural problems.
Results:
Twelve men with mild to moderate intellectual disabilities enrolled in and completed the study alongside eight caregivers. Participant acceptability of the intervention was high and feedback covered multiple aspects of the intervention, including (1) programme concept and design, (2) programme content, and (3) intervention usage. Self-rated mood barometers indicated mood improvements for five participants, deteriorations for two participants, and no observed changes for the remaining participants. Statistical analyses yielded no difference from pre-test (Md = 79, range: 39 – 86) to post-test (Md = 79, range: 21 – 96) for subjective well-being in people with intellectual disabilities (W = 10.5, P = .17), nor for behavioural problems (W = 14, P = .054).
Conclusions:
People with intellectual disabilities and their caregivers are receptive to using digital well-being interventions and this research shows such interventions to be feasible in routine practice. Given the acceptability of the intervention, its potential efficacy can now be evaluated in people with intellectual disabilities and symptoms of reduced mental well-being. Clinical Trial: not applicable
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