Previously submitted to: JMIR Mental Health (no longer under consideration since Dec 18, 2020)
Date Submitted: Jul 17, 2020
Warning: This is an author submission that is not peer-reviewed or edited. Preprints - unless they show as "accepted" - should not be relied on to guide clinical practice or health-related behavior and should not be reported in news media as established information.
A Review of Mobile Apps for Addressing Non-Suicidal Self-Injury
ABSTRACT
Background:
Mobile apps may present an opportunity to increase access to psychological interventions aimed at addressing Non-Suicidal Self-Injury (NSSI).
Objective:
To review virtual stores and published literature regarding mobile apps that are intended to address NSSI either directly or indirectly.
Methods:
The review in August 2019 was comprised of two stages; the first focused on searching iTunes and Google Play commercial app stores. The second involved identifying published articles in the following databases: The Cochrane Library, Embase, Medline, ProQuest Central, PsycINFO, Scopus and Web of Science.
Results:
Six apps had been specifically designed to treat NSSI. Four apps had been developed that were not specific to treating NSSI but could be potentially useful. Five apps aimed to facilitate a community forum resource for those with NSSI. Five apps had been created to provide informative resources specific to NSSI and a further eight apps were relevant to those who present with NSSI but were not specifically created for that population. One hundred and forty papers were identified in the literature search with eight being relevant to the review. A further six papers of relevance were identified when using the app name as the search term.
Conclusions:
The evidence-base pertaining to the use of mobile apps to address NSSI is small but growing. Further research is needed before robust recommendations can be made. Many of the existing apps show potential for increasing access to evidence-based interventions, increasing social support and providing quick access to local supportive resources and information. Clinical Trial: N/A
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