Accepted for/Published in: JMIR Mental Health
Date Submitted: Feb 7, 2021
Date Accepted: May 9, 2021
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Observance gap between users: Lessons from a trial of a smartphone application for parental empowerment in Autism Spectrum Disorders
ABSTRACT
Background:
Conflicting data emerge from literature regarding actual use of smartphone application in medicine, some authors considering it as a breakthrough while other suggesting that real-life use is disappointing. However, digital tools are everyday more present in medicine. We developed SMARTAUTISM, a smartphone application focused on empowerment in a day to day-based help for parents having a child with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) asking questions and providing a feed-back screen with simple curves.
Objective:
To evaluate the qualitative and quantitative usage of a smartphone application by caregivers of ASD individuals.
Methods:
This is a prospective, longitudinal, exploratory, open study with a 6-month follow-up period of family having one child with ASD. Data are recorded longitudinally, and outcome criteria were: (i) overall filling rate, (ii) filling rate by degree of completion and by interest of users for our feed-back screen and qualitative questionnaire based on attrition.
Results:
Participants have a very high intent to use our app during the six months period (95%). However, secondary analysis shows that only 46 of subjects had constant filling rate over 50%. Interestingly, those high-profile users are characterized by higher use and satisfaction with the feed-back screen when compared to low (p<0.001) and moderate (p=0.007) users.
Conclusions:
Real or perceived utility is an important incentive in the use of empowerment smartphone apps. Clinical Trial: Clinical Trial : NCT03020277
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