Accepted for/Published in: JMIR Formative Research
Date Submitted: May 7, 2021
Date Accepted: Nov 18, 2021
Warning: This is an author submission that is not peer-reviewed or edited.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.
Acceptability of an mHealth App for Youth with Substance Use and Mental Health Needs: An Iterative, Mixed Methods Design
ABSTRACT
Background:
Developmentally appropriate tools are needed that improve behavioral health treatment engagement and outcomes for youth with substance use disorders (SUDs) and mental health disorders. Mobile health applications may augment or replace psychotherapy components, but few have been developed specifically for youth with SUDs following user-guided design principles, which may limit their appropriateness and utility.
Objective:
This study involved the user-centered, iterative development and initial user testing of a web-based app for adolescents with SUDs and mental health concerns.
Methods:
Adolescents aged 14-17 with past-year involvement in outpatient psychotherapy and behavioral health clinicians with adolescent SUD treatment caseloads were recruited. Across two assessment phases (alpha: 10 youth, 10 clinicians; beta: 10 youth, 10 clinicians), participants viewed an app demonstration and completed semi-structured interviews and questionnaires about app content and functionality.
Results:
Participants expressed positive impressions of the app and its potential utility in augmenting outpatient therapy for youth with SUDs and mental health concerns. Noted strengths included valuable educational content, useful embedded resources, and the variety of activities. Adolescents and clinicians favored the app over conventional (paper-and-pencil) modalities, citing convenience and familiarity. The app was found to be user-friendly and likely to improve treatment engagement. Adolescents suggested including privacy settings, and clinicians recommended more detailed instructions and simplified language.
Conclusions:
The novel app developed here appears to be a promising, acceptable, and highly scalable resource to support for adolescents with SUDs and mental health concerns. Future studies should test the efficacy of such apps in enhancing treatment engagement and outcomes.
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Copyright
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