JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

An increase in prevalence of neurodevelopmental conditions worldwide, alongside resource constraints within existing clinical assessment and diagnosis services, has led to increased interest in health information technologies, such as apps and digital resources. Digital tools are often viewed as a solution to bridge this divide and to increase supports for families. There is, however, a paucity of research that has evaluated digital health tools, their potential benefits for child neurodevelopment and associated concerns (e.g., mental health and wellbeing) and their benefit for their families.

Objective:

The objective of this study was to conduct the first review of existing mobile apps and digital resources that are targeted at supporting the transdiagnostic needs of children with developmental concerns or neurodevelopmental conditions.

Methods:

In this study, we identified 3435 separate resources, of which 112 (43 apps and 69 digital resources) met criteria. These resources were categorised according to their purpose or target, and were then reviewed based on their utility, information quality and evidence base using the Adapted Mobile App Rating Scale (A-MARS).

Results:

The most common condition of concern targeted by apps and digital resources was autism (17%), with retrieved resources focusing on supporting challenging behaviours, promoting speech, language and social development, and providing options for alternative and assistive communication. Other common areas of concern targeted by apps and digital resources included language and communication (14.3%) and ADHD (9.8%). Results showed that reviewed resources were engaging, with high levels of accessibility and functionality. Resources had various functions, including developmental or behavioural tasks targeted at children, assistive communication support, scheduling support, journalling, and advice, activities and strategies for parents. The information quality of resources, such as credibility of source and evidence base was, however, mostly low. Mobile apps and digital resources that showed good credibility and had an existing evidence base were largely developed in partnership with research, health or government institutions, and were rated significantly higher on overall quality compared to apps and digital resources not developed in partnership with such institutions (p < .01).

Conclusions:

The lack of evidence base across resources means that it is extremely difficult to provide recommendations to families with respect to apps or digital resources that may support their needs. Frameworks for the development of new tools are discussed, highlighting the novel approaches required to demonstrate efficacy of tools for improving outcomes for children and families. Such a framework requires collaboration with multiple stakeholders (software developers, researchers, regulatory bodies, clinicians, children and families) and engagement across multiple levels of expertise (app development, implementation and dissemination within services, policy and clinical regulations), to harness the potential of digital health for improving outcomes and promoting support in child neurodevelopment, which at this juncture remains largely underdeveloped.