Accepted for/Published in: JMIR Research Protocols
Date Submitted: Jun 24, 2025
Date Accepted: Dec 17, 2025
Quality in Use in Connected Mental Health: Protocol for a Systematic Mapping Study
ABSTRACT
Background:
Background:
Quality in Use (QiU), a stakeholder-centered dimension of software quality encompassing effectiveness, efficiency, and freedom from risk, is essential in evaluating digital systems, particularly in health-related domains. Although QiU has been explored in various fields, its application within Connected Mental Health (CMH) systems remains fragmented and understudied. Given the rapid rise of CMH technologies, ranging from mobile apps to teletherapy platforms, understanding how QiU is conceptualized, evaluated, and reported in this domain has become increasingly urgent.
Objective:
Objective:
This study aims to systematically map and synthesize existing research on QiU in CMH applications. It seeks to identify current trends, research gaps, evaluation methods, and the range of technologies examined concerning QiU.
Methods:
Method: A systematic mapping methodology following the guidelines by Petersen et al. will be employed. The process includes defining mapping questions, developing a classification scheme, and systematically searching and analyzing peer-reviewed literature from databases - Scopus, PubMed, IEEE Xplore, and ACM Digital Library. The search strategy is informed by the PICO framework, and both backward and forward citation tracking will be used to ensure comprehensive coverage. Eight mapping questions will guide the analysis, focusing on publication trends, research types, empirical evaluations, QiU (sub-)characteristics, and technologies studied.
Results:
Results:
As this paper presents the protocol for an ongoing mapping study, results are not yet available. The literature search and data analysis are scheduled for completion in the second half of 2025. Preliminary screening suggests variability in how QiU is defined and evaluated across CMH technologies, highlighting the need for systematic synthesis.
Conclusions:
Conclusion: This systematic mapping study will fill a critical gap by providing a comprehensive overview of QiU research in the context of CMH. By organizing and classifying the existing literature, the study will inform future research, support the development of more user-centered CMH tools, and contribute to establishing more consistent evaluation practices in this growing field.
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Copyright
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