JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Young adults have high rates of mental health problems, such as mood or anxiety symptoms, and high rates of problematic drinking. Many young adults who undergo psychiatric hospitalizations to address depression and anxiety symptoms also engage in risky drinking and tend to drink to cope with negative emotions. However, in many cases, treatment programs focusing on mood and anxiety symptoms often fail to adequately address problematic alcohol use in young adults.

Objective:

The present study aimed to address this treatment gap by investigating patient perspectives on a potential ecological momentary intervention (EMI) mobile app. Researchers used qualitative methods to gather perspectives of psychiatrically hospitalized young adults on their use of drinking to cope with negative emotions and their feedback for a prospective app designed to suggest healthy coping strategies when participants report low mood and cravings to drink.

Methods:

Twelve young adults admitted to a partial hospitalization program participants were recruited to participate in a qualitative interview. To be eligible, participants needed to be aged 18-25 and report drinking at least once weekly, binge drinking at least once monthly, drinking to cope with negative emotions, and depression and/or anxiety symptoms.

Results:

Qualitative analysis of our data resulted in four major themes. These included (1) motivations to use substances, (2) healthy coping, (3) general reactions to the proposed app, and (4) suggestions for the app.

Results:

Qualitative analysis of our data resulted in four major themes. These included (1) motivations to use substances, (2) healthy coping, (3) general reactions to the proposed app, and (4) suggestions for the app.

Conclusions:

Participants generally had insight about their use of alcohol to cope and were able to identify several motivations for drinking. Anxiety and depression were the most common coping-based motives reported, though many participants noted drinking to cope with other emotions. The participants overall had positive responses to the prospective intervention, and made several valuable suggestions about content, features, and usability of the app. This feedback will be crucial in designing and testing an EMI designed to reduce drinking to cope in psychiatrically hospitalized young adults.