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Development of an mHealth App–Based Intervention for Depressive Rumination (RuminAid): Mixed Methods Focus Group Evaluation

BACKGROUND: Depression is a common mental health condition that poses a significant public health burden. Effective treatments for depression exist; however, access to evidence-based care remains limited. Mobile health (mHealth) apps offer an avenue for improving access. However, few mHealth apps ar...

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Autores principales: Rosenfeld, Eve A, Lyman, Cassondra, Roberts, John E
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: JMIR Publications 2022
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9795400/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/36512400
http://dx.doi.org/10.2196/40045
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author Rosenfeld, Eve A
Lyman, Cassondra
Roberts, John E
author_facet Rosenfeld, Eve A
Lyman, Cassondra
Roberts, John E
author_sort Rosenfeld, Eve A
collection PubMed
description BACKGROUND: Depression is a common mental health condition that poses a significant public health burden. Effective treatments for depression exist; however, access to evidence-based care remains limited. Mobile health (mHealth) apps offer an avenue for improving access. However, few mHealth apps are informed by evidence-based treatments and even fewer are empirically evaluated before dissemination. To address this gap, we developed RuminAid, an mHealth app that uses evidence-based treatment components to reduce depression by targeting a single key depressogenic process—rumination. OBJECTIVE: The primary objective of this study was to collect qualitative and quantitative feedback that could be used to improve the design of RuminAid before the software development phase. METHODS: We reviewed empirically supported interventions for depression and rumination and used the key aspects of each to create a storyboard version of RuminAid. We distributed an audio-guided presentation of the RuminAid storyboard to 22 individuals for viewing and solicited user feedback on app content, design, and perceived functionality across 7 focus group sessions. RESULTS: The consumer-rated quality of the storyboard version of RuminAid was in the acceptable to good range. Indeed, most participants reported that they thought RuminAid would be an engaging, functional, and informational app. Likewise, they endorsed overwhelming positive beliefs about the perceived impact of RuminAid; specifically, 96% (21/22) believed that RuminAid will help depressed ruminators with depression and rumination. Nevertheless, the results highlighted the need for improved app aesthetics (eg, a more appealing color scheme and modern design). CONCLUSIONS: Focus group members reported that the quality of information was quite good and had the potential to help adults who struggle with depression and rumination but expressed concern that poor aesthetics would interfere with users’ desire to continue using the app. To address these comments, we hired a graphic designer and redesigned each screen to improve visual appeal. We also removed time gating from the app based on participant feedback and findings from related research. These changes helped elevate RuminAid and informed its initial software build for a pilot trial that focused on evaluating its feasibility and acceptability.
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spelling pubmed-97954002022-12-29 Development of an mHealth App–Based Intervention for Depressive Rumination (RuminAid): Mixed Methods Focus Group Evaluation Rosenfeld, Eve A Lyman, Cassondra Roberts, John E JMIR Form Res Original Paper BACKGROUND: Depression is a common mental health condition that poses a significant public health burden. Effective treatments for depression exist; however, access to evidence-based care remains limited. Mobile health (mHealth) apps offer an avenue for improving access. However, few mHealth apps are informed by evidence-based treatments and even fewer are empirically evaluated before dissemination. To address this gap, we developed RuminAid, an mHealth app that uses evidence-based treatment components to reduce depression by targeting a single key depressogenic process—rumination. OBJECTIVE: The primary objective of this study was to collect qualitative and quantitative feedback that could be used to improve the design of RuminAid before the software development phase. METHODS: We reviewed empirically supported interventions for depression and rumination and used the key aspects of each to create a storyboard version of RuminAid. We distributed an audio-guided presentation of the RuminAid storyboard to 22 individuals for viewing and solicited user feedback on app content, design, and perceived functionality across 7 focus group sessions. RESULTS: The consumer-rated quality of the storyboard version of RuminAid was in the acceptable to good range. Indeed, most participants reported that they thought RuminAid would be an engaging, functional, and informational app. Likewise, they endorsed overwhelming positive beliefs about the perceived impact of RuminAid; specifically, 96% (21/22) believed that RuminAid will help depressed ruminators with depression and rumination. Nevertheless, the results highlighted the need for improved app aesthetics (eg, a more appealing color scheme and modern design). CONCLUSIONS: Focus group members reported that the quality of information was quite good and had the potential to help adults who struggle with depression and rumination but expressed concern that poor aesthetics would interfere with users’ desire to continue using the app. To address these comments, we hired a graphic designer and redesigned each screen to improve visual appeal. We also removed time gating from the app based on participant feedback and findings from related research. These changes helped elevate RuminAid and informed its initial software build for a pilot trial that focused on evaluating its feasibility and acceptability. JMIR Publications 2022-12-13 /pmc/articles/PMC9795400/ /pubmed/36512400 http://dx.doi.org/10.2196/40045 Text en ©Eve A Rosenfeld, Cassondra Lyman, John E Roberts. Originally published in JMIR Formative Research (https://formative.jmir.org), 13.12.2022. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work, first published in JMIR Formative Research, is properly cited. The complete bibliographic information, a link to the original publication on https://formative.jmir.org, as well as this copyright and license information must be included.
spellingShingle Original Paper
Rosenfeld, Eve A
Lyman, Cassondra
Roberts, John E
Development of an mHealth App–Based Intervention for Depressive Rumination (RuminAid): Mixed Methods Focus Group Evaluation
title Development of an mHealth App–Based Intervention for Depressive Rumination (RuminAid): Mixed Methods Focus Group Evaluation
title_full Development of an mHealth App–Based Intervention for Depressive Rumination (RuminAid): Mixed Methods Focus Group Evaluation
title_fullStr Development of an mHealth App–Based Intervention for Depressive Rumination (RuminAid): Mixed Methods Focus Group Evaluation
title_full_unstemmed Development of an mHealth App–Based Intervention for Depressive Rumination (RuminAid): Mixed Methods Focus Group Evaluation
title_short Development of an mHealth App–Based Intervention for Depressive Rumination (RuminAid): Mixed Methods Focus Group Evaluation
title_sort development of an mhealth app–based intervention for depressive rumination (ruminaid): mixed methods focus group evaluation
topic Original Paper
url https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9795400/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/36512400
http://dx.doi.org/10.2196/40045
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