Stawarz Katarzyna, Preist Chris, Coyle David
Bristol Interaction Group, Faculty of Engineering, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom.
School of Computer Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
JMIR Ment Health. 2019 Jul 12;6(7):e12546. doi: 10.2196/12546.
Technology can play an important role in supporting mental health. Many studies have explored the effectiveness, acceptability, or context of use of different types of mental health technologies. However, existing research has tended to investigate single types of technology at a time rather than exploring a wider ecosystem that people may use. This narrow focus can limit our understanding of how we could best design mental health technologies.
The aim of this study was to investigate which technologies (smartphone apps, discussion forums and social media, and websites and Web-based programs) people use to support their mental health and why, whether they combine and use more than one technology, what purpose each technology serves, and which features people find the most valuable.
We conducted an online survey to gather responses from members of the public who use technology to support their mental health and well-being. The survey was advertised on social media and via posters at a university. It explored usage patterns, frequently used features, and engagement with technology. To gain deeper insights into users' preferences, we also thematically analyzed open-ended comments about each technology type and suggestions for improvements provided by the respondents.
In total, 81 eligible participants completed the survey. Smartphone apps were the most commonly used technology, with 78% of the participants (63/81) using them, either alone (40%) or in combination with other technologies (38%). Each type of technology was used for specific purposes: apps provided guided activities, relaxation, and enabled tracking; social media and discussion forums allowed participants to learn from the experiences of others and use that knowledge to understand their own situation; and Web-based programs and websites helped to find out how to deal on a day-to-day basis with stress and anxiety. The analysis of open-ended responses showed that although many people valued technology and felt it could support targeted activities, it was not seen as a substitute for traditional face-to-face therapy. Participants wanted technology to be more sophisticated and nuanced, supporting personalized and actionable recommendations. There was evidence that participants mistrusted technology, irrespective of the type, and had broader concerns regarding the impact of overuse of technology.
People use different types of technology to support their mental health. Each can serve a specific purpose. Although apps are the most widely used technology, mixing and matching different types of technology is also common. Technology should not be seen as a replacement for traditional psychotherapy, rather it offers new opportunities to support mental health as part of an overall ecosystem. People want technology to be more nuanced and personalized to help them plan informed actions. Future interventions should explore the use of multiple technologies and their combined effects on mental health support.
技术在支持心理健康方面可发挥重要作用。许多研究探讨了不同类型心理健康技术的有效性、可接受性或使用背景。然而，现有研究往往一次只调查单一类型的技术，而非探索人们可能使用的更广泛的生态系统。这种狭隘的关注点可能会限制我们对如何最好地设计心理健康技术的理解。
本研究的目的是调查人们使用哪些技术（智能手机应用程序、讨论论坛和社交媒体以及网站和基于网络的程序）来支持他们的心理健康以及原因，他们是否会结合使用多种技术，每种技术的用途是什么，以及人们认为哪些功能最有价值。
我们进行了一项在线调查，以收集使用技术来支持其心理健康和幸福感的公众的反馈。该调查在社交媒体上以及通过一所大学的海报进行宣传。它探讨了使用模式、常用功能以及与技术的互动情况。为了更深入地了解用户的偏好，我们还对关于每种技术类型的开放式评论以及受访者提供的改进建议进行了主题分析。
共有81名符合条件的参与者完成了调查。智能手机应用程序是最常用的技术，78%的参与者（63/81）使用了它们，要么单独使用（40%），要么与其他技术结合使用（38%）。每种技术类型都用于特定目的：应用程序提供有指导的活动、放松并实现跟踪；社交媒体和讨论论坛使参与者能够从他人的经验中学习并利用这些知识来了解自己的情况；基于网络的程序和网站有助于了解如何在日常生活中应对压力和焦虑。对开放式回复的分析表明，尽管许多人重视技术并认为它可以支持有针对性的活动，但它并未被视为传统面对面治疗的替代品。参与者希望技术更加完善和细致入微，支持个性化且可操作的建议。有证据表明，参与者不信任技术，无论其类型如何，并且对技术过度使用的影响有更广泛的担忧。
人们使用不同类型的技术来支持他们的心理健康。每种技术都可以服务于特定目的。尽管应用程序是使用最广泛的技术，但混合使用不同类型的技术也很常见。技术不应被视为传统心理治疗的替代品，相反，它作为整体生态系统的一部分，为支持心理健康提供了新的机会。人们希望技术更加细致入微和个性化，以帮助他们规划明智的行动。未来的干预措施应探索多种技术的使用及其对心理健康支持的综合影响。
