Cormier Marcus, Orr Matt, Kaser Alanna, MacDonald Hannah, Chorney Jill, Meier Sandra
Department of Psychiatry, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada.
Department of Psychology, Acadia University, Wolfville, Canada.
Digit Health. 2024 Sep 25;10:20552076241283242. doi: 10.1177/20552076241283242. eCollection 2024 Jan-Dec.
With the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic exacerbating mental health concerns, the prevalence rates of anxiety and sleep problems have increased alarmingly among youth. Although 90% of patients with anxiety experience sleep problems, current interventions for anxiety often do not target sleep problems in youth. Given this lack, we designed the SMILE app, an intervention that addresses both anxiety and sleep problems simultaneously.
As users' perspectives are essential to ensure app engagement and uptake, the features, designs, and functions of the SMILE app were evaluated using a participatory app design approach. Participants (= 17) were youth aged 15 to 25 who reported co-morbid anxiety and sleep issues above clinical thresholds. After completing an online screening survey assessing demographics, anxiety, and sleep problems, participants shared app feedback through group-based, semi-structured co-design sessions. Qualitative analyses were conducted to identify common themes from participants' feedback.
While participants expressed enthusiasm for the SMILE app's features, particularly the features, and their variety, they criticized the design aspects of the app, such as the font and text amount. Most participants stated they would use the SMILE app or recommend it to a friend.
By actively involving the target population in the design process, the SMILE app has the potential to notably improve the mental well-being of youth, though further research and development are required to realize this potential fully.
随着2019年冠状病毒病大流行加剧了人们对心理健康的担忧，青少年中焦虑和睡眠问题的患病率急剧上升。尽管90%的焦虑症患者存在睡眠问题，但目前针对焦虑症的干预措施往往并未针对青少年的睡眠问题。鉴于此不足，我们设计了SMILE应用程序，这是一种同时解决焦虑和睡眠问题的干预措施。
由于用户的观点对于确保应用程序的参与度和使用率至关重要，因此采用参与式应用程序设计方法对SMILE应用程序的功能、设计和作用进行了评估。参与者（n = 17）为年龄在15至25岁之间、报告共病焦虑和睡眠问题高于临床阈值的青少年。在完成一项评估人口统计学、焦虑和睡眠问题的在线筛查调查后，参与者通过基于小组的半结构化协同设计会议分享了对应用程序的反馈。进行定性分析以确定参与者反馈中的共同主题。
虽然参与者对SMILE应用程序的功能，特别是其功能及其多样性表示出热情，但他们批评了应用程序的设计方面，如字体和文本量。大多数参与者表示他们会使用SMILE应用程序或将其推荐给朋友。
通过让目标人群积极参与设计过程，SMILE应用程序有潜力显著改善青少年的心理健康，不过需要进一步的研究和开发来充分实现这一潜力。
