Wüllner Sarah, Hermenau Katharin, Hecker Tobias, Siniatchkin Michael
University Clinic of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical School EWL, Protestant Hospital Bethel, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany.
Institute for Interdisciplinary Conflict and Violence Research, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany.
JMIR Form Res. 2025 Apr 8;9:e65788. doi: 10.2196/65788.
Therapy-accompanying mental health apps can play an important role in the psychotherapeutic treatment of adolescents. They can enhance adolescents' engagement and autonomy, provide immediate support in critical situations, and positively influence the therapeutic working alliance. Nevertheless, mental health apps are rarely used by psychotherapists. Furthermore, due to the limited or nonexistent use of apps in psychotherapy, little is known about the actual barriers and drivers affecting their integration into psychotherapists' daily routines. To better understand how mental health apps should be designed for practical use, it is essential to explore psychotherapists' perspectives on key app features and characteristics, as well as the factors influencing their integration into clinical practice.
This study aims to analyze which app features and characteristics are essential for psychotherapists to use a mobile app in psychotherapy with adolescents and to identify the key drivers and barriers influencing the integration of a psychotherapeutic app from the psychotherapists' perspectives.
We conducted 3 feasibility studies using Steps, a transdiagnostic, therapy-accompanying app for adolescents, across 3 different psychotherapeutic treatment contexts: inpatient treatment, treatment in psychiatric outpatient clinics, and outpatient treatment with psychotherapists in private practice. All studies followed a qualitative quasi-experimental design. Participants provided information on their age, occupation, years of work experience, media affinity, attitudes toward psychotherapeutic apps, perceived app quality and feasibility, and the implementation process of the therapy-accompanying app. Qualitative data were analyzed using deductive qualitative content analysis. A total of 40 mental health professionals participated across the 3 studies (study 1: n=18; study 2: n=13; study 3: n=9).
Study participation and app usage rates were low across all studies. Six core features for a transdiagnostic, therapy-accompanying app were identified: mood checks, library, reminders, goals and tasks, emergency kit, and questionnaires. Additionally, the integration of mental health apps into daily routines was influenced by various drivers and barriers. The most significant barriers included technological issues and practical constraints, such as limited time and resources. The most important driver was the perceived improvement in treatment quality.
Overall, psychotherapists were generally open to using a therapy-accompanying mental health app. However, study participation and app usage remained low. As psychotherapists act as gatekeepers for patients' use of mental health apps, their needs should be prioritized in the development and implementation of such apps.
German Clinical Trials Register DRKS00031258; https://drks.de/search/en/trial/DRKS00031258/details.
辅助治疗的心理健康应用程序在青少年心理治疗中可发挥重要作用。它们能提高青少年的参与度和自主性，在关键情况下提供即时支持，并对治疗工作联盟产生积极影响。然而，心理治疗师很少使用心理健康应用程序。此外，由于心理治疗中应用程序的使用有限或不存在，对于影响其融入心理治疗师日常工作的实际障碍和驱动因素知之甚少。为了更好地理解心理健康应用程序应如何设计以实际应用，探索心理治疗师对应用程序关键功能和特性的看法以及影响其融入临床实践的因素至关重要。
本研究旨在分析哪些应用程序功能和特性对于心理治疗师在青少年心理治疗中使用移动应用程序至关重要，并从心理治疗师的角度确定影响心理治疗应用程序融入的关键驱动因素和障碍。
我们使用Steps（一款针对青少年的跨诊断、辅助治疗应用程序）在3种不同的心理治疗环境中进行了3项可行性研究：住院治疗、精神科门诊治疗以及私人执业心理治疗师的门诊治疗。所有研究均采用定性准实验设计。参与者提供了有关他们的年龄、职业、工作年限、媒体亲和力、对心理治疗应用程序的态度、感知的应用程序质量和可行性以及辅助治疗应用程序的实施过程的信息。定性数据采用演绎定性内容分析法进行分析。3项研究共有40名心理健康专业人员参与（研究1：n = 18；研究2：n = 13；研究3：n = 9）。
所有研究中的研究参与率和应用程序使用率都很低。确定了一款跨诊断、辅助治疗应用程序的六个核心功能：情绪检查、资料库、提醒、目标和任务、应急包以及问卷。此外，心理健康应用程序融入日常工作受到各种驱动因素和障碍的影响。最主要的障碍包括技术问题和实际限制，如时间和资源有限。最重要的驱动因素是感知到的治疗质量的提高。
总体而言，心理治疗师通常对使用辅助治疗的心理健康应用程序持开放态度。然而，研究参与率和应用程序使用率仍然很低。由于心理治疗师是患者使用心理健康应用程序的把关人，在开发和实施此类应用程序时应优先考虑他们的需求。
德国临床试验注册中心DRKS00031258；https://drks.de/search/en/trial/DRKS00031258/details。
