Kaufmann Luisa, Baldofski Sabrina, Golsong Konstanze, Kohls Elisabeth, Rummel-Kluge Christine
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Faculty, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany.
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Leipzig Medical Center, Leipzig, Germany.
Front Psychiatry. 2025 Jun 26;16:1470554. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1470554. eCollection 2025.
Increasing non-participation in research studies and high dropout rates in research on mental health apps compromise interpretability and generalizability of results. Analyzing underlying reasons holds promise for improving future recruitment methods, study design, and app features.
This study investigated reasons for non-participation and dropout among adult psychiatric outpatients in a study examining an app for self-reflection, daily structuring, relaxation, mindfulness, and psychoeducation in Germany during COVID-19 pandemic, as well as potential differences between dropouts and completers.
Descriptive statistics on reasons for non-participation using an anonymous questionnaire and for dropout based on semi-structured telephone interviews were performed. Differences between dropouts and completers in sociodemographic, clinical, app-related, and daily mood data were analyzed.
Of = 88 persons approached for potential study participation, = 57 (64.8%) participated in the app study, while = 31 (35.2%) declined. Of = 31 non-participants, = 29 (93.5%) indicated specific reasons. On average, = 1.72 ( = 1.03) reasons were provided per non-participant, with no motivation for regular app use ( = 7, 24.1%), no interest in using an app for the presented content ( = 6, 20.7%), and no time for app use ( = 6, 20.7%) being the most common. Of = 57 study participants, = 40 (70.2%) were completers and = 17 (29.8%) were dropouts. On average, = 2.82 ( = 1.29) dropout reasons were provided per dropout, with too severe health complaints ( = 6, 35.3%), not individually suitable contents ( = 5, 29.4%), and lack of incentives to use the app ( = 5, 29.4%) being the most frequent. Dropouts and completers did not differ significantly in sociodemographic, clinical, and app-related variables (all > .05). Dropouts reported their mood significantly less often than completers during the first five and seven days of the intervention period (all < .001).
This study provides exclusive insights into non-participation and dropout in an app study among adults with mental disorders. It identified personal motivation, app-related aspects, no interest in app-based offers, and personal health complaints as common reasons. Suggestions for improving future studies include focusing on incentives, app questionnaires, app installation, user needs analysis, and symptom severity. Early app engagement and adherence measurements (for example number of daily mood reports) may help identify potential dropouts earlier in future studies.
https://drks.de/search/de/trial/DRKS00027536, identifier DRKS00027536.
参与研究的人数不断减少以及心理健康应用程序研究中的高辍学率，影响了研究结果的可解释性和普遍性。分析潜在原因有望改进未来的招募方法、研究设计和应用程序功能。
本研究调查了德国新冠疫情期间一项针对成人精神科门诊患者的应用程序研究中不参与和退出的原因，该应用程序用于自我反思、日常规划、放松、正念和心理教育，同时还研究了退出者和完成者之间的潜在差异。
使用匿名问卷对不参与原因进行描述性统计，并基于半结构化电话访谈对退出原因进行描述性统计。分析了退出者和完成者在社会人口统计学、临床、应用程序相关和日常情绪数据方面的差异。
在被邀请参与潜在研究的88人中，57人（64.8%）参与了应用程序研究，而31人（35.2%）拒绝参与。在31名未参与者中，29人（93.5%）表明了具体原因。每位未参与者平均提供1.72个（标准差=1.03）原因，其中最常见的是没有定期使用应用程序的动机（7人，24.1%）、对所呈现内容使用应用程序不感兴趣（6人，20.7%）以及没有时间使用应用程序（6人，20.7%）。在57名研究参与者中，40人（70.2%）是完成者，17人（29.8%）是退出者。每位退出者平均提供2.82个（标准差=1.29）退出原因，其中最常见的是健康问题过于严重（6人，35.3%）、内容不适合个人（5人，29.4%）以及缺乏使用应用程序的激励措施（5人，29.4%）。退出者和完成者在社会人口统计学、临床和应用程序相关变量方面没有显著差异（所有p>.05）。在干预期的前五天和七天内，退出者报告情绪的频率明显低于完成者（所有p<.001）。
本研究提供了关于精神障碍成年人应用程序研究中不参与和退出的独特见解。它确定了个人动机、应用程序相关方面、对基于应用程序的服务不感兴趣以及个人健康问题是常见原因。对改进未来研究的建议包括关注激励措施、应用程序问卷、应用程序安装、用户需求分析和症状严重程度。早期的应用程序参与度和依从性测量（例如每日情绪报告的数量）可能有助于在未来研究中更早地识别潜在的退出者。
https://drks.de/search/de/trial/DRKS00027536，标识符DRKS00027536。
