Smith Alicia J, Mangelsdorf Shaminka N, Baker Simon T E, Jafari Javad, Alvarez-Jimenez Mario, Hitchcock Caitlin, Cross Shane
Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.
MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, University of Cambridge, 15 Chaucer Road, Cambridge, CB2 7EF, United Kingdom, 44 1223355294.
J Med Internet Res. 2025 Aug 25;27:e73793. doi: 10.2196/73793.
Mental ill health is a leading cause of disability worldwide, but access to evidence-based support remains limited. Digital mental health interventions offer a timely and low-cost solution. However, improvements in clinical outcomes are reliant on user engagement, which can be low for digital interventions. User characteristics, including demographics and personality traits, could be used to personalize platforms to promote longer-term engagement and improved outcomes.
This study aims to investigate how character strengths, a set of positive personality traits, influence engagement patterns with moderated online social therapy, a national digital mental health platform offering individualized, evidence-based digital mental health treatment for young people aged 12-25 years.
Data from 6967 young people who enrolled with moderated online social therapy between August 2021 and July 2023 were analyzed. Longitudinal analyses were used to investigate whether scores on 3-character strength dimensions ("social harmony," "positive determination," and "courage and creativity") were associated with (1) an accelerated or decelerated rate of dropout from the platform and (2) patterns of engagement over the first 12 weeks following onboarding. Engagement metrics were time spent on the platform, number of sessions on the platform, use of the embedded social network, and messages with the clinical team.
On average, young people used the platform for 72.64 (SD 106.64) days. The 3-character strengths were associated with distinct engagement patterns during this time. Individuals scoring higher on "social harmony" demonstrated an accelerated dropout rate (coefficient=-0.15, 95% CI -0.26 to -0.04; P=.008). Interestingly, higher scores on this character strength were associated with high rates of initial engagement but a more precipitous decline in platform use over the first 12 weeks, in terms of time spent on the platform (β=-.01; SE 0.00; t2748=-5.05; P<.001) and the number of sessions completed (β=-.00; SE 0.00; t2837=-2.26; P=.02). In contrast, higher scores on "positive determination" and "courage and creativity" predicted more modest initial platform use but steadier engagement over time, in terms of time spent on the platform ("positive determination": β=.01; SE 0.00; t2748=4.05; P<.001 and "courage and creativity": β=.01; SE 0.00; t2748=2.66; P=.008). Contrary to our predictions, character strengths did not predict use of the embedded social network or the number of messages sent to the clinical team.
Our findings illustrate how character strengths predict distinct engagement trajectories on a digital mental health platform. Specifically, individuals higher on "social harmony" showed high initial engagement that quickly declined, while those higher on "positive determination" and "courage and creativity" demonstrated lower initial engagement but a steadier use of the platform over time. The findings of this study demonstrate an opportunity for digital mental health interventions to be tailored to individual characteristics in a way that would promote greater initial and ongoing engagement.
精神健康问题是全球残疾的主要原因之一，但获得循证支持的机会仍然有限。数字心理健康干预提供了一种及时且低成本的解决方案。然而，临床结果的改善依赖于用户参与度，而数字干预的用户参与度可能较低。包括人口统计学和人格特质在内的用户特征可用于个性化平台，以促进长期参与并改善结果。
本研究旨在调查性格优势（一组积极的人格特质）如何影响与适度在线社交治疗的参与模式，适度在线社交治疗是一个为12至25岁年轻人提供个性化、循证数字心理健康治疗的全国性数字心理健康平台。
对2021年8月至2023年 July 期间注册适度在线社交治疗的6967名年轻人的数据进行了分析。纵向分析用于调查三个性格优势维度（“社会和谐”、“积极决心”和“勇气与创造力”）的得分是否与以下方面相关：（1）从平台退出的加速或减速速率；（2）入职后前12周的参与模式。参与指标包括在平台上花费的时间、在平台上的会话次数、嵌入式社交网络的使用以及与临床团队的消息。
年轻人平均使用该平台72.64（标准差106.64）天。在此期间，这三个性格优势与不同的参与模式相关。在“社会和谐”方面得分较高的个体表现出加速退出率（系数=-0.15，95%置信区间-0.26至-0.04；P=.008）。有趣的是，就花费在平台上的时间（β=-.01；标准误0.00；t=2748=-5.05；P<.001）和完成的会话次数（β=-.00；标准误0.00；t=2837=-2.26；P=.02）而言，这个性格优势得分较高与初始参与率高但在最初12周内平台使用的急剧下降相关。相比之下，“积极决心”和“勇气与创造力”得分较高预测了最初对平台的使用较为适度，但随着时间的推移参与度更稳定，就花费在平台上的时间而言（“积极决心”：β=.01；标准误0.00；t=2748=4.05；P<.001和“勇气与创造力”：β=.01；标准误0.00；t=2748=2.66；P=.008）。与我们的预测相反，性格优势并未预测嵌入式社交网络的使用或发送给临床团队的消息数量。
我们的研究结果说明了性格优势如何预测数字心理健康平台上不同的参与轨迹。具体而言，“社会和谐”得分较高的个体表现出高初始参与度但迅速下降，而“积极决心”和“勇气与创造力”得分较高的个体表现出较低的初始参与度但随着时间的推移对平台的使用更稳定。本研究结果表明数字心理健康干预有机会根据个体特征进行定制，以促进更高的初始和持续参与度。
