The Importance of User Segmentation for Designing Digital Therapy for Adolescent Mental Health: Findings From Scoping Processes

Theresa Fleming; Sally Merry; Karolina Stasiak; Sarah Hopkins; Tony Patolo; Stacey Ruru; Manusiu Latu; Matthew Shepherd; Grant Christie; Felicity Goodyear-Smith

doi:10.2196/12656

The Importance of User Segmentation for Designing Digital Therapy for Adolescent Mental Health: Findings From Scoping Processes

JMIR Ment Health. 2019 May 8;6(5):e12656. doi: 10.2196/12656.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
² Faculty of Health, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand.
³ Department of Social Work, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
⁴ Department of General Practice & Primary Health Care, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.

^# Contributed equally.

PMID: 31066705
PMCID: PMC6707580
DOI: 10.2196/12656

Abstract

Background: New Zealand youth, especially those of Māori and Pacific descent, have high rates of depression, anxiety, and self-harm, but have low rates of help-seeking from mental health professionals. Apps, computerized therapy, and other digital tools can be effective, highly scalable treatments for anxiety and depression. Co-design processes are often used to foster engagement with end users, but this does not always lead to high levels of engagement.

Objective: We aimed to carry out preliminary scoping to understand adolescents' current internet use and diversity of preferences to inform a planned co-design process for creating digital mental health tools for teenagers.

Methods: Interactive workshops and focus groups were held with young people. Data were analyzed using a general inductive approach.

Results: Participants (N=58) engaged in 2 whānau (extended family) focus groups (n=4 and n=5), 2 school- or community-based focus groups (n=9 each), and 2 workshops (n=11 and n=20). The authors identified 3 overarching themes: (1) Digital mental health tools are unlikely to be successful if they rely solely on youth help-seeking. (2) A single approach is unlikely to appeal to all. Participants had diverse, noncompatible preferences in terms of look or feel of an app or digital tool. The authors identified 4 user groups players or gamers, engagers, sceptics, and straight-talkers. These groups differed by age and degree of current mental health need and preferred gamified or fun approaches, were open to a range of approaches, were generally disinterested, or preferred direct-to-the-point, serious approaches, respectively. (3) Digital mental health tools should provide an immediate response to a range of different issues and challenges that a young person may face.

Conclusions: Defining the preferences of different groups of users may be important for increasing engagement with digital therapies even within specific population and mental health-need groups. This study demonstrates the importance of scoping possible user needs to inform design processes.

Keywords: adolescent; computerized therapy; gamification; internet; mental health; mobile apps.

©Theresa Fleming, Sally Merry, Karolina Stasiak, Sarah Hopkins, Tony Patolo, Stacey Ruru, Manusiu Latu, Matthew Shepherd, Grant Christie, Felicity Goodyear-Smith. Originally published in JMIR Mental Health (http://mental.jmir.org), 08.05.2019.