@article{ref1,
title="Usage and acceptability of the iBobbly App: pilot trial for suicide prevention in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth",
journal="JMIR mental health",
year="2020",
author="Tighe, Joseph and Shand, Fiona and McKay, Kathy and Mcalister, Taylor-Jai and Mackinnon, Andrew and Christensen, Helen",
volume="7",
number="12",
pages="e14296-e14296",
abstract="BACKGROUND: The proliferation of mental health apps purporting to target and improve  psychological wellbeing is ever-growing and also concerning: Few apps have been  rigorously evaluated, and, indeed, the safety of the vast majority of them has not  been determined. Over 10,000 self-help apps exist but most are not used much after  being downloaded. Gathering and analyzing usage data and the acceptability of apps  are critical to inform consumers, researchers, and app developers. <br><br>OBJECTIVE: This  paper presents pilot usage and acceptability data from the iBobbly suicide  prevention app, an app distributed through a randomized controlled trial. <br><br>METHODS:  Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander participants from the Kimberley region of  Western Australia completed a survey measuring their technology use in general  (n=13), and data on their experiences with and views of the iBobbly app were also  collected in semistructured interviews (n=13) and thematically analyzed. Finally,  engagement with the app, such as the number of sessions completed and time spent on  various acceptance-based therapeutic activities, was analyzed (n=18). Both groups  were participants in the iBobbly app pilot randomized controlled trial (n=61)  completed in 2015. <br><br>RESULTS: Regression analysis indicated that app use improved  psychological outcomes, although only minimally, and effects were not significant. However, results of the thematic analysis indicated that the iBobbly app was deemed  effective, acceptable, and culturally appropriate by those interviewed. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS:  There is a scarcity of randomized controlled trials and eHealth interventions in  Indigenous communities, while extremely high rates of psychological distress and  suicide persist. In this environment, studies that can add evidence from  mixed-methods approaches are important. While the regression analysis in this study  did not indicate a significant effect of app use on psychological wellbeing, this  was predictable considering the small sample size (n=18) and typically brief app  use. The results on engagement with the iBobbly app were however positive. This  study showed that Indigenous youth are early and frequent users of technology in  general, and they regarded the iBobbly app to be culturally safe and of therapeutic  value. Qualitative analyses demonstrated that iBobbly app use was associated with  self-reported improvements in psychological wellbeing, mental health literacy, and  reductions in shame. Importantly, participants reported that they would recommend  other similar apps if available to their peers.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="2368-7959",
doi="10.2196/14296",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.2196/14296"
}