Abstract
Abstract
Background
Digital health interventions for psychosis, like SloMo, leverage smartphone technology to help transfer learning from therapy to real-life situations. Usage relies on motivation, recall, and awareness. Wearable devices that track physiological signs of stress can boost engagement by encouraging the use of coping strategies when most needed.
Objective
This study aims to co-design an integrated user interface for wearable technology and the SloMo mobile app, and explore its usability, acceptability, engagement, and preliminary clinical outcomes for individuals with psychosis through a feasibility study.
Methods
A co-design team developed the wearable augmented SloMo app using the Double Diamond framework. The team included 10 experts by experience based across three UK National Health Service (NHS) mental health trusts, who had completed SloMo as part of a randomized controlled trial, and were purposively recruited to ensure a range of demographic backgrounds. Users tested the app for 8 consecutive weeks during a 5-month data collection period in 2018, providing feedback that guided iterative improvements. Self-reported engagement, usability, and acceptability were collected through quantitative ratings and interviews, evaluated through qualitative content analysis. Assessments of paranoia and well-being were completed pre- and post use, summarized descriptively, with change scores calculated and evaluated for reliable change.
Results
The Spire Stone clothing-adhered biosensor, which monitors respiratory rate and stress physiology, was chosen to augment SloMo. A minimum viable product of an integrated interface was developed. Feedback identified that users needed the technology to be easy to use, secure, and tailored to them through user control. Eight (8/10, 80%) users reported that the wearable prompted increased use of the SloMo app’s features and other coping strategies. Self-reported engagement varied according to EBE user experience of the technology: higher use of the technology (n=3) was associated with higher usefulness (25% reduction in paranoia, SD 6%) and acceptability (84% satisfaction, SD 13%). Conversely, individuals that engaged with the device less (n=7) did not find it as useful (11% increase in paranoia, SD 17%) and were only modestly satisfied (63%, SD 20%).
Conclusions
Wearable technology is acceptable and can be integrated with a digitally supported therapy for psychosis to promote engagement and potentially support management of difficulties. However, further development work is needed to ensure acceptability and usefulness across a broader range of user needs.