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A Computer-Based Platform for Aiding Clinicians in Eating Disorder Analysis and Diagnosis

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A Guided Online and Mobile Self-Help Program for Individuals With Eating Disorders: An Iterative Engagement and

Martina Nitsch¹, Christina N Dimopoulos, Edith Flaschberger

¹Ferdinand Porsche Distance Learning University of Applied Sciences, Vienna, Austria. martina.nitsch@fernfh.ac.at.

Journal of Medical Internet Research

|January 13, 2016

Summary

Improving digital health interventions for eating disorders requires understanding user engagement and usability. This study enhanced the Healthy Body Image Program by identifying key features that increase user motivation and reduce dropout rates.

Keywords:

adherence digital health intervention dropout eating disorder engagement mobile application online program self-help usability study

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Area of Science:

Digital health interventions
Mental health promotion
Eating disorder treatment

Background:

Digital health interventions for mental health, including eating disorders, are prevalent, but reasons for user dropout and poor adherence remain under-researched.
Existing studies often lack designs to investigate individual engagement issues, despite the strong link between user engagement and program usability.

Purpose of the Study:

To explore engagement and usability issues within the Healthy Body Image Program, an online intervention for body image concerns and eating disorders.
To highlight the value of usability research in understanding and improving user engagement in digital health interventions.

Main Methods:

An iterative, mixed-methods usability study was conducted prior to the program's launch, involving two rounds of testing with 9 potential users.
Methods included cognitive and semistructured interviews, questionnaires, and thematic analysis of think-aloud tasks to evaluate usability and engagement.

Main Results:

Participants reported satisfaction with the program's usability, with average scores improving from 77.5/100 to 83.1/100 after iterative design changes.
Key themes identified included layout, navigation, content, support, and engagement conditions, with usability influenced by format and clarity, and engagement by coach support, time, symptom severity, features, trust, and cost.

Conclusions:

Usability and engagement features significantly impact user motivation for the Healthy Body Image Program, demonstrating the benefit of pre-implementation testing and adjustment.
Integrating usability studies before efficacy trials is crucial for developing user-friendly digital health programs with higher real-world adoption potential and reduced dropout.