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Automated Real-Time Tool for Promoting Crisis Resource Use for Suicide Risk (ResourceBot): Development and Usability
Daniel Dl Coppersmith1, Kate H Bentley2, Evan M Kleiman3
1Department of Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States.
JMIR Mental Health
|October 31, 2024
Summary
A new tool, ResourceBot, showed high engagement for real-time suicide risk monitoring but did not increase crisis service use. Future interventions need to address user-reported barriers to accessing support.
Area of Science:
- Digital Health
- Mental Health Technology
- Suicidology
Background:
- Real-time monitoring of suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STBs) presents opportunities for understanding and intervention.
- Scalable, real-time tools are needed to address suicide risk effectively.
- Current approaches face challenges in translating monitoring data into timely support.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and evaluate ResourceBot, an automated tool designed to reduce barriers to crisis service utilization.
- To test a rule-based, brief intervention for real-time suicide risk management.
- To assess the feasibility and user experience of a novel digital mental health intervention.
Main Methods:
- A 2-week real-time monitoring study involving 74 adults with recent suicidal thoughts.
- Deployment of ResourceBot, an automated intervention tool.
- Assessment of user engagement, crisis service utilization, and user satisfaction.
Main Results:
- ResourceBot was deployed 221 times to 36 participants, with 87% engagement.
- No participants reported using crisis services after interacting with ResourceBot.
- Primary barriers to crisis service use included perceived ineffectiveness, desire for self-reliance, and time/effort concerns.
- Participants reported good usability (75.6/100) and satisfaction (20.8/32) with ResourceBot.
Conclusions:
- Real-time digital interventions for suicide risk show promise but face significant challenges.
- User-reported barriers must be addressed for effective crisis service engagement.
- Future research should focus on refining interventions to overcome these barriers and improve real-world outcomes.
