Experiences with Take it Personal!+ from People with Mild Intellectual Disability or Borderline Intellectual...

Area of Science:

• Mental Health
• Addiction Medicine
• Digital Health

Background:

• Mild Intellectual Disability or Borderline Intellectual Functioning (MID-BIF) and Substance Use Disorder (SUD) present unique treatment challenges.
• The Take it Personal!+ program integrates a mobile health application (mHealth) to support individuals with MID-BIF and SUD.
• Previous findings suggest the program can reduce Substance Use (SU).

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the usability of the Take it Personal!+ treatment program.
• To explore the experiences of clients and their confidants with the program.
• To identify factors contributing to or hindering the program's effectiveness.

Main Methods:

• Post-treatment, semi-structured interviews were conducted with clients (n=8) and confidants (n=8).
• Transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis with inductive and deductive coding.
• Axial coding was employed to group codes into themes and analyze connections.

Main Results:

• Clients and confidants generally found the Take it Personal!+ program usable and effective in reducing self-reported SU.
• The presence of a confidant and specific program components like self-control skills and daily registration exercises were perceived as helpful.
• Impeding factors included video calling and a lack of network support, while non-judgmental discussions about SU quantity were beneficial.

Conclusions:

• The Take it Personal!+ program demonstrates usability for individuals with MID-BIF and SUD, aiding in the reduction of self-reported SU.
• The study highlights the importance of confidant support and specific program elements for treatment success.
• There is potential for further program adaptation and improvement to enhance outcomes.