Citation

Yuen EK, Gros K, Welsh KE, McCauley J, Resnick HS, Danielson CK, Price M, Ruggiero KJ. Health Informatics J. 2015; 22(3): 659-675.

Affiliation

Medical University of South Carolina, USA; Ralph H. Johnson Veterans Affairs Medical Center, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2015, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/1460458215579292

PMID

25933798

Abstract

Technology-based self-help interventions have the potential to increase access to evidence-based mental healthcare, especially for families affected by natural disasters. However, development of these interventions is a complex process and poses unique challenges. Usability testing, which assesses the ability of individuals to use an application successfully, can have a significant impact on the quality of a self-help intervention. This article describes (a) the development of a novel web-based multi-module self-help intervention for disaster-affected adolescents and their parents and (b) a mixed-methods formal usability study to evaluate user response. A total of 24 adolescents were observed, videotaped, and interviewed as they used the depressed mood component of the self-help intervention. Quantitative results indicated an above-average user experience, and qualitative analysis identified 120 unique usability issues. We discuss the challenges of developing self-help applications, including design considerations and the value of usability testing in technology-based interventions, as well as our plan for widespread dissemination.

Language: en