Journal article
Evaluation Methods for Assessing Users' Psychological Experiences of Web-Based Psychosocial Interventions: A Systematic Review
Journal of medical Internet research, Vol.18(6), e181
2016
PMCID: PMC4945819
PMID: 27363519
Abstract
Background: The use of Web-based interventions to deliver mental health and behavior change programs is increasingly popular. They are cost-effective, accessible, and generally effective. Often these interventions concern psychologically sensitive and challenging issues, such as depression or anxiety. The process by which a person receives and experiences therapy is important to understanding therapeutic process and outcomes. While the experience of the patient or client in traditional face-to-face therapy has been evaluated in a number of ways, there appeared to be a gap in the evaluation of patient experiences of therapeutic interventions delivered online. Evaluation of Web-based artifacts has focused either on evaluation of experience from a computer Web-design perspective through usability testing or on evaluation of treatment effectiveness. Neither of these methods focuses on the psychological experience of the person while engaged in the therapeutic process.
Objective: This study aimed to investigate what methods, if any, have been used to evaluate the in situ psychological experience of users of Web-based self-help psychosocial interventions.
Methods: A systematic literature review was undertaken of interdisciplinary databases with a focus on health and computer sciences. Studies that met a predetermined search protocol were included.
Results: Among 21 studies identified that examined psychological experience of the user, only 1 study collected user experience in situ. The most common method of understanding users' experience was through semistructured interviews conducted posttreatment or questionnaires administrated at the end of an intervention session. The questionnaires were usually based on standardized tools used to assess user experience with traditional face-to-face treatment.
Conclusions: There is a lack of methods specified in the literature to evaluate the interface between Web-based mental health or behavior change artifacts and users. Main limitations in the research were the nascency of the topic and cross-disciplinary nature of the field. There is a need to develop and deliver methods of understanding users' psychological experiences while using an intervention.
Details
- Title
- Evaluation Methods for Assessing Users' Psychological Experiences of Web-Based Psychosocial Interventions: A Systematic Review
- Authors/Creators
- Jacqueline Susan Feather - Auckland University of TechnologyMoira Howson - Auckland University of TechnologyLinda Ritchie - Auckland University of TechnologyPhilip D. Carter - Auckland University of TechnologyDavid Tudor Parry - Auckland University of TechnologyJane Koziol-McLain - Auckland University of Technology
- Publication Details
- Journal of medical Internet research, Vol.18(6), e181
- Publisher
- JMIR Publications, Inc.
- Number of pages
- 13
- Identifiers
- 991005618234107891
- Copyright
- © 2016 The Authors
- Murdoch Affiliation
- School of Information Technology
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article
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- Citation topics
- 1 Clinical & Life Sciences
- 1.44 Nutrition & Dietetics
- 1.44.1069 Digital Mental Health
- Web Of Science research areas
- Health Care Sciences & Services
- Medical Informatics
- ESI research areas
- Clinical Medicine