Assessing the usability and user engagement of Thought Spot - A digital mental health help-seeking solution for transition-aged youth

Jenny Shi; Brian Lo; Howard W. Wong; Elisa Hollenberg; Marcos Sanches; Alexxa Abi-Jaoudé; Gloria Chaim; Kristin Cleverley; Joanna Henderson; Andrew Johnson; Andrea Levinson; Quynh Pham; Janine Robb; Aristotle Voineskos; David Wiljer

Internet Interventions (Apr 2021)

Assessing the usability and user engagement of Thought Spot - A digital mental health help-seeking solution for transition-aged youth

Jenny Shi,
Brian Lo,
Howard W. Wong,
Elisa Hollenberg,
Marcos Sanches,
Alexxa Abi-Jaoudé,
Gloria Chaim,
Kristin Cleverley,
Joanna Henderson,
Andrew Johnson,
Andrea Levinson,
Quynh Pham,
Janine Robb,
Aristotle Voineskos,
David Wiljer

Affiliations

Jenny Shi: Office of Education, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 1025 Queen Street West, Toronto, ON M6J 1H4, Canada
Brian Lo: Office of Education, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 1025 Queen Street West, Toronto, ON M6J 1H4, Canada; Information Management Group, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 100 Stokes Street, Toronto, ON M6J 1H4, Canada; UHN Digital, University Health Network, 200 Elizabeth St, Toronto, ON M5G 2C4, Canada; Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, 425-155 College St, Toronto, ON M5T 1P8, Canada
Howard W. Wong: Office of Education, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 1025 Queen Street West, Toronto, ON M6J 1H4, Canada; Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, 425-155 College St, Toronto, ON M5T 1P8, Canada
Elisa Hollenberg: Office of Education, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 1025 Queen Street West, Toronto, ON M6J 1H4, Canada
Marcos Sanches: Krembil Centre for Neuroinformatics, Centre for Mental Health and Addiction, 250 College St, Toronto, ON M5T 1R8, Canada
Alexxa Abi-Jaoudé: Office of Education, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 1025 Queen Street West, Toronto, ON M6J 1H4, Canada
Gloria Chaim: Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, 250 College Street, 8th floor, Toronto, ON M5T 1R8, Canada; Margaret and Wallace McCain Centre for Child, Youth & Family Mental Health, Centre for Mental Health and Addiction, 80 Workman Way, Toronto, ON M5J 1H4, Canada; Cundill Centre for Child and Youth Depression, Centre for Mental Health and Addiction, 80 Workman Way, Toronto, ON M5J 1H4, Canada
Kristin Cleverley: Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, 250 College Street, 8th floor, Toronto, ON M5T 1R8, Canada; Margaret and Wallace McCain Centre for Child, Youth & Family Mental Health, Centre for Mental Health and Addiction, 80 Workman Way, Toronto, ON M5J 1H4, Canada; Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing, University of Toronto, 155 College Street, Suite 130, Toronto, Ontario M5T 1P8, Canada
Joanna Henderson: Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, 250 College Street, 8th floor, Toronto, ON M5T 1R8, Canada; Margaret and Wallace McCain Centre for Child, Youth & Family Mental Health, Centre for Mental Health and Addiction, 80 Workman Way, Toronto, ON M5J 1H4, Canada; Cundill Centre for Child and Youth Depression, Centre for Mental Health and Addiction, 80 Workman Way, Toronto, ON M5J 1H4, Canada
Andrew Johnson: Office of Education, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 1025 Queen Street West, Toronto, ON M6J 1H4, Canada
Andrea Levinson: Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, 250 College Street, 8th floor, Toronto, ON M5T 1R8, Canada; Health and Wellness, University of Toronto, 214 College Street, 2nd floor Suite #232, Toronto, ON M5T 2Z9, Canada
Quynh Pham: Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, 425-155 College St, Toronto, ON M5T 1P8, Canada; Centre for Global eHealth Innovation, University Health Network, 190 Elizabeth St, Toronto, ON M5G 2C4, Canada
Janine Robb: Health and Wellness, University of Toronto, 214 College Street, 2nd floor Suite #232, Toronto, ON M5T 2Z9, Canada
Aristotle Voineskos: Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, 250 College Street, 8th floor, Toronto, ON M5T 1R8, Canada; Slaight Family Centre for Youth in Transition, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 1025 Queen Street West, Toronto, ON M6J 1H4, Canada
David Wiljer: Office of Education, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 1025 Queen Street West, Toronto, ON M6J 1H4, Canada; UHN Digital, University Health Network, 200 Elizabeth St, Toronto, ON M5G 2C4, Canada; Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, 425-155 College St, Toronto, ON M5T 1P8, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, 250 College Street, 8th floor, Toronto, ON M5T 1R8, Canada; Corresponding author at: University Health Network, 190 Elizabeth Street, R. Fraser Elliott 3E-441, Toronto, ON Canada M5G 2C4.

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 24
p. 100386

Abstract

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Objective: To evaluate the perceived usability of and user engagement with a digital platform (Thought Spot) designed to enhance mental health and wellness help-seeking among transition-aged youth (TAY; 17–29-years old). Materials and methods: Survey responses and usage patterns were collected as part of a randomized controlled trial evaluating the efficacy of Thought Spot. Participants given Thought Spot completed an adapted Usefulness, Satisfaction, and Ease of Use (USE) Questionnaire to measure perceived usability of the platform. User engagement patterns on Thought Spot were examined using analytics data collected throughout the study (March 2018–June 2019). Results: A total of 131 transition-aged participants completed the USE questionnaire and logged on to Thought Spot at least once. Ease of learning scored higher than ease of use, usefulness and satisfaction. Participants identified numerous strengths and challenges related to usability, visual appeal, functionality and usefulness of the content. In terms of user engagement, most participants stopped using the platform after 3 weeks. Participants searched and were interested in a variety of resources, including mental health, counselling and social services. Discussion: Participants reported mixed experiences while using Thought Spot and exhibited low levels of long-term user engagement. User satisfaction, the willingness to recommend Thought Spot to others, and the willingness for future use appeared to be influenced by content relevance, ease of learning, available features, and other contextual factors. Analysis of the types of resources viewed and searches conducted by TAY end-users provided insight into their behaviour and needs. Conclusion: Users had mixed perceptions about the usability of Thought Spot, which may have contributed to the high attrition rate. User satisfaction and engagement appears to be influenced by content relevance, ease of learning, and the types of features available. Further investigation to understand the contextual factors that affect TAYs' adoption and engagement with digital mental health tools is required.

Published in Internet Interventions

ISSN: 2214-7829 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: Netherlands
LCC subjects: Technology: Technology (General): Industrial engineering. Management engineering: Information technology; Philosophy. Psychology. Religion: Psychology
Website: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/internet-interventions/

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