A1 Vertaisarvioitu alkuperäisartikkeli tieteellisessä lehdessä
How Do Adolescents Use Electronic Diaries? A Mixed-Methods Study Among Adolescents With Depressive Symptoms
Tekijät: Metsäranta K, Kurki M, Välimäki M, Anttila M
Kustantaja: JMIR PUBLICATIONS, INC
Julkaisuvuosi: 2019
Journal: Journal of Medical Internet Research
Tietokannassa oleva lehden nimi: JOURNAL OF MEDICAL INTERNET RESEARCH
Lehden akronyymi: J MED INTERNET RES
Artikkelin numero: ARTN e11711
Vuosikerta: 21
Numero: 2
Sivujen määrä: 10
ISSN: 1438-8871
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2196/11711
Rinnakkaistallenteen osoite: https://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/39730865
Background: Depression in adolescence is common. Less than half of the adolescents with depression receive mental health care; furthermore, treatment tends to be suspended, and its success rates are low. There is a need for these adolescents to have a safe place to share their thoughts. Studies have shown that writing may be a useful treatment method for people with mental health problems.Objective: This study aims to describe the use of an electronic diary (e-diary) among adolescents with depressive symptoms.Methods: This paper describes a substudy of a randomized controlled trial. We used a mixed-methods approach to understand the way in which e-diaries were used by participants in the intervention under the randomized controlled trial. Data were collected during 2008-2010 at 2 university hospitals in Finland. Study participants (N=89) were 15-17-year-old adolescents who had been referred to an adolescent outpatient psychiatric clinic due to depressive symptoms. Participants were instructed to use the e-diary at least once a week to describe their thoughts, feelings, and moods. The content of the e-diary data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and inductive content analysis.Results: Overall, 53% (47/89) of the adolescents used the e-diary. Most of them (39/47, 83%) logged into the program during the first week, and about one-third (19/47, 40%) logged into the e-diary weekly as suggested. The number of words used in the e-diary per each log ranged between 8 and 1442 words. The 3 topics most often written about in the e-diary were related to mental health problems (mental disorder), social interaction (relationship), and one's own development (identity).Conclusions: An e-diary may be a usable tool to reflect experiences and thoughts, especially among adolescents who have signs of depression. The results of this study can be used to develop user-centered electronic health applications that allow users to express their own thoughts and experiences in ways other than systematic mood monitoring.
Ladattava julkaisu This is an electronic reprint of the original article. |  |
