The self-help app My Grief: Bereaved parents' experiences of helpfulness, satisfaction and usability

R. Eklund; M.C. Eisma; P.A. Boelen; F.K. Arnberg; J. Sveen

doi:10.1016/j.invent.2024.100712

The self-help app My Grief: Bereaved parents' experiences of helpfulness, satisfaction and usability

R. Eklund^*, M.C. Eisma^*, P.A. Boelen^*, F.K. Arnberg^*, J. Sveen^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

Mobile health (mHealth) apps have been shown to be useful to monitor and reduce mental health problems across a variety of stress-related and affective disorders, yet research on the value of apps for prolonged grief is scarce. Therefore, the main aim of this study was to elucidate bereaved parents' experiences of using the self-help app My Grief with a focus on helpfulness, satisfaction, and usability. Data were derived from closed-ended and open-ended questions administered at the 3-month post-assessment of the intervention group (n = 67) within a randomized controlled trial testing the effects of access to the My Grief app. The sample consisted of 88 % women, with a mean age of 47 years, who predominantly lost their child to cancer (41 %), on average 4.8 years ago. Participating parents indicated that the My Grief app helped them increase their knowledge about prolonged grief and track their grief over time. The app was experienced as easy to navigate and around half of the parents used the app more than one day a week. Almost all parents were satisfied with the app and would recommend it to other parents in similar situations. The findings add to the knowledge base justifying mHealth within support systems for bereaved adults.

Original language	English
Article number	100712
Number of pages	8
Journal	Internet Interventions
Volume	35
Early online date	17 Jan 2024
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.invent.2024.100712
Publication status	Published - Mar 2024

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 The Authors

Funding

This work was supported by the Swedish Childhood Cancer Fund [ PR2018-0047 ; TJ2018-0002 ] and the Swedish Infant Death Foundation . The funding sources had no involvement in conducting the research. A special thanks to all parents that participated in this study using the app. We would also like to thank the Veterans Affairs National Centre for PTSD and the Department of Defense's DHA Connected Health for letting us base the My Grief app on the source code from PTSD Coach. This work was supported by the Swedish Childhood Cancer Fund [PR2018-0047; TJ2018-0002] and the Swedish Infant Death Foundation. The funding sources had no involvement in conducting the research.

Funders	Funder number
Swedish Childhood Cancer Fund	TJ2018-0002, PR2018-0047
Swedish Infant Death Foundation
Veterans Affairs National Centre
U.S. Department of Defense

Keywords

Bereavement
Prolonged grief
Randomized controlled trial
User experience
mHealth

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1016/j.invent.2024.100712Licence: CC BY

1-s2.0-S2214782924000058-mainFinal published version, 1.73 MBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

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title = "The self-help app My Grief: Bereaved parents' experiences of helpfulness, satisfaction and usability",

abstract = "Mobile health (mHealth) apps have been shown to be useful to monitor and reduce mental health problems across a variety of stress-related and affective disorders, yet research on the value of apps for prolonged grief is scarce. Therefore, the main aim of this study was to elucidate bereaved parents' experiences of using the self-help app My Grief with a focus on helpfulness, satisfaction, and usability. Data were derived from closed-ended and open-ended questions administered at the 3-month post-assessment of the intervention group (n = 67) within a randomized controlled trial testing the effects of access to the My Grief app. The sample consisted of 88 \% women, with a mean age of 47 years, who predominantly lost their child to cancer (41 \%), on average 4.8 years ago. Participating parents indicated that the My Grief app helped them increase their knowledge about prolonged grief and track their grief over time. The app was experienced as easy to navigate and around half of the parents used the app more than one day a week. Almost all parents were satisfied with the app and would recommend it to other parents in similar situations. The findings add to the knowledge base justifying mHealth within support systems for bereaved adults.",

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author = "R. Eklund and M.C. Eisma and P.A. Boelen and F.K. Arnberg and J. Sveen",

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doi = "10.1016/j.invent.2024.100712",

language = "English",

volume = "35",

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AU - Arnberg, F.K.

AU - Sveen, J.

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N2 - Mobile health (mHealth) apps have been shown to be useful to monitor and reduce mental health problems across a variety of stress-related and affective disorders, yet research on the value of apps for prolonged grief is scarce. Therefore, the main aim of this study was to elucidate bereaved parents' experiences of using the self-help app My Grief with a focus on helpfulness, satisfaction, and usability. Data were derived from closed-ended and open-ended questions administered at the 3-month post-assessment of the intervention group (n = 67) within a randomized controlled trial testing the effects of access to the My Grief app. The sample consisted of 88 % women, with a mean age of 47 years, who predominantly lost their child to cancer (41 %), on average 4.8 years ago. Participating parents indicated that the My Grief app helped them increase their knowledge about prolonged grief and track their grief over time. The app was experienced as easy to navigate and around half of the parents used the app more than one day a week. Almost all parents were satisfied with the app and would recommend it to other parents in similar situations. The findings add to the knowledge base justifying mHealth within support systems for bereaved adults.

AB - Mobile health (mHealth) apps have been shown to be useful to monitor and reduce mental health problems across a variety of stress-related and affective disorders, yet research on the value of apps for prolonged grief is scarce. Therefore, the main aim of this study was to elucidate bereaved parents' experiences of using the self-help app My Grief with a focus on helpfulness, satisfaction, and usability. Data were derived from closed-ended and open-ended questions administered at the 3-month post-assessment of the intervention group (n = 67) within a randomized controlled trial testing the effects of access to the My Grief app. The sample consisted of 88 % women, with a mean age of 47 years, who predominantly lost their child to cancer (41 %), on average 4.8 years ago. Participating parents indicated that the My Grief app helped them increase their knowledge about prolonged grief and track their grief over time. The app was experienced as easy to navigate and around half of the parents used the app more than one day a week. Almost all parents were satisfied with the app and would recommend it to other parents in similar situations. The findings add to the knowledge base justifying mHealth within support systems for bereaved adults.

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ER -

The self-help app My Grief: Bereaved parents' experiences of helpfulness, satisfaction and usability

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

Keywords

UN SDGs

Access to Document

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Cite this