Investigating the Role of Situational Disruptors in Engagement with Digital Mental Health Tools
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Challenges in engagement with digital mental health (DMH) tools are commonly addressed through technical enhancements and algorithmic interventions. This paper shifts the focus towards the role of users' broader social context as a significant factor in engagement. Through an eight-week text messaging program aimed at enhancing psychological wellbeing, we recruited 20 participants to help us identify situational engagement disruptors (SEDs), including personal responsibilities, professional obligations, and unexpected health issues. In follow-up design workshops with 25 participants, we explored potential solutions that address such SEDs: prioritizing self-care through structured goal-setting, alternative framings for disengagement, and utilization of external resources. Our findings challenge conventional perspectives on engagement and offer actionable design implications for future DMH tools.
DOI: 10.1145/3757487
Authors: Ananya Bhattacharjee, Joseph Jay Williams, Miranda Beltzer, Jonah Meyerhoff, Harsh Kumar, Haochen Song, David C. Mohr, Alex Mariakakis, Rachel Kornfield
Institutions: University of Toronto, Northwestern University
Language: English
Subfield: Applied Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
Awards: G1717380892, G2186683026, G2722995245, G395735967, Collaborative Research: Frameworks for Intelligent Adaptive Experimentation: Enhancing and Tailoring Digital Education, G5074179833, Digital Mental Health Service for Non-Treatment Seeking Young Adults, Enhancing Online User-Facing Systems through Dynamic Experimentation, G832689143, G8876996369, mHealth for suicide prevention: Design, development, and feasibility of a scalable SMS-based safety planning intervention, Adaptive Messaging to Support Depression Self-Management, G940897683
OpenAlex ID: W4415256692