How People with Serious Mental Illness Use Smartphones, Mobile Apps, and Social Media

Overview

Journal Psychiatr Rehabil J

Publisher American Psychological Association

Specialty Psychiatry

Date 2016 Nov 16

PMID 27845533

Citations 53

Authors

John A Naslund

Kelly A Aschbrenner

Stephen J Bartels

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Objective: Research shows that people with serious mental illness are increasingly using mobile devices. Less is known about how these individuals use their mobile devices or whether they access social media. We surveyed individuals with serious mental illness to explore their use of these technologies.

Method: Individuals with serious mental illness engaged in lifestyle interventions through community mental health centers completed a survey about their use of mobile and online technologies. Responses were compared with data from the general population.

Results: Among respondents (n = 70), 93% owned cellphones, 78% used text messaging, 50% owned smartphones, and 71% used social media such as Facebook. Most respondents reported daily use of text messaging, mobile apps, and social media. Technology use was comparable to the general population, though smartphone ownership was lower.

Conclusions And Implications For Practice: These findings can inform future interventions that fully leverage this group's use of popular digital technologies. (PsycINFO Database Record

Citing Articles

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