Improving the Utility, Safety, and Ethical Use of a Passive Mood-Tracking App for People With Bipolar Disorder Using Coproduction: Qualitative Focus Group Study
BackgroundCoproduction with users of new digital technology, such as passive mood monitoring, is likely to improve its utility, safety, and successful implementation via improved design and consideration of how such technology fits with their daily lives. Mood-monitoring inte...
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JMIR Publications
2025-02-01
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| Series: | JMIR Formative Research |
| Online Access: | https://formative.jmir.org/2025/1/e65140 |
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| author | Laurence Astill Wright Matthew Moore Stuart Reeves Elvira Perez Vallejos Richard Morriss |
| author_facet | Laurence Astill Wright Matthew Moore Stuart Reeves Elvira Perez Vallejos Richard Morriss |
| author_sort | Laurence Astill Wright |
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BackgroundCoproduction with users of new digital technology, such as passive mood monitoring, is likely to improve its utility, safety, and successful implementation via improved design and consideration of how such technology fits with their daily lives. Mood-monitoring interventions are commonly used by people with bipolar disorder (BD) and have promising potential for digitization using novel technological methods.
ObjectiveThis study aims to explore how a passive behavioral monitoring platform, Remote Assessment of Disease and Relapse, would meet the needs of people with BD by specifically considering purpose and function, diversity of need, personal preference, essential components and potential risks, and harms and mitigation strategies through an iterative coproduction process.
MethodsA total of 17 people with BD were recruited via national charities. We conducted 3 web-based focus groups as a part of an iterative coproduction process in line with responsible research and innovation principles and with consideration of clinical challenges associated with BD. Data were analyzed thematically. Results were cross-checked by someone with lived experience of BD.
ResultsFocus groups were transcribed and analyzed using thematic analysis. Six themes were identified as follows: (1) the purpose of using the app, (2) desired features, (3) when to use the app, (4) risks of using the app, (5) sharing with family and friends, and (6) sharing with health care professionals.
ConclusionsPeople with BD who are interested in using passive technology to monitor their mood wish to do so for a wide variety of purposes, identifying several preferences and potential risks. Principally, people with BD wished to use this novel technology to aid them in self-managing their BD with greater insight and a better understanding of potential triggers. We discuss key features that may aid this functionality and purpose, including crisis plans and sharing with others. Future development of passive mood-monitoring technologies should not assume that the involvement of formal mental health services is desired. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-3e9129c5051548a2846ffd54de24056b |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2561-326X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | JMIR Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | JMIR Formative Research |
| spelling | doaj-art-3e9129c5051548a2846ffd54de24056b2025-02-07T14:01:13ZengJMIR PublicationsJMIR Formative Research2561-326X2025-02-019e6514010.2196/65140Improving the Utility, Safety, and Ethical Use of a Passive Mood-Tracking App for People With Bipolar Disorder Using Coproduction: Qualitative Focus Group StudyLaurence Astill Wrighthttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-8324-1229Matthew Moorehttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-0774-7743Stuart Reeveshttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-7145-3320Elvira Perez Vallejoshttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-0258-9440Richard Morrisshttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-2910-4121 BackgroundCoproduction with users of new digital technology, such as passive mood monitoring, is likely to improve its utility, safety, and successful implementation via improved design and consideration of how such technology fits with their daily lives. Mood-monitoring interventions are commonly used by people with bipolar disorder (BD) and have promising potential for digitization using novel technological methods. ObjectiveThis study aims to explore how a passive behavioral monitoring platform, Remote Assessment of Disease and Relapse, would meet the needs of people with BD by specifically considering purpose and function, diversity of need, personal preference, essential components and potential risks, and harms and mitigation strategies through an iterative coproduction process. MethodsA total of 17 people with BD were recruited via national charities. We conducted 3 web-based focus groups as a part of an iterative coproduction process in line with responsible research and innovation principles and with consideration of clinical challenges associated with BD. Data were analyzed thematically. Results were cross-checked by someone with lived experience of BD. ResultsFocus groups were transcribed and analyzed using thematic analysis. Six themes were identified as follows: (1) the purpose of using the app, (2) desired features, (3) when to use the app, (4) risks of using the app, (5) sharing with family and friends, and (6) sharing with health care professionals. ConclusionsPeople with BD who are interested in using passive technology to monitor their mood wish to do so for a wide variety of purposes, identifying several preferences and potential risks. Principally, people with BD wished to use this novel technology to aid them in self-managing their BD with greater insight and a better understanding of potential triggers. We discuss key features that may aid this functionality and purpose, including crisis plans and sharing with others. Future development of passive mood-monitoring technologies should not assume that the involvement of formal mental health services is desired.https://formative.jmir.org/2025/1/e65140 |
| spellingShingle | Laurence Astill Wright Matthew Moore Stuart Reeves Elvira Perez Vallejos Richard Morriss Improving the Utility, Safety, and Ethical Use of a Passive Mood-Tracking App for People With Bipolar Disorder Using Coproduction: Qualitative Focus Group Study JMIR Formative Research |
| title | Improving the Utility, Safety, and Ethical Use of a Passive Mood-Tracking App for People With Bipolar Disorder Using Coproduction: Qualitative Focus Group Study |
| title_full | Improving the Utility, Safety, and Ethical Use of a Passive Mood-Tracking App for People With Bipolar Disorder Using Coproduction: Qualitative Focus Group Study |
| title_fullStr | Improving the Utility, Safety, and Ethical Use of a Passive Mood-Tracking App for People With Bipolar Disorder Using Coproduction: Qualitative Focus Group Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Improving the Utility, Safety, and Ethical Use of a Passive Mood-Tracking App for People With Bipolar Disorder Using Coproduction: Qualitative Focus Group Study |
| title_short | Improving the Utility, Safety, and Ethical Use of a Passive Mood-Tracking App for People With Bipolar Disorder Using Coproduction: Qualitative Focus Group Study |
| title_sort | improving the utility safety and ethical use of a passive mood tracking app for people with bipolar disorder using coproduction qualitative focus group study |
| url | https://formative.jmir.org/2025/1/e65140 |
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