SOVA
Design of a Stakeholder Informed Social Media Website for Depressed Adolescents and Their Parents
Published in: Journal of Technology in Human Services, Volume 35, Issue 3 (July 2017), Pages 169-182. doi: 10.1080/15228835.2017.1347552
Posted on RAND.org on June 28, 2018
Two moderated social media websites were designed for increasing likelihood for mental health treatment engagement for depressed adolescents (sova.pitt.edu) and for parents (wisesova.pitt.edu). This article describes iterative stakeholder interviews conducted with adolescents, young adults, parents, advocates, and clinicians and use of human computer interaction techniques to inform major design changes which: (a) underscored the role of online interaction to provide emotional support and information, (b) importance of anonymity, (c) desire to share positive media, and (d) need for frequent moderation. Future studies will examine acceptability and effectiveness of revised websites in helping depressed adolescents and their parents engage with treatment.
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