TY - JOUR
T1 - An Emotion Regulation Tablet App for Middle-Aged and Older Adults at High Suicide Risk
T2 - Feasibility, Acceptability, and Two Case Studies
AU - Kiosses, Dimitris N.
AU - Monkovic, Jody
AU - Stern, Amy
AU - Czaja, Sara J.
AU - Alexopoulos, George
AU - Arslanoglou, Elizabeth
AU - Ebo, Theresa
AU - Pantelides, Joanna
AU - Yu, Huaian
AU - Dunefsky, Jacob
AU - Smeragliuolo, Anna
AU - Putrino, David
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021
PY - 2022/5
Y1 - 2022/5
N2 - Objective: The unique features of technological applications may improve the treatment of people at risk of suicide. In this article, we present feasibility and acceptability data as well as two case studies demonstrating the use of WellPATH, a tablet app that aims to help suicidal patients during emotionally-charged situations outside of therapy sessions. The WellPATH app was part of a 12-week psychotherapy intervention (CRISP – Cognitive Reappraisal Intervention for Suicide Prevention) for middle-aged and older adults after their discharge from a suicide-related hospitalization. Design: The use of WellPATH includes three stages: preparation and practice, incorporation, and actual use. Measurements: Feasibility was measured by the overall use of WellPATH during 12 weeks, and acceptability was measured with the three items of the Client Satisfaction Questionnaire. Results: Twelve study participants were administered WellPATH as part of CRISP. The results provide preliminary evidence of feasibility and acceptability of WellPATH. Study participants and therapists reported high satisfaction with WellPATH and provided feedback for future research and development. The patients in the case studies reported a reduction in negative emotions and an increase in emotion regulation (i.e., cognitive reappraisal ability) after using techniques on the WellPATH app. Conclusion: Our preliminary findings suggest that use of technology applications such as the WellPATH app is feasible and accepted among middle-aged and older adults at high suicide risk. Further research with an adequately powered sample is needed to further evaluate WellPATH's feasibility and accessibility, and test its efficacy with this high-risk population.
AB - Objective: The unique features of technological applications may improve the treatment of people at risk of suicide. In this article, we present feasibility and acceptability data as well as two case studies demonstrating the use of WellPATH, a tablet app that aims to help suicidal patients during emotionally-charged situations outside of therapy sessions. The WellPATH app was part of a 12-week psychotherapy intervention (CRISP – Cognitive Reappraisal Intervention for Suicide Prevention) for middle-aged and older adults after their discharge from a suicide-related hospitalization. Design: The use of WellPATH includes three stages: preparation and practice, incorporation, and actual use. Measurements: Feasibility was measured by the overall use of WellPATH during 12 weeks, and acceptability was measured with the three items of the Client Satisfaction Questionnaire. Results: Twelve study participants were administered WellPATH as part of CRISP. The results provide preliminary evidence of feasibility and acceptability of WellPATH. Study participants and therapists reported high satisfaction with WellPATH and provided feedback for future research and development. The patients in the case studies reported a reduction in negative emotions and an increase in emotion regulation (i.e., cognitive reappraisal ability) after using techniques on the WellPATH app. Conclusion: Our preliminary findings suggest that use of technology applications such as the WellPATH app is feasible and accepted among middle-aged and older adults at high suicide risk. Further research with an adequately powered sample is needed to further evaluate WellPATH's feasibility and accessibility, and test its efficacy with this high-risk population.
KW - Suicide prevention
KW - emotion regulation
KW - older adults
KW - tablet app
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85117164345&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jagp.2021.08.015
DO - 10.1016/j.jagp.2021.08.015
M3 - Article
C2 - 34656396
AN - SCOPUS:85117164345
SN - 1064-7481
VL - 30
SP - 575
EP - 584
JO - American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry
JF - American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry
IS - 5
ER -