Pilot Study of Factors Influencing Engagement with an mHealth Intervention Among Teens with Eating Disorder Symptoms.

Purpose: The current pilot study examines engagement with and preliminary effectiveness of an mHealth intervention designed for teens with eating disorders (EDs) to delineate specific user characteristics associated with intervention engagement and the impact of this engagement on ED symptoms.

Methods: Teens 14-17 years old with or at high-risk for an ED were recruited from social media (n=29) and provided access to an mHealth intervention for 2 months. At baseline, participants were surveyed on ED and other mental health symptoms and demographics. Bivariate analyses were used to examine associations between baseline characteristics and time spent in the app (<10 vs. ≥ 10 minutes). Qualitative feedback from participants on intervention content and usability was also collected and reported.

Results: Out of the 29 participants, 22 (76%) utilized the app at least once after gaining access. The median number of logins for these users was 6, with an interquartile range spanning from 3 to 15. Over half of teens spent 10 minutes or more engaging with the app during the study period (n=15, 52%). Compared to those who spent less than 10 minutes with the app, those who spent more than 10 minutes engaging with the app were slightly younger, more likely to endorse less chronic ED symptoms, and less likely to report social anxiety disorder (s < 0.05).

Conclusion: Teens' distinct user characteristics impact rates of uptake and engagement with an ED-focused mHealth intervention and should be considered in the design and iteration of these tools. mHealth tools have the potential to improve ED recovery outcomes among teens, and future studies should further evaluate the effectiveness of these tools and integration of content to support severe ED symptoms and other comorbid mental health issues.