A Survey of Online and Mobile Technology Use at Peer Support Agencies
Open accessAbstract
Understanding how individuals with mental illness who receive services at peer support agencies use technology can inform the development of online and mobile health interventions tailored for users in these non-traditional mental health settings. The purpose of this study was to assess the use of technology among individuals with mental illness at peer support agencies. A survey delivered within peer support agencies (PSAs) in one state assessed technology use among individuals ages 18 and over with a self-identified mental illness receiving services at these agencies. In total, 195 individuals from 10 PSAs completed the survey. Eighty-two percent of respondents used the internet, with 63% of respondents connected to the internet at the PSAs. Eighty one percent of respondents owned a cell phone, 70% used text messaging, 58% owned smartphones, 61% used mobile applications, and 72% used social media. PSA users under age 55 were significantly more likely to own a smartphone than PSA users age 55 and older. Among internet users, 71% had searched for health information online and 57% had searched for mental health information online. Many individuals who receive services at PSAs have access to online and mobile technologies. These technologies may be leveraged to expand the reach of evidence-based health and mental health programs to individuals in these non-traditional mental health settings. Future research should explore the feasibility of intervention strategies that involve PSAs as a resource for linking people with mental illness to online and mobile support for their health and wellness goals.
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Individuals living with a range of mental disorders, including depression, psychotic disorders, or other severe mental illnesses, use social media platforms at comparable rates as the general population, with use ranging from about 70% among middle-age and older individuals to upwards of 97% among younger individuals.
“Studies have reported that individuals living with a range of mental disorders, including depression, psychotic disorders, or other severe mental illnesses, use social media platforms at comparable rates as the general population”
From Social Media and Mental Health: Benefits, Risks, and Opportunities for Research and Practice (2020) · cites this paper as Aschbrenner, Naslund, Grinley, et al., 2018
The Results and Discussion report that social media use among peer support agency users with mental illness was comparable to use in the general adult population; the Discussion gives a rate of 72%. Our copy does not establish the claimed range up to 97% among younger people or comparable rates separately for depression and psychotic disorders. The supplied verbatim citing sentence does not include the age-specific percentages. (LLM, conf=0.86)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredAmong middle-age and older individuals with mental illness accessing services at peer support agencies, 72% reported using social media.
“Comparable findings were demonstrated among middle-age and older individuals with mental illness accessing services at peer support agencies, where 72% of respondents reported using social media (Aschbrenner, Naslund, Grinley, et al., 2018).”
From Social Media and Mental Health: Benefits, Risks, and Opportunities for Research and Practice (2020) · cites this paper as Aschbrenner, Naslund, Grinley, et al., 2018
The Discussion reports that 72% of peer support agency respondents used social media. However, the Abstract Methods describes the survey population as adults aged 18 and over; the 72% figure is not reported specifically for middle-aged and older respondents. (LLM, conf=0.87)
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Research works printed but not linked: 20
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- Authors
- Aschbrenner, K. A., Naslund, J. A., Grinley, T., Bienvenida, J. C. M., Bartels, S. J., & Brunette, M.
- Affiliations
- Dartmouth College (US)
- Harvard University (US)
- New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (US)
- Corresponding author
- Aschbrenner, Kelly A.
- Venue
- Psychiatric Quarterly
- Published
- 2018-01-04
- Volume
- 89
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 539-548
- ISSN
- 0033-2720 (ISSN-L)
- 1573-6709
- PMC
- PMC6217798
- OpenAlex
- W2781899164
- Cited by
- 26
- References
- 27
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 3
- FWCI
- 4.10
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- Psychiatric Quarterly (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U48DP005018)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Digital Mental Health Interventions
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Mental Health and Patient Involvement
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Mobile Health and mHealth Applications
- Keywords
- mental illness, technology use, mobile health, online health information seeking, smartphone ownership, social media use, text messaging, mobile application, internet access
- MeSH terms
- Peer Influence, Adolescent, Adult, Age Factors, Aged, Mental Disorders, Humans, Middle Aged, Surveys and Questionnaires, Social Support, Internet, Young Adult, Mobile Applications
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