“A one-stop shop”: Real-world use and app-users’ experiences of a psychoeducational smartphone app for adults with ADHD
Open accessAbstract
Smartphone apps have the potential to be accessible tools to provide psychoeducation for adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The Adult ADHD App aims to provide psychoeducation about ADHD and supports available in Ireland. The present study aimed to investigate acceptability and user engagement of the Adult ADHD App by auditing real-world use data and gaining qualitative feedback from app users. App analytical data was audited from the Google Analytics platform. Fourteen app-users, nine of whom identified as women and five as men, with an age range of 26–65 ( M = 40.29, SD = 11.14), participated in semi-structured interviews. Reflexive thematic analysis was employed to develop themes on app-users' experiences. The audit of app analytics indicated that over a period of one year, 12,000 people actively used the app and 6400 users returned after their initial use. We developed four themes from the interviews: ‘An evidence-based tool for understanding adult ADHD’ highlighted that the Adult ADHD App provides trustworthy psychoeducation on ADHD. ‘Recommendations for ADHD-friendly adaptations’ identified modifications to improve usability of the app. ‘Meeting the needs of different stages in the ADHD journey’ showed that while the app significantly benefitted adults new to their ADHD, adults who were familiar with their ADHD sought an app that would help them in moments of challenge. ‘Perception of public services impacts app experience’ suggested that people's attitudes and experiences of the public health system in Ireland affected their views of app content. The Adult ADHD App appears to meet its aims of providing psychoeducation on adult ADHD. Elements can be modified to improve usability. Digital health tools created by public health organisations should consider how people's previous experiences with healthcare services can impact how they perceive the information in the tools. • Psychoeducation via smartphone apps may reduce the information gap for adults with ADHD • The Adult ADHD App, a psychoeducational tool, was launched in November 2022 • The app was downloaded over 18 k times, with 12 k active users, within a one-year period • App users, especially adults new to their ADHD, gained from trustworthy information
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Clinical studies demonstrate meaningful reductions in ADHD symptom severity, impulsivity, and comorbid anxiety, alongside improvements in quality of life with mindfulness-based interventions.
“Clinical studies demonstrate meaningful reductions in ADHD symptom severity, impulsivity, and comorbid anxiety, alongside improvements in quality of life [168].”
From ADHD in Adulthood: Clinical Presentation, Comorbidities, and Treatment Perspectives (2025) · cites this paper as [168]
The Introduction (page unavailable) reports that studies of psychoeducational and CBT-related smartphone apps found reductions in ADHD symptoms. It does not report reductions in impulsivity or comorbid anxiety, improvements in quality of life, or those outcomes from mindfulness-based interventions. This paper's own study examines app users’ experiences rather than clinical symptom outcomes. (LLM, conf=0.88)
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ADHD in Adulthood: Clinical Presentation, Comorbidities, and Treatment Perspectives
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“Clinical studies demonstrate meaningful reductions in ADHD symptom severity, impulsivity, and comorbid anxiety, alongside improvements in quality of life [168].”
- Authors
- Seery, C., Cochrane, R. H., Mulcahy, M., Kilbride, K., Wrigley, M., & Bramham, J.
- Affiliations
- University College Dublin (IE)
- Health Service Executive (IE)
- Corresponding author
- Seery, Christina
- Venue
- Internet Interventions
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2025-03
- Volume
- 39
- Pages
- 100807
- ISSN
- 2214-7829 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC11847728
- OpenAlex
- W4407132497
- Cited by
- 7
- References
- 57
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 4
- FWCI
- 4.69
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Internet Interventions (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
- Funders
- Irish Research Council (GOIP/2021/1223)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Digital Mental Health Interventions
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Mobile Health and mHealth Applications
- Keywords
- adult ADHD, psychoeducation, mobile application, digital mental health, app usability, user engagement, acceptability, public health services, trust in health information
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