The Acceptability and Usability of Digital Health Interventions for Adults With Depression, Anxiety, and Somatoform Disorders: Qualitative Systematic Review and Meta-Synthesis

Patel, Shireen; Akhtar, Athfah; Malins, Sam; Wright, Nicola; Rowley, Emma; Young, Emma; Sampson, Stephanie; Morriss, Richard

doi:10.2196/16228

Cited by 190Digital Mental Health InterventionsMobile Health and mHealth ApplicationsMental Health Treatment and Access

The Acceptability and Usability of Digital Health Interventions for Adults With Depression, Anxiety, and Somatoform Disorders: Qualitative Systematic Review and Meta-Synthesis

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Patel, Shireen, Akhtar, Athfah, Malins, Sam, Wright, Nicola, Rowley, Emma, Young, Emma, Sampson, Stephanie, Morriss, Richard·2020·Journal of Medical Internet Research

DOI 10.2196/16228PMC PMC7381032

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Abstract

Background: The prevalence of mental health disorders continues to rise, with almost 4% of the world population having an anxiety disorder and almost 3.5% having depression in 2017. Despite the high prevalence, only one-third of people with depression or anxiety receive treatment. Over the last decade, the use of digital health interventions (DHIs) has risen rapidly as a means of accessing mental health care and continues to increase. Although there is evidence supporting the effectiveness of DHIs for the treatment of mental health conditions, little is known about what aspects are valued by users and how they might be improved. Objective: This systematic review aimed to identify, appraise, and synthesize the qualitative literature available on service users’ views and experiences regarding the acceptability and usability of DHIs for depression, anxiety, and somatoform disorders. Methods: A systematic search strategy was developed, and searches were run in 7 electronic databases. Qualitative and mixed methods studies published in English were included. A meta-synthesis was used to interpret and synthesize the findings from the included studies. Results: A total of 24 studies were included in the meta-synthesis, and 3 key themes emerged with descriptive subthemes. The 3 key themes were initial motivations and approaches to DHIs, personalization of treatment, and the value of receiving personal support in DHIs. The meta-synthesis suggests that participants’ initial beliefs about DHIs can have an important effect on their engagement with these types of interventions. Personal support was valued very highly as a major component of the success of DHIs. The main reason for this was the way it enabled individual personalization of care. Conclusions: Findings from the systematic review have implications for the design of future DHIs to improve uptake, retention, and outcomes in DHIs for depression, anxiety, and somatoform disorders. DHIs need to be personalized to the specific needs of the individual. Future research should explore whether the findings could be generalized to other health conditions.

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Although Patel et al. [44] emphasized that SI is critical for understanding CBT-assisted AR technology adoption among adults with SAD, SI has not been rigorously analyzed through quantitative models in undergraduate populations.
“Although Patel et al. [44] emphasized that SI is critical for understanding CBT-assisted AR technology adoption among adults with SAD, SI has not been rigorously analyzed through quantitative models in undergraduate populations.”
From Advancing Undergraduate Student Mental Healthcare of Social Anxiety Disorder: Evaluating the Acceptance of AR-Assisted Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Through TAM-Based Constructs. (2026) · cites this paper as [44]
Results, Theme 3 (page not available), identifies responsive personal support as important to engagement with digital health interventions. It does not analyze social influence as a factor in adopting CBT-assisted augmented reality technology among adults with social anxiety disorder. The statement about quantitative models in undergraduates is the citing authors’ framing, not a finding attributed to Patel et al. (LLM, conf=0.85)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
Initial motivations and sense of hope regarding the treatment seem to affect the experience of the treatment.
“and also regarding how initial motivations and sense of hope regarding the treatment seem to affect the experience of the treatment (Patel et al., 2020).”
From Investigating the potential of a novel internet-based cognitive behavioural intervention for Dari and Farsi speaking refugee youth: A feasibility study (2022) · cites this paper as Patel et al., 2020
Similar themes regarding a wish for more human contact and interaction with a therapist have been found in previous qualitative studies of both adult and adolescent ICBT participants.
“Similar themes regarding a wish for more human contact and interaction with a therapist have been found in previous qualitative studies of both adult and adolescent ICBT participants (Lenhard et al., 2016; Patel et al., 2020)”
From Investigating the potential of a novel internet-based cognitive behavioural intervention for Dari and Farsi speaking refugee youth: A feasibility study (2022) · cites this paper as Patel et al., 2020
Few meta-syntheses evaluating patients' satisfaction, acceptability, and feasibility of telemonitoring are present in the literature.
“Few meta-syntheses evaluating patients’ satisfaction, acceptability (how well the intervention is received by the target population), and feasibility (if the intervention is appropriate for future testing/implementation) of telemonitoring are present in the literature. [12–14]”
From Use of telemonitoring in patient self-management of chronic disease: a qualitative meta-synthesis (2023) · cites this paper as [13]
Few meta-syntheses are available that focus on telemonitoring within chronic disease management.
“Few meta-syntheses [12–14] are available that focus on telemonitoring within chronic disease management.”
From Use of telemonitoring in patient self-management of chronic disease: a qualitative meta-synthesis (2023) · cites this paper as [13]

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Experiences and engagement with the design features and strategies of an internet-delivered treatment programme for generalised anxiety disorder: a service-based evaluation
Walsh, A., & Richards, D. (2017) · British Journal of Guidance & Counselling · doi:10.1080/03069885.2016.1153039 · Cited by 20 · cited 5× · see citing works
“Incorporating some form of support to enhance commitment and motivation was highlighted in 17 papers [35,37,38,41,43-51,53-55,57].”
BackgroundInfluential
‘One man’s medicine is another man’s poison’: a qualitative study of user perspectives on low intensity interventions for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Knopp, J., Knowles, S. E., Bower, P., Lovell, K., & Bee, P. (2016) · BMC Health Services Research · doi:10.1186/s12913-016-1433-3 · Cited by 16 · cited 5× · see citing works
“A total of 15 papers reported on participant expectations of participating in a DHI trial [34-48].”
BackgroundInfluential
Internet-based trials and the creation of health consumers
Advocat, J., & Lindsay, J. (2010) · Social Science & Medicine · doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2009.10.051 · Cited by 15 · cited 2× · see citing works
“Flexibility and autonomy were emphasized in the majority of papers, with 19 papers reporting the flexible and autonomous nature of DHIs [24,35-42,45-49,52-56].”
Background
Health at a Glance: Europe 2018 (Summary in French)
OECD, & Union, E. (2018) · Health at a glance. Europe · doi:10.1787/b7a151bc-fr · Cited by 8 · see citing works
An exploration of the therapeutic process while using computerised cognitive behaviour therapy
Purves, D., & Dutton, J. (2013) · Counselling and Psychotherapy Research · doi:10.1080/14733145.2012.761259 · Cited by 7 · cited 6× · see citing works
“A total of 15 papers reported on participant expectations of participating in a DHI trial [34-48].”
BackgroundInfluential

Flagged first, then by citations

Sorted by citations

Digital Health Interventions for Delivery of Mental Health Care: Systematic and Comprehensive Meta-Review
Philippe, T. J., Sikder, N., Jackson, A., Koblanski, M. E., Liow, E., Pilarinos, A., & Vasarhelyi, K. (2022) · JMIR Mental Health · doi:10.2196/35159 · Cited by 436 · see citing works
“Whether clinicians can provide effective and reliable treatment, perform assessments [26,27], identify ailments and symptoms [28], manage suicidal behaviors [26,28,29], and provide personable, compassionate services [26,30,31] remains uncertain.”
Background
Barriers to and Facilitators of Digital Health Among Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Populations: Qualitative Systematic Review
Whitehead, L., Talevski, J., Fatehi, F., & Beauchamp, A. (2023) · Journal of Medical Internet Research · doi:10.2196/42719 · Cited by 274 · see citing works
“Overall, there are considerable gaps in the evidence base for factors influencing interaction with DHTs among CaLD populations, including from the perspectives of community members [8,23,73].”
Understanding Engagement Strategies in Digital Interventions for Mental Health Promotion: Scoping Review
Saleem, M., Kühne, L., De Santis, K. K., Christianson, L., Brand, T., & Busse, H. (2021) · JMIR Mental Health · doi:10.2196/30000 · Cited by 199 · see citing works
“Digital interventions offer the potential to overcome availability and accessibility barriers, including geographical location and time [1,4,5].”
BackgroundInfluential
Ensuring patient and public involvement in the transition to AI‐assisted mental health care: A systematic scoping review and agenda for design justice
Zidaru, T., Morrow, E. M., & Stockley, R. (2021) · Health Expectations · doi:10.1111/hex.13299 · Cited by 138 · see citing works
Implementing precision methods in personalizing psychological therapies: Barriers and possible ways forward
Deisenhofer, A., Barkham, M., Beierl, E. T., Schwartz, B., Doorn, K. A., Beevers, C. G., Berwian, I. M., Blackwell, S. E., Bockting, C., Brakemeier, E., et al. (2023) · Behaviour Research and Therapy · doi:10.1016/j.brat.2023.104443 · Cited by 115 · see citing works
“Approaches that are considered more personalized to the individual needs of patients and clients tend to have greater value ratings (Patel et al., 2020).”
Facilitating Self-Guided Mental Health Interventions Through Human-Language Model Interaction: A Case Study of Cognitive Restructuring
Sharma, A., Rushton, K., Lin, I. W., Nguyen, T., & Althoff, T. (2024) · CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems · doi:10.1145/3613904.3642761 · Cited by 119 · see citing works
“Self-guided mental health interventions, such as tools to journal and reflect on negative thoughts, offer great promise to expand modes of care and help people learn coping strategies [64, 71, 72, 82].”
BackgroundMethod
Effectiveness of digital mental health interventions for university students: An umbrella review
Harith, S., Backhaus, I., Mohbin, N., Ngo, H. T., & Khoo, S. (2022) · PeerJ · doi:10.7717/peerj.13111 · Cited by 105 · see citing works
“Conceptualizing user experiences can enhance the personalization of digital mental health interventions, which has been shown to improve uptake, retention, and outcomes (Patel et al., 2020).”
Background
Digital health experiences reported in chronic disease management: An umbrella review of qualitative studies
Taylor, M. L., Thomas, E. E., Vitangcol, K. J., Marx, W., Campbell, K. L., Caffery, L. J., Haydon, H. M., Smith, A. C., & Kelly, J. T. (2022) · Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare · doi:10.1177/1357633x221119620 · Cited by 96 · see citing works
“14 5 Thematic analysis High-income Hand 15 12 Inductive analysis Mostly high-income Patel et al. 16 24 Qualitative meta-synthesis High-income Tatar et al. 17 2 Narrative synthesis High-income Cancer ( n = 48) Cox et al. 18 22 Synthesis methods according to Thomas and Harden High-and…”
Method
Current Implementation of Digital Health in Chronic Disease Management: Scoping Review
Pong, C. Y., Tseng, R. M. W. W., Tham, Y. C., & Lum, E. (2024) · Journal of Medical Internet Research · doi:10.2196/53576 · Cited by 100 · see citing works
“Patel et al [298] highlighted that numerous studies indicated that many participants were willing to use digital health innovations, especially if they are personalized to target users’ needs and preferences, which is a key enabler found in our review.”
Economic evaluations of internet-based psychological interventions for anxiety disorders and depression: A systematic review
Mitchell, L. M., Joshi, U., Patel, V., Lu, C., & Naslund, J. A. (2021) · Journal of Affective Disorders · doi:10.1016/j.jad.2021.01.092 · Cited by 80 · see citing works
“digital interventions to help mitigate ethical concerns (Patel et al., 2020).”
Background
Barriers and Facilitators of User Engagement With Digital Mental Health Interventions for People With Psychosis or Bipolar Disorder: Systematic Review and Best-Fit Framework Synthesis
Eisner, E., Faulkner, S., Allan, S., Ball, H., Basilio, D. D., Nicholas, J., Priyam, A., Wilson, P. M., Zhang, X., & Bucci, S. (2025) · JMIR Mental Health · doi:10.2196/65246 · Cited by 65 · see citing works
“Our finding that human support was a key facilitator of DMHI engagement is consistent with previous reviews of factors affecting the implementation of DMHIs for psychosis or bipolar disorder [17,160], common mental health problems [11,21,158,161,162], and a meta-synthesis of staff views [158].”
Digital mental health interventions for the treatment of depression: A multiverse meta-analysis
Plessen, C. Y., Panagiotopoulou, O. M., Tong, L., Cuijpers, P., & Karyotaki, E. (2025) · Journal of Affective Disorders · doi:10.1016/j.jad.2024.10.018 · Cited by 53 · see citing works
Use of telemonitoring in patient self-management of chronic disease: a qualitative meta-synthesis
Creber, A., Leo, D. G., Buckley, B. J. R., Chowdhury, M., Harrison, S. L., Isanejad, M., Lane, D. A., & on behalf of the TAILOR investigators (2023) · BMC Cardiovascular Disorders · doi:10.1186/s12872-023-03486-3 · Cited by 50 · see citing works
“[12, 13] Indeed, our findings align with two other studies reporting that telemonitoring is likely to improve patients’ self-care [28] and sense of security.”
Result
Experiences of internet-based cognitive behavioural therapy for depression and anxiety among Arabic-speaking individuals in Sweden: a qualitative study
Lindegaard, T., Kashoush, F., Holm, S., Halaj, A., Berg, M., & Andersson, G. (2021) · BMC Psychiatry · doi:10.1186/s12888-021-03297-w · Cited by 44 · see citing works
“In line with findings in previous qualitative ICBT studies [40], some participants expressed appreciation for the flexibility inherent in the format and found the treatment easy to follow along.”
BackgroundResultInfluential
College student interest in teletherapy and self-guided mental health supports during the COVID-19 pandemic
Ahuvia, I. L., Sung, J. Y., Dobias, M., Nelson, B. D., Richmond, L. L., London, B. E., & Schleider, J. L. (2022) · Journal of American College Health · doi:10.1080/07448481.2022.2062245 · Cited by 43 · see citing works
“19 Additional factors such as the perceived quality of the service, ease of use, and esthetics inform whether or not individuals use digitally administered supports.”
Background
The barriers, benefits and training needs of clinicians delivering psychological therapy via video
Buckman, J. E. J., Saunders, R., Leibowitz, J., & Minton, R. (2021) · Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy · doi:10.1017/s1352465821000187 · Cited by 42 · see citing works
“…experiences may be crucial to identifying and mitigating barriers faced by services in delivering the volume and quality of care required and expected of them (Greenhalgh et al ., 2017), or in supporting their patients and clinicians to successfully access and deliver care (Patel et al ., 2020).”
Influential
Investigating the potential of a novel internet-based cognitive behavioural intervention for Dari and Farsi speaking refugee youth: A feasibility study
Lindegaard, T., Wasteson, E., Demetry, Y., Andersson, G., Richards, D., & Shahnavaz, S. (2022) · Internet Interventions · doi:10.1016/j.invent.2022.100533 · Cited by 30 · see citing works
The Synergistic Effect of Nurse Proactive Phone Calls With an mHealth App Program on Sustaining App Usage: 3-Arm Randomized Controlled Trial
Wong, A. K. C., Bayuo, J., Wong, F. K. Y., Chow, K. K. S., Wong, S. M., & Lau, A. C. K. (2023) · Journal of Medical Internet Research · doi:10.2196/43678 · Cited by 36 · see citing works
“Studies have also indicated that older adults with high levels of depression and low levels of self-efficacy have little motivation to learn and adhere to innovative technology to improve their health [11,12].”
User engagement in clinical trials of digital mental health interventions: a systematic review
Elkes, J., Cro, S., Batchelor, R., O’Connor, S., Yu, L., Bell, L., Harris, V., Sin, J., & Cornelius, V. R. (2024) · BMC Medical Research Methodology · doi:10.1186/s12874-024-02308-0 · Cited by 37 · see citing works
“However, in contrary to conventional therapist-led treatments, DMHIs offer flexible anytime access for individuals [11].”
Psychological mechanisms underpinning change in intolerance of uncertainty across anxiety-related disorders: New insights for translational research
Morriss, J. (2025) · Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews · doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2025.106138 · Cited by 28 · see citing works
“…should examine the extent to which digital health interventions versus traditional face to face therapy changes IU, given the that such mediums of therapy may be useful for the general population, those with milder symptoms, and/or for those who cannot access in person therapy (Patel et al., 2020).”
A meta-analytic review of randomized clinical trials of online treatments for anxiety: Inclusion/exclusion criteria, uptake, adherence, dropout, and clinical outcomes
Bisby, M. A., Karin, E., Hathway, T., Scott, A. J., Heriseanu, A. I., Dudeney, J. E., Fisher, A. C., Gandy, M., Cross, S. P. M., Staples, L., et al. (2022) · Journal of Anxiety Disorders · doi:10.1016/j.janxdis.2022.102638 · Cited by 28 · see citing works
Expanding a Behavioral View on Digital Health Access: Drivers and Strategies to Promote Equity
Kepper, M. M., Fowler, L. A., Kusters, I. S., Davis, J. W., Baqer, M., Henson, S. J. S., Xiao, Y., Tarfa, A., Yi, J. C., Gibson, B., et al. (2024) · Journal of Medical Internet Research · doi:10.2196/51355 · Cited by 30 · see citing works
“As an indicator of appropriateness, a systematic review on the usability of digital health interventions for anxiety, depression, and somatoform disorders found that participants’ initial beliefs and the amount of support and personalization that they received influenced engagement and dropout [52].”
What adults with ADHD want to know: A Delphi consensus study on the psychoeducational needs of experts by experience
Seery, C., Wrigley, M., O'Riordan, F., Kilbride, K., & Bramham, J. (2022) · Health Expectations · doi:10.1111/hex.13592 · Cited by 26 · see citing works
Skill Enactment and Knowledge Acquisition in Digital Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Depression and Anxiety: Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials
Jackson, H. M., Calear, A. L., Batterham, P. J., Ohan, J. L., Farmer, G. M., & Farrer, L. M. (2023) · Journal of Medical Internet Research · doi:10.2196/44673 · Cited by 25 · see citing works
“Relative to in-person interventions, DMHIs can improve the reach and accessibility of care, are often available for free or at a lower cost, and may overcome several attitudinal barriers (eg, concerns about stigma and a preference for self-management) [8,9].”
Digital Mental Health Interventions for Alleviating Depression and Anxiety During Psychotherapy Waiting Lists: Systematic Review
Huang, S., Wang, Y., Li, G., Hall, B. J., & Nyman, T. J. (2024) · JMIR Mental Health · doi:10.2196/56650 · Cited by 25 · see citing works
“…that are usually delivered in a relatively standard procedure, DMHIs encompass diverse features, such as being available on multiple digital devices (website, computer, mobile apps) and offering many delivery formats (email, text message, virtual reality, games, self-help, or guided) [25-27].”
Background
Benefits of Digital Mental Health Care Interventions for Correctional Workers and Other Public Safety Personnel: A Narrative Review
Moghimi, E., Knyahnytska, Y., Omrani, M., Nikjoo, N., Stephenson, C., Layzell, G., Simpson, A. I. F., & Alavi, N. (2022) · Frontiers in Psychiatry · doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2022.921527 · Cited by 25 · see citing works
“Generally, users prefer interventions that can be personalized to meet their unique preferences and needs, are accessible and interactive and offer support (122).”
Background
Insights into internet-delivered cognitive behavioural therapy for public safety personnel: Exploration of client experiences during and after treatment
Beahm, J. D., McCall, H. C., Carleton, R. N., Titov, N., Dear, B., & Hadjistavropoulos, H. D. (2021) · Internet Interventions · doi:10.1016/j.invent.2021.100481 · Cited by 23 · see citing works
Randomized controlled study of a digital data driven intervention for depressive and generalized anxiety symptoms
Fatouros, P., Tsirmpas, C., Andrikopoulos, D., Kaplow, S., Kontoangelos, K. A., & Papageorgiou, C. (2025) · npj Digital Medicine · doi:10.1038/s41746-025-01511-7 · Cited by 27 · see citing works
“At the patient level, it is important to understand the user ’ s perceptions of DHIs along with their preferences, when deciding which digital modalities to provide 30 .”
Effects of a Comprehensive Dietary Intervention Program, Promoting Nutrition Literacy, Eating Behavior, Dietary Quality, and Gestational Weight Gain in Chinese Urban Women with Normal Body Mass Index during Pregnancy
Li, Q., Piaseu, N., Phumonsakul, S., & Thadakant, S. (2024) · Nutrients · doi:10.3390/nu16020217 · Cited by 20 · see citing works
“Despite limitations, this research contributes valuable insights for future interventions, emphasizing the importance of personalized approaches, interactivity, and long-term follow-ups for sustained impact on maternal and child health.”
Background
Understanding Users’ Experiences of a Novel Web-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Platform for Depression and Anxiety: Qualitative Interviews From Pilot Trial Participants
Shkel, J., Green, G., Le, S., Kaveladze, B. T., Marcotte, V., Rushton, K., Nguyen, T., & Schueller, S. M. (2023) · JMIR Formative Research · doi:10.2196/46062 · Cited by 19 · see citing works
“As such, the popularity and use of DMHIs have gradually increased in the last decade [10].”
Background
Preferences of people with chronic kidney disease regarding digital health interventions that promote healthy lifestyle: qualitative systematic review with meta-ethnography
Trần, T. B., Ambrens, M., Nguyễn, J., Coleman, E., Gilanyi, Y. L., Letton, M. E., Pandit, A., Lock, M. L., Thom, J. M., Sen, S., et al. (2024) · BMJ Open · doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2023-082345 · Cited by 19 · see citing works
Service users experience of psychological interventions in primary care settings: A qualitative meta‐synthesis
Finazzi, E., & MacBeth, A. M. (2021) · Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy · doi:10.1002/cpp.2650 · Cited by 19 · see citing works
Understanding the Subjective Experience of Long-term Remote Measurement Technology Use for Symptom Tracking in People With Depression: Multisite Longitudinal Qualitative Analysis
White, K. M., Dawe‐Lane, E., Siddi, S., Lamers, F., Simblett, S. K., Alacid, G. R., Ivan, A., Myin‐Germeys, I., Haro, J. M., Oetzmann, C., et al. (2023) · JMIR Human Factors · doi:10.2196/39479 · Cited by 19 · see citing works
“Borghouts et al [26] and Patel et al [27] found that lack of technical issues, flexible usability of the platform, personalization, and access to training were associated with increased long-term engagement with digital health intervention platforms.”
BackgroundInfluential
Can digital health researchers make a difference during the pandemic? Results of the single-arm, chatbot-led Elena+: Care for COVID-19 interventional study
Ollier, J., Suryapalli, P., Fleisch, E., von Wangenheim, F., Mair, J. L., Salamanca-Sanabria, A., & Kowatsch, T. (2023) · Frontiers in Public Health · doi:10.3389/fpubh.2023.1185702 · Cited by 19 · see citing works
Evolution of Primary Research Studies in Digital Interventions for Mental Well-Being Promotion from 2004 to 2023: A Bibliometric Analysis of Studies on the Web of Science
Armaou, M., Pears, M., Konstantinidis, S. T., & Blake, H. (2024) · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · doi:10.3390/ijerph21030375 · Cited by 18 · see citing works
“Furthermore, discrepancies in the data due to missing values, different spellings of the authors’ full names, or differences in afﬁliations’ names within the source data can all lead to variations in the results of the performance analysis [26].”
Result
The Tuberculosis-Depression Syndemic and Evolution of Pharmaceutical Therapeutics: From Ancient Times to the Future
der Walt, M. L. V., & Keddy, K. H. (2021) · Frontiers in Psychiatry · doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2021.617751 · Cited by 19 · see citing works
“Self-help applications may prevent depression, prior to its development into full disease, decreasing demands on health resources (60, 62, 63).”
Background
Effects of digital health interventions on the psychological outcomes of perinatal women: umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses
Lau, Y., Chew, H. S. J., Ang, W. H. D., Ang, W. W., Yeo, C. Y., Lim, Z. Q. G., Wong, S. H., Lau, S. T., & Cheng, L. J. (2023) · Health Psychology Review · doi:10.1080/17437199.2023.2185654 · Cited by 19 · see citing works
“From the perspective of SCT (Schunk, 2012), digital environments facilitate social learning by increasing accessibility, thus allowing women to feel powerful and empowered (Patel et al., 2020; Schunk, 2012).”
Background
A qualitative interview study of patients' attitudes towards and intention to use digital interventions for depressive disorders on prescription
Posselt, J., Baumann, E., & Dierks, M. (2024) · Frontiers in Digital Health · doi:10.3389/fdgth.2024.1275569 · Cited by 17 · see citing works
“Since it is known that patients with positive perceptions towards digital health interventions may bene ﬁ t more from the offerings (60), it is relevant to consider how patients access DTx in routine care.”
Background
A Direct-to-Public Peer Support Program (Big White Wall) Versus Web-Based Information to Aid the Self-management of Depression and Anxiety: Results and Challenges of an Automated Randomized Controlled Trial
Morriss, R. K., Kaylor‐Hughes, C., Rawsthorne, M., Coulson, N., Simpson, S., Guo, B., James, M., Lathe, J., Moran, P., Tata, L. J., et al. (2020) · Journal of Medical Internet Research · doi:10.2196/23487 · Cited by 17 · see citing works
“It identified that enrollment and retention to studies were determined by the participants’initial beliefs about digital health interventions, the offer of personal support, and the enablement of personalization of care [52].”
Self-citation
Acceptability of home-based transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in major depression: a qualitative analysis of individual experiences
Rimmer, R. M., Woodham, R. D., Cahill, S., & Fu, C. H. Y. (2024) · Mental Health Review Journal · doi:10.1108/mhrj-07-2022-0050 · Cited by 23 · see citing works
Internet Interventions in Clinical Psychology
Andersson, G., & Carlbring, P. (2021) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-818697-8.00211-9 · Cited by 15 · see citing works
A mixed methods pilot and feasibility open trial of internet-delivered cognitive behaviour therapy (iCanADAPT Advanced) for people with advanced cancer with depression and/or anxiety
Murphy, M. J., Newby, J. M., Butow, P., Joubert, A., Kirsten, L., Shaw, J., Shepherd, H. L., & Andrews, G. (2021) · Internet Interventions · doi:10.1016/j.invent.2021.100449 · Cited by 15 · see citing works
“The qualitative data for iCBT obtained in this specific group of advanced cancer patients was favourable and the data obtained can be supplemented by the growing qualitative literature base in the general adult population (Patel et al., 2020).”
Method
Design of Digital Mental Health Platforms for Family Member Cocompletion: Scoping Review
Welsh, E. T., McIntosh, J. E., Vuong, A. T., Cloud, Z. C. G., Hartley, E., & Boyd, J. (2024) · Journal of Medical Internet Research · doi:10.2196/49431 · Cited by 16 · see citing works
Predictors of engagement with remote sensing technologies for symptom measurement in Major Depressive Disorder
Matcham, F., Carr, E., White, K. M., Leightley, D., Lamers, F., Siddi, S., Annas, P., de Girolamo, G., Haro, J. M., Horsfall, M., et al. (2022) · Journal of Affective Disorders · doi:10.1016/j.jad.2022.05.005 · Cited by 13 · see citing works
“Individuals with MDD experiencing high levels of depression or anxiety, faced with the challenge of mastering a new technological system, may therefore have worsened subjective perceptions of the usability or acceptability of a novel system (Patel et al., 2020).”
Two sides of the same coin? Patient and therapist experiences with a transdiagnostic blended intervention focusing on emotion regulation
Bielinski, L. L., Bur, O. T., Wälchli, G., Suter, J. M., Walsh, N., Kley, M. A., Krieger, T., & Berger, T. (2022) · Internet Interventions · doi:10.1016/j.invent.2022.100586 · Cited by 15 · see citing works
“However, the sample size was comparable to other qualitative studies in the field (Patel et al., 2020).”
Adaptation of digital navigation training for integrated behavioral health providers: Interview and survey study
Emerson, M. R., Dinkel, D. M., Watanabe‐Galloway, S., Torous, J. B., & Johnson, D. J. (2023) · Translational Behavioral Medicine · doi:10.1093/tbm/ibad016 · Cited by 12 · see citing works
A systematic review and meta‐analysis of digital interventions targeted at individuals with borderline personality disorder (BPD), emotionally unstable personality disorder (EUPD), and related symptoms
Drews‐Windeck, E., Greenwood, K., & Cavanagh, K. (2023) · Journal of Clinical Psychology · doi:10.1002/jclp.23523 · Cited by 15 · see citing works
Healthcare professionals' perspectives on a blended care program in primary care; A qualitative study
Toonders, S. A. J., Poolman, E. Y., Nieboer, M. E., Pisters, M. F., & Veenhof, C. (2021) · Internet Interventions · doi:10.1016/j.invent.2021.100440 · Cited by 13 · see citing works
Enhancing mHealth data collection applications with sensing capabilities
Karthan, M., Martin, R., Holl, F., Swoboda, W. J., Kestler, H. A., Pryss, R. C., & Schobel, J. (2022) · Frontiers in Public Health · doi:10.3389/fpubh.2022.926234 · Cited by 13 · see citing works
“Most importantly, participants accept such digital solutions (4, 5), and psychometric properties (6) are not violated.”
Background
Digital Health Interventions in Depression Care—A Survey on Acceptance from the Perspective of Patients, Their Relatives and Health Professionals
Häfner, J., Schönfeld, S., Tokgöz, P., Choroschun, K., Schlubach, A., & Dockweiler, C. (2022) · Healthcare · doi:10.3390/healthcare10102019 · Cited by 13 · see citing works
“Accordingly, it could be conducive to use if expectations and preferences are clarified before actual use, thus preventing misunderstandings and the individual degree of support might be adjusted [23].”
Background
What I missed from my online therapist: A survey-based qualitative investigation of patient experiences of therapist contact in guided internet interventions
Sayar, H., Vøllestad, J., & Nordgreen, T. (2023) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2023.990833 · Cited by 12 · see citing works
“It is likely that participants who experience ICBT in this manner are prone to associate the format with sufficient support, and thus as enabling autonomy, self-efficacy and selfdirected therapeutic activities in the manner pointed out in other qualitative studies (Bendelin et al., 2011; Patel et al., 2020).”
BackgroundResult
Acceptability of digital health interventions in perioperative care: a systematic review and narrative synthesis of clinician perspectives
Ahmed, A. S., Ho, C. W., Grant, Y., Archer, S., & Carrington, E. V. (2025) · BMJ Open · doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2024-086412 · Cited by 11 · see citing works
Mental health mobile app use: Considerations for serving underserved patients in integrated primary care settings
Emerson, M. R., Caspari, J. H., Notice, M. R., Watanabe‐Galloway, S., Dinkel, D. M., & Kabayundo, J. (2021) · General Hospital Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2021.01.008 · Cited by 14 · see citing works
“reliable measure for use with primary care clinic populations [55].”
BackgroundMethod
Understanding and Addressing Occupational Stressors in Internet-Delivered Therapy for Public Safety Personnel: A Qualitative Analysis
Beahm, J. D., Landry, C. A., McCall, H. C., Carleton, R. N., & Hadjistavropoulos, H. D. (2022) · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · doi:10.3390/ijerph19084744 · Cited by 11 · see citing works
“The study uses qualitative data that are appropriate for exploring client experiences within digital mental health programs [24], describing occupational stressors [25], and guiding enhancements to the quality of interventions [26].”
Method
The qualities of patients interested in using a game-based digital mental health intervention for depression: a sequential mixed methods study
Lukka, L., Salonen, A., Vesterinen, M., Karhulahti, V., Palva, S., & Palva, J. M. (2023) · BMC Digital Health · doi:10.1186/s44247-023-00037-w · Cited by 11 · see citing works
Increasing the accessibility to internet-based cognitive behavioural therapy for depression: A single-blind randomized controlled trial of condensed versus full-text versions
Karlsson-Good, M., Kaldo, V., Lundberg, L., Kraepelien, M., Anthony, S. A., & Holländare, F. (2023) · Internet Interventions · doi:10.1016/j.invent.2023.100678 · Cited by 11 · see citing works
“Qualitative research and clinical experience reveal varying opinions from patients on the length and difficulty of the text in iCBT treatments (Hadjistavropoulos et al., 2018; Rozental et al., 2015; Patel et al., 2020; McCashin et al., 2019).”
Background
Harnessing an Artificial Intelligence–Based Large Language Model With Personal Health Record Capability for Personalized Information Support in Postsurgery Myocardial Infarction: Descriptive Qualitative Study
Yang, T.-T., Zheng, H.-X., Cao, S., Jing, M.-L., Ju, H., Zuo, Y., Chen, Q., & Zhang, J.-J. (2025) · Journal of Medical Internet Research · doi:10.2196/68762 · Cited by 12 · see citing works
Impact of a Digital Intervention for Literacy in Depression among Portuguese University Students: A Randomized Controlled Trial
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Authors: Patel, S., Akhtar, A., Malins, S., Wright, N., Rowley, E., Young, E., Sampson, S., & Morriss, R.
Affiliations: University of Nottingham (GB)
Birmingham City University (GB)
Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (GB)
Corresponding author: Patel, Shireen
ORCID: Patel, Shireen
Akhtar, Athfah
Malins, Sam
Wright, Nicola
Rowley, Emma
Young, Emma
Sampson, Stephanie
Morriss, Richard
Venue: Journal of Medical Internet Research
Publisher: JMIR Publications Inc.
Published: 2020-07-06
Volume: 22
Issue: 7
Pages: e16228
ISSN: 1438-8871 (ISSN-L)
DOI: 10.2196/16228
PMC: PMC7381032
OpenAlex: W3013183289
Cited by: 190
References: 58
Citations by year: 2026: 39 · 2025: 26 · 2024: 47 · 2023: 33 · 2022: 24 · 2021: 20 · 2020: 1
FWCI: 3.06
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: gold
doi.org
Licence: cc-by
Locations: Journal of Medical Internet Research (publishedVersion, cc-by)
PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
PubMed (publishedVersion)
BCU Open Access Repository (Birmingham City University) (acceptedVersion)
Repository@Nottingham (University of Nottingham) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Funders: National Institute for Health and Care Research (NF-SI-0617-10016, NIHR-INF-1631)
Department of Health and Social Care
NIHR Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre
Topics: Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Digital Mental Health Interventions
Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Mobile Health and mHealth Applications
Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Mental Health Treatment and Access
Keywords: digital health interventions, depression, anxiety, somatoform disorders, acceptability, usability, user experience, service user perspectives, individualized care, individual support, treatment engagement, access to mental health care
MeSH terms: Adult, Anxiety Disorders, Depression, Humans, Somatoform Disorders, Telemedicine

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The Acceptability and Usability of Digital Health Interventions for Adults With Depression, Anxiety, and Somatoform Disorders: Qualitative Systematic Review and Meta-Synthesis

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