IPROC iproc Iproceedings 2369-6893 JMIR Publications Toronto, Canada v2i1e24 10.2196/iproc.6115 Poster Poster A Patient-Centered Approach to Developing a Mobile-Based Self-Management Intervention, Featuring a Virtual Coach, for Adolescents With Irritable Bowel Syndrome Hale Timothy CHS Scientific Program Committee Donovan Elizabeth PhD 1
BodiMojo, Inc 30 Newbury Street, 3rd Floor Boston, MA, 02116 United States 1 617 333 0441 1 617 333 0441 liz@bodimojo.com
Cousineau Tara PhD 1 Tsao Jennie CI PhD 2 Zeltzer Lonnie K MD 2 Evans Subhadra PhD 3 1 BodiMojo, Inc Boston, MA United States 2 David Geffen School of Medicine University of California, Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA United States 3 Pediatric Pain Program David Geffen School of Medicine University of California, Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA United States Corresponding Author: Elizabeth Donovan liz@bodimojo.com Jan-Dec2016 29 12 2016 2 1 e24 4 6 2016 4 8 2016 ©Elizabeth Donovan, Tara Cousineau, Jennie CI Tsao, Lonnie K Zeltzer, Subhadra Evans. Originally published in Iproceedings (http://www.iproc.org), 29.12.2016. 2016

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 Background

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a complex, chronic, functional disorder that has no cure and is characterized by abdominal pain/discomfort and altered bowel habits; other symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, and bloating; and it can also result in social isolation and shame. While in-person self-management skills training for IBS has been shown to be effective in adults and older adolescents, this training is inaccessible for most. Mobile technology may be a feasible way to deliver an intervention to adolescents designed to promote self-management and positive coping skills.

 Objective

To conduct in-depth interviews with key stakeholders to inform the development of a mobile-based intervention, featuring an empathetic virtual coach, designed to promote self-management skills and positive coping skills in adolescents with IBS.

 Methods

A total of 12 adolescents with IBS and 12 parents recruited from the UCLA Pediatric Pain Program (PPP) and Whole Child LA, and 12 multi-disciplinary health care providers, including gastroenterologists, nutritionists, and mental health providers, participated in 60-minute in-depth interviews. Interview guides were designed to elicit information about functioning challenges and coping strategies and to gather feedback about preliminary features for a mobile-based intervention and preferences for new features. Participants were shown images of three proposed main features and a video animation of a virtual coach. Thematic analysis informed coding and analysis of interview data.

 Results

Results of the in-depth interviews revealed 6 main themes around adolescents’ functioning, coping, and preferences for a mobile-based intervention. Data from the interviews were incorporated into a demonstration version of the mobile app using emotional modeling algorithms for a virtual coach.

 Conclusions

A patient-centered approach is a useful way to inform development of a mobile-based intervention for adolescents struggling to manage IBS. A next phase of the research includes a pilot study with 24 adolescents using the application and acceptance testing with caregivers and providers.

 virtual coach mobile application irritable bowel syndrome adolescence emotional modeling mHealth

This poster was presented at the Connected Health Symposium 2016, October 20-21, Boston, MA, United States. The poster is displayed as an image in Figure 1 and as a PDF in Multimedia Appendix 1.

Poster.

 Multimedia Appendix 1

Poster.