| dc.description | This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work, first published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research, is properly cited. The complete bibliographic information, a link to the original publication on https://www.jmir.org/, as well as this copyright and license information must be included. | en |
| dc.description.abstract | Background: Self-harm is a growing issue with increasing prevalence rates; however, individuals who self-harm do not often
receive treatment. Mobile health (mHealth) interventions are a possible solution to some of the barriers that individuals face when
seeking support, and they have also been found to be effective in improving mental health. Thus far, reviews of mHealth
interventions for self-harm have been limited by study type. Therefore, we determined that a broader scoping review will provide
a more exhaustive understanding of mHealth interventions for self-harm.
Objective: This scoping review aims to identify mHealth interventions for self-harm within the literature, understand the types
and features of interventions that have been developed and evaluated, highlight research findings around mHealth interventions
for self-harm, and determine what outcomes are typically used to assess the efficacy of interventions.
Methods: A search was conducted using Embase, PubMed, PsycINFO, PsycEXTRA, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library.
Studies were included if they described an mHealth intervention designed to have a direct (ie, if the intervention was designed
for self-harm or for people who self-harm) or indirect (ie, if self-harm was measured as an outcome) treatment effect and if the
paper was available in English. There were no exclusion criteria based on the study design.
Results: A total of 36 papers were included in the review, and most of them were randomized controlled trials published within
the last 4 years. The interventions were mostly smartphone apps and calling or texting services, with 62% (21/34) having underlying
therapeutic models to inform the intervention content. They were generally shown to be promising and appealing, but only 5
were widely available for use. Outcomes focused on a reduction of self-harm and suicidality, mood, and the users’ experiences
of the intervention. Samples were typically nondiverse, and there was limited variety in the study designs and in the measurements
of self-harm recovery.
Conclusions: Promising and appealing mHealth interventions have been developed but are not widely available. Research could
benefit from greater diversity as well as a broader and more nuanced understanding of recovery from self-harm. | en |
