Serious mental illness (SMI, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorders, and major depressive disorder) refers to chronic mental health conditions that can significantly impair functioning and require ongoing treatment. Persons with SMI often experience coexisting physical conditions (e.g., diabetes) and have 15-20 years shorter life expectancy than the general population.
We introduce the DigiPer mobile application (app) to promote better self-management of physical and mental health for persons with SMI. The app was developed by researchers at Dartmouth College in the US, where it is known as PeerTECH. The DigiPer app has been translated and adapted to fit the Norwegian context.
The app is built on the peer support theory, where persons with lived experience of mental health conditions and recovery provide hope and guidance for users of mental health services. The app features a peer interface and a user interface. It offers a 10-week intervention with training modules designed to support self-management of physical and mental health.
Goal
The PhD project aims to pilot the DigiPer app with Norwegian peer support workers and service users in community mental health services.
To achieve this, the project holds four objectives:
- To explore what influences the adoption and integration of digital mental health interventions for persons with SMI.
- Conduct simulation-based training on the DigiPer app for peer support workers to enable their participation in the pilot study.
- To carry out a 10-week pilot study of the DigiPer app with peer support workers and service users in the community mental health services and to examine its effects on self-management, health, and quality of life.
- To investigate user experiences with the DigiPer app after participating in the pilot.
Molde University College funds the PhD project during 2024-2027.
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