%0 Journal Article
%@ 2368-7959
%I JMIR Publications
%V 8
%N 1
%P e21854
%T Examining the Relationship Between the Use of a Mobile Peer-Support App and Self-Injury Outcomes: Longitudinal Mixed Methods Study
%A Kruzan,Kaylee Payne
%A Whitlock,Janis
%A Bazarova,Natalya N
%+ Center for Behavioral Intervention Technologies, Northwestern University, 750 N Lake Shore Dr, 10th Fl, Chicago, IL, United States, 1 312 503 6585, kaylee.kruzan@northwestern.edu
%K self-injury
%K mobile apps
%K peer support
%K mHealth
%D 2021
%7 28.1.2021
%9 Original Paper
%J JMIR Ment Health
%G English
%X Background: Many individuals who self-injure seek support and information through online communities and mobile peer-support apps. Although researchers have identified risks and benefits of participation, empirical work linking participation in these web-based spaces to self-injury behaviors and thoughts is limited. Objective: This study aims to investigate the relationship between behavioral and linguistic traces on a mobile peer support app and self-injury outcomes. Methods: Natural use data and web-based surveys (N=697) assessing self-injury outcomes were collected from 268 users (aged 13-38 years; median 19; 149/268, 55.6% female) of a mobile peer-support app for 4 months. Participants were identified as having posted self-injury content using an internal classifier. Natural log data was used to predict self-injury outcomes in a series of multilevel logistic and linear regressions. Results: Greater engagement on a mobile peer-support app was associated with a decreased likelihood of self-injury thoughts (odds ratio [OR] 0.25, 95% CI 0.09-0.73) and fewer intentions to self-injure (b=−0.37, SE 0.09), whereas posting triggering content was associated with an increased likelihood of engaging in behaviors (OR 5.37, 95% CI 1.25-23.05) and having self-injury thoughts (OR 17.87, 95% CI 1.64-194.15). Moreover, viewing triggering content was related to both a greater ability to resist (b=1.39, SE 0.66) and a greater intention to self-injure (b=1.50, SE 0.06). Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first study to connect naturally occurring log data to survey data assessing self-injury outcomes over time. This work provides empirical support for the relationship between participation in online forums and self-injury outcomes, and it articulates mechanisms contributing to this relationship. 
%M 33507154
%R 10.2196/21854
%U http://mental.jmir.org/2021/1/e21854/
%U https://doi.org/10.2196/21854
%U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/33507154