‘That’s just how I am’: a qualitative interview study to identify factors influencing engagement with a digital intervention for tinnitus self-management

Greenwell, Kate; Sereda, Magdalena; Coulson, Neil S.; Geraghty, Adam W.A.; Bradbury, Katherine; Hoare, Derek J.

Abstract

© 2020 The Authors. British Journal of Health Psychology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Psychological Society Objectives: To explore users’ reactions to and expectations of the Tinnitus E-Programme 2.0, a digital cognitive behavioural intervention for tinnitus, and to identify contextual factors and mechanisms of action that may influence user engagement with the intervention. Design: Qualitative interview study. Methods: Think-aloud and semi-structured interviews were carried out with 19 people with tinnitus. Interviews explored participants’ views of the intervention’s information and advice, its wider intervention goals (e.g. behaviour change, self-management), and factors that may strengthen or impede users’ engagement. Data were analysed using inductive thematic analysis, and findings were used to develop a conceptual model of user engagement with the intervention. Results: Generally, participants expressed positive views of the intervention, its intervention components, and its design features. Identified contextual factors included pre-existing attitudes, beliefs, skills, and knowledge (e.g. perceptions of tinnitus symptom severity, openness to tinnitus management, and psychological techniques); previous experience of tinnitus management; and characteristics of the condition (e.g. heterogeneous nature of tinnitus, stage in healthcare journey). These contextual factors were hypothesized to influence engagement through four mechanisms of action: motivation to change tinnitus-related attitudes and behaviour; perceived personal relevance of the intervention; expectations of benefit; and appeal of the intervention techniques. Conclusions: This study demonstrated the acceptability of the Tinnitus E-Programme 2.0 amongst its target group, while highlighting potential areas for improvement in future intervention modifications. Our findings identified contextual factors that others developing interventions for tinnitus or cognitive behavioural interventions may wish to consider.

Citation

Greenwell, K., Sereda, M., Coulson, N. S., Geraghty, A. W., Bradbury, K., & Hoare, D. J. (2020). ‘That’s just how I am’: a qualitative interview study to identify factors influencing engagement with a digital intervention for tinnitus self-management. British Journal of Health Psychology, https://doi.org/10.1111/bjhp.12486

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Oct 7, 2020
• Online Publication Date: Oct 27, 2020
• Publication Date: Oct 27, 2020
• Deposit Date: Jan 7, 2021
• Publicly Available Date: Jan 11, 2021
• Journal: British Journal of Health Psychology
• Print ISSN: 1359-107X
• Electronic ISSN: 2044-8287
• Publisher: Wiley
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/bjhp.12486
• Keywords: Applied Psychology; General Medicine
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/5008484
• Publisher URL: https://bpspsychub.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bjhp.12486
• Additional Information: Received: 2020-07-13; Published: 2020-10-27