Mobile Self-Management of Irritable Bowel Syndrome for Adolescents



 DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The BodiMojo Buddy mobile app for adolescents with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) represents a significant new self-management tool that will educate adolescents, build self-care skills and complement patient-physician interactions. IBS is a common digestive condition among adolescents that has profound effects on adolescent quality of life. IBS and related functional bowel disorders have been ranked as a common cause of illness-related absenteeism, second only to the common cold (Cain et al., 2006). 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. Despite the fact that IBS is quite common-prevalence estimates in North America for adults and adolescents are between 10- 15 percent-there is remarkably little available to adolescents to help them self-manage the symptoms of IBS. The goal of this application is to develop a mobile self-management support intervention for adolescents living with IBS that can serve to increase patient engagement through interactive skill-building, self-care, and mindfulness- based cognitive behavioral activities. Evidence-based self-management support will be delivered to adolescents with IBS through a virtual coach or "embodied conversational agent" (ECA). Virtual coaches offer a number of advantages when incorporated into technology-based health interventions, such as: (1) creating empathy and social bonds that can serve to increase adherence to health regimens that are encouraged by the virtual coach; (2) they may be effective for maintaining a number of health behavior changes over a period of time; and (3) they may be well-suited to groups who experience shame about their medical condition, social isolation, and harbor worries about fitting in. This approach, therefore, may be especially helpful for adolescents with IBS. The specific goals of the proposed program are to enhance self-management of IBS through a virtual coach, the BodiMojo Buddy, and help caregivers reinforce their adolescent's self-care with support and health promotion materials. The feasibility of this intervention will be developed and evaluated through these specific aims: (1) conduct in-depth interviews to gather input from adolescents with IBS, caregivers, and providers to inform design and content of the mobile-based intervention; (2) create an educational content plan and emotional modeling technical specifications for the virtual coach; (3) develop the mobile app prototype and parent video tutorials; (4) conduct a pilot test of the BodiMojo Buddy prototype with adolescents who have IBS; (5) conduct acceptance testing with caregivers and providers.