Practicing Mindfulness through mHealth Applications: Emerging Adults’ Health-Enhancing and Inhibiting Experiences

Greenberry Taylor, Carma L. Bylund, Amanda Kastrinos, Jordan M. Alpert, Ana Puig, Joanna M. T. Krajewski, Bhakti Sharma and Carla L. Fisher
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Greenberry Taylor: Department of Communication, Flagler College, St. Augustine, FL 32084, USA
Carma L. Bylund: College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32603, USA
Amanda Kastrinos: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10022, USA
Jordan M. Alpert: College of Journalism and Communications, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
Ana Puig: College of Education, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
Joanna M. T. Krajewski: Department of Communication, Flagler College, St. Augustine, FL 32084, USA
Bhakti Sharma: College of Journalism and Communications, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
Carla L. Fisher: College of Journalism and Communications, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 5, 1-17

Abstract: Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) and practices (MBPs) can promote better health outcomes. Although MBIs and MBPs were developed to be delivered in-person, mobile health (mHealth) tools such as apps have made these more accessible. Mindfulness apps (MAs) are popular among emerging adults (EAs) who have the highest ownership of smartphones and who are also at risk for distress. While adverse effects have been observed with MBIs/MBPs, this has not been examined when mindfulness is practiced using apps. We interviewed EAs ( n = 22) to capture their motivations for using these apps and identified health-inhibiting and enhancing experiences. Data were thematically analyzed using the constant comparative method. Motivations for app use included accessibility, convenience, and stress/health management. EAs described health-enhancing outcomes (reduced distress, improved physical symptoms, increased focus) and health-inhibiting outcomes (worsened distress, performance uncertainty, dependency development, worsened physical health). They provided suggestions for improving apps (e.g., feedback option). These findings illustrate benefits and risks that EAs may encounter when practicing mindfulness using apps, which can inform the best practices for app design.

Keywords: mHealth; mindfulness; emerging adults; mobile applications; adverse effects; health communication (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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