Qualitative Result of Continuous Engagement Towards cCBT: User Engagement and Implications

Zainul Akramin Mohd Drus, Dalbir Singh, Rusli Abdullah, Nurhizam Safie Mohd Satar, Rian Farta Wijaya, Zhang Tietou
dx.doi.org/10.17576/apjitm-2026-1501-09

Abstract

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is crucial in traditional therapeutic settings where patients interact directly with psychologists to address emotional and physical health issues. The evolution of information technology has spurred the development of innovative therapeutic modalities like Computerised Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (cCBT). cCBT reduces face-to-face meetings with psychologists. This saves costs and allows psychologists to focus on more complex cases or patients. cCBT therapy uses a computer, smartphones, and other devices tailored to the patient's needs while following CBT guidelines and treatment protocols. This research focuses exclusively on conducting a comprehensive investigation into the theme of user engagement, encompassing various sub-themes. This study aimed to investigate user continuous engagement towards cCBT applications in healthcare, mainly focusing on mental health. This research examines three main themes related to cCBT: user engagement, dropout rates, and the interface design of cCBT. Twelve participants, averaging 33.9 years of age, were engaged in semi-structured interviews. Subsequently, the interviews were transcribed and analysed using a six-step thematic analysis methodology. Additionally, various sub-themes emerged during the analysis. However, this paper exclusively delves into an in-depth exploration of the user engagement theme. In the study, data saturation was attained, leading to the identification of six distinct sub-themes within the dataset. This is to ensure patient's continuous engagement towards cCBT applications by analysing user engagement themes and subthemes, identifying key factors that drive patient adherence, and optimising treatment outcomes.

keyword

cCBT, CBT, computerised therapy, continuous engagement, user engagement

Area

Multimedia and Usability